Brother and sister-law win with their best trotter yet

By Duane Ranger

Since Kathryn McLachlan relocated from New South Wales 18 years ago, she has been breeding standardbreds and sending them across the road to her sister’s husband, Denis Smith, to train at Purga.

Last Saturday night at Albion Park, the best trotter that she has bred won the $13,000 Sky Racing Trotters Discretionary Handicap.

That Down Under Muscles gelding is named Northern Muscle, and the six-year-old bay is also the best trotter that Smith has trained in more than 50 years of conditioning standardbreds.

“I watched the race on TV and was delighted that he could win back-to-back races, he’s by far the best one out of the mare (Solar Gift) so far,” McLachlan said.

“I was pleased for my brother-in-law Denis and of course Paul (Diebert), it was a nice front-running drive.”

Her brother-in-law was also impressed with Diebert’s ability to control the 2,647 metre stand from out in front – despite starting from 10 metres behind.

“I was a bit staggered when Paul managed to get him to the front from the handicap not long after the start,” Smith said.

“That’s the first time he’s been able to dictate the pace in 78 career starts and I can tell you I was pleasantly surprised when Paul got him to the top.

“Fox Valley Appeal (pacer who won 30 races and $443,017) is the best horse I have trained, but this fella is the best trotter I have sat behind.

“It was also just the second time that Paul has driven for me, he also won on him the start before at Albion Park a fortnight earlier.

“What a good horseman he is, I wished I used him sooner.”

Diebert had Northern Muscle in front at the 2,000 mark and thereafter no-one could catch them, stopping the clock in 3:21.9 - mile rate 2:02.3 and paying $8.50 to win.

It was his 22nd win in 78 starts (19 placings), and he’s now banked almost $110,046 in stakes since making his race-day debut at Marburg in April 2017.

Mrs McLachlan said she had always believed in the breed and hoped Northern Muscle could now further add to his total of four wins this season.

“His mother was a Sundon mare who only raced a couple of times for a second,” McLachlan said.

“She was above average and we took her to Sydney for two-year-old races, but her career had to be cut short when the equine virus hit Queensland.

“Solar Gift has left five foals and has been served again this season by My High Expectations, her latest foal - who was born on October 28 last year - was also by that sire, so fingers crossed.

“Apart from this one (Northern Muscle) the other three were either no good or had no luck.”

Solar Gift also left a 2010 Fling It filly named Solar Fling (one win) and a 2012 Lawman filly named Silknsun (one win).

Her 2014 Bacardi Lindy filly was a talented trotter until she suffered a track accident before she got to the races - all three have now been deregulated.

“I’ve always enjoyed breeding horses, it’s been in my blood for a very long time,” McLachlan said.

“I bred Just A Fling, who won 13 races and Norahs Fling, who won 10 - they were both nice mares.”

Smith, who is 76, has been a hobby trainer for 56 years, and was especially pleased for his sister-in-law, who had been breeding and owning standardbreds for more than four decades.

“I’m really delighted for Kathryn because she has given so much to the industry for a long time,” he said.

“This horse has won a few QBRED bonuses ($18k) over the years and he’s still only six.

“In trotting terms that’s quite young, so hopefully he can win a nice race or two yet - he’ll keep racing around Albion Park for now.

“Kathryn has bred a lot of the horses I’ve trained over the years and I’m the first to admit I might have stuffed a few up, but this fella is the best of them.

“She has bought a lot of horses from New Zealand but the dam (Solar Gift) and the grand-dam (Powderhall Gift) are both locally bred.”

He believed McLachlan paid about $2,000 for the 1991 Speed Supreme mare, Powderhall Gift.

“Solar Gift only raced twice for a fourth and a second,” Smith said.

“We took her down south to compete in the two-year-old Foundation Series and she went amiss, so Kathryn decided to breed from her.”