Yep Got Chooks sets cracking TAB Trot Rods time

By Jordan Gerrans 

When Bathurst trainer Chris Frisby calls Trent Dawson offering up a new pacer, he cannot say yes fast enough.

Frisby has sent the Clarendon-based stable of Dawson several quality horses over the years, including new TAB Trot Rods leader Yep Got Chooks.

In a thrilling night of the 2021 TAB Trot Rods series on Wednesday at Redcliffe, a new benchmark was set in the opening heat by Maffioso Girl for the Elkins team in a time of 65.8 seconds.

In driving rain, that time lasted less than an hour as Yep Got Chooks - driven and trained by Dawson - shot to the front in a slick time of 65.03 seconds shortly after.

The leaders set a cracking pace in front in Heat 8 of the series before Yep Got Chooks was able to slip up the inside and win in a tight three-way go on the line.

“The way the barrier draw was, I thought it would suit him, and I think that was the deciding factor in it all last night, the draw,” Dawson said.

“They went hard for him and made it a nice time.

“The rain may have played a part in it; it might have taken a bit out of the ones that were making the speed.”

Wednesday evening's quick spin around the Redcliffe triangle was just the second effort for Yep Got Chooks with the Dawson stable.

The four-year-old pacer comes from Frisby in Bathurst and while he has now won second-up in Queensland, Dawson did not have high hopes when he first arrived, but now can see plenty of potential in Yep Got Chooks.

“Chris has always been really good to me, we are friends,” Dawson said.

“I never hesitate when he calls me up, I take his word and we just go from there.

“I have bought a few from him that have turned out quite alright, I will just keep going back to him then if he keeps giving me good ones.

“I will have to ask him what else has got (laughs).”

After “The Kid” Angus Garrard and Living Free set the benchmark for the 2021 TAB Trot Rods on the opening night, it has now been broken three times over the last week.

With a few more weeks until the big Trot Rods Final night, Dawson is hopeful his time of 65.03 seconds with Yep Got Chooks can claim the title.

“It would be too nice if he could hold on and win it,” he said.

“That was a reasonably high class race on Wednesday, being a mid-60s I think, it is getting up there in class.

“Even with those kinds of horses, it is good enough money just to win the race, so you need to temper it a little bit.

“You have to have the right balance between trying to run the fastest time and wanting to win the race.”

Trainer-driver Dawson, who has around 15 in work at his property, heads to the QBRED TRIAD 3YO Fillies Group 1 (2138m) on Saturday night at Albion Park with two leading chances - Talent To Spare and Kissesforyamisses.

Two more heats for the TAB Trot Rods series will be run this coming Wednesday night, May 19, at Redcliffe.

Over the series, 10 heats to be run over successive Wednesday nights before the Trot Rods Final night on Wednesday May 26.

A $10,000 bonus will be awarded to the owners of the horse with the fastest time throughout the series, thanks to Otto Tuza.

The winning trainer will also receive an Otto Tuza two-horse angled and fully enclosed horse float valued at over $21,000.

A $1,000 bonus will be awarded to the connections of any horse that eclipses the previous best series time, split 80% to owner and 20% to trainer.

With The Band took out the inaugural Trot Rods crown last year, and the $10,000 bonus, in a time of 64.77 seconds.