Hanrahans bust a feel good plan at Redcliffe

By Jordan Gerrans

The ever-popular Trot Rods series returned for 2024 on Wednesday evening but for the Hanrahan clan, planning for the speedy race concept began many weeks ago.

Spring Creek trainer Nicole Hanrahan thought her veteran gelding Bustn Feelz Good would be ideal for the 947 metre sprint series around ‘The Triangle’.

The only problem Nicole could see was that her track at her property was just a little small for the nine-year-old pacer to work on his sprint for the unique series.

The 49-year-old horsewoman devised a plan where she would send her gelding to her brother Martin – a fellow standardbred trainer in the Sunshine State – who works his team out of the Redcliffe track on a daily basis.

The long-term plan paid dividends on Wednesday evening at the Peninsula track as Bustn Feelz Good claimed the opening heat of the 2024 series and in the process set the fastest time after the first evening.

Bustn Feelz Good spun around the Redcliffe track in 66.9 seconds with the second heat winner – Lord Denzel – unable to topple that mark.

Martin has been sprinting the Mr Feelgood gelding around his local track over the last month in preparation for Wednesday's assignment.

“My sister Nicole knew he had the gate speed and under the conditions where he would draw, that was always going to be a big plus,” Martin said.

“Nicole was keen to be a part of the series and for the horse being trained on the track, that has to be a positive for a series like this. We have given him every opportunity to be ready.

“I have had him here with me doing 800 metre sprints in preparation for that race for several weeks.

“Every time I worked him he got a little bit better and better. He finished off really strong in his last gallop and we expected he would run a really good race.”

It has been an outstanding last week for the Hanrahan family.

Bustn Feelz Good got the cash on Wednesday evening and Nicole’s Mucho Guapa also tasted success at Redcliffe’s Thursday afternoon meeting.

The brother and sister team had ideas about also running Mucho Guapa in an upcoming heat of Trot Rods but following her 1780 metre victory on Thursday, they may have to go back to the drawing board.

Throughout April and May, ‘The Triangle’ will host weekly heats each Wednesday, culminating in a finale night on Wednesday May 29, with 10 Trot Rods races to be showcased on a dedicated SKY 2 broadcast. 

Mucho Guapa and Bustn Feelz Good could feature again throughout the series, Martin says.

“I think the series is a lot of fun and very exciting,” Martin said.

“I would love to have a horse in every heat but I just do not have the horses.

“They are fantastic and it is a good incentive with the prize money and penalties are in the races.”

With Mathew Neilson in the bike, Bustn Feelz Good began smartly out of the machine from two on Wednesday evening and was able to lead in the early stages.

Reinsman Neilson had enough in the tank in the finish to hold off premier driver Nathan Dawson and race favourite Blissfull Identity in the finish.

Neilson knows the gelding well and has been in the sulky in each of his race starts this year.

“I was pretty happy with him,” Martin said of the win.

“I think the draw – is not everything – but it plays a major role in those races.

“He was not the best horse in the race – we are aware of that – but once you find the front, they have got to get past you.

“Mathew did a really good job getting past Ian Coulson’s horse Lazy Blaze who drew inside him.”

After the Trot Rods win, Bustn Feelz Good is likely to head back to Nicole’s stables as she trains her small team out a spacious paddock, which the pacer enjoys.

Martin only prepares a small team and recently retired Kiss The Aviator who was a family favourite of the Hanrahans.

In 2023, trainer Trent Moffat and driver Angus Garrard combined with Vanity Bay to stop the clock at 63.8 seconds to claim the series for the year.

Click here for more information on Trot Rods.