Caldow's triumphant return

By Gus Underwood

Jan 4, 2022

First winner of the year: Stanhope-based owners Mac and Marilyn Poole, whose Jackson Square won the third event at Echuca on Saturday night.

Hometown boy: John Caldow, who learned his harness racing craft while growing up in Echuca, was back in town with a winner in the third event on the Echuca Harness Racing Club’s New Year’s Day event.

Winning trainer: Kyabram trainer Mick Blackmore was the only winning trainer from the area on a program packed with plenty of talent. He combined with Stanhope owners and former Echuca boy John Caldow for the win.

Driving double: Ellen Tormey couldn’t have started the meeting on New Year’s Day any better, driving the first two winners, Miss Tyler and Ferocious Son.

It was a triumphant homecoming for John Caldow at the Echuca Harness Racing Club annual New Year’s Day meeting on Saturday night.

Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content

The Melton horseman, who was raised in Echuca and cut his teeth in the industry alongside his late trainer father, Jack, on a property on the edge of the town, made the most of his only drive at the meeting.

He partnered the Kyabram-trained trotter Jackson Square to a dashing win in one of the $10,000 feature events on the marathon 10-race card.

Caldow urged the Mick Blackmore-prepared Jackson Square from a 30m backmark into a forward position early in the small field before taking up the front running for the final two laps where he proceeded to run his rivals ragged in the 2530m marathon.

With a 28-second final quarter he pulled well clear of his rivals to beat the runner-up, co-backmarker Travel Bug by nearly 12 metres, with the favourite, Chissy, filling the minor placing.

Jackson Square was bred and is owned by Stanhope trots stalwart Mac Poole and is by Bicardi Lindy out of former multi-winning mare Front And Square, who has left another smart trotter in Majestic Grace.

• A betting plunge on Yorkshire in another of the features at the meeting, the Moama Bowling Club’s New Year’s Cup, delivered in spades.

The Shaun McNaulty-trained and James Herbertson-driven six-year-old firmed from $16 on fixed odds to start a $3.70 chance and proved too tough for his rivals after racing outside the pacesetter, La Puddie, for the last lap and a half.

The other feature, the Frank and Carmel Ryan Memorial Pace, provided an upset, with a 70/1 chance claiming the win.

The Ash Wharton-trained and Olivia Weidenbach-driven Modern Bliss secured an inside run in the straight to beat Cee Cee In America and a brave Brackenreid in a blistering 1.56.3 mile rate time for the 1755m trip.

Echuca and district trainers failed to crack it for a win on their home track.

The Ros Rolf-prepared Beach Time, also driven by Olivia Weidenbach, put up a bold front-running display only to be run down in the shadows of the post by the Bendigo-trained Ferocious Son, who had the sit on the Echuca mare in the run.

Tongala pacer Tasma Flash was supported confidently at nice odds in the opening event and figured in a blanket finish but had to be content with third place behind Miss Tyler.

By Gus Underwood

Sports reporter