The late, great training legend Bart Cummings once said, “patience is the cheapest thing in racing and least used.”
Aaron Bain Racing has that quote as an important part of our training profile, both in thoroughbreds and standardbreds.
Such was the case in Hobart on Saturday when the wait returned the perfect dividend with our three-year-old pacer HUNGRY HIPPO.
ABR always felt the colt had excellent potential from the time he was broken in and was keen to take him to the races as a two-year-old.
But his growing body meant we had to wait until he could tell us that he was ready.
Patience paid off on Saturday with an outstanding maiden win picking up first prize of $9,100 plus his Tasbred bonus of $5,092.
On the thoroughbred front, trainers Aaron Bain & Ned Taylor fell short by a head from repeating their effort of a winner on the opening day of the new season.
Just one more bound and LITTLEBOURKESTREET would have won at Murray Bridge on Saturday on a day the team raced well.
On Monday, Aaron Bain Racing headed to the Murray Bridge trials with a massive number of 14 horses ensuring we will have multiple runners heading into the spring racing.
The trainers came away “very satisfied” with the team in what was a long day.
Only one runner for ABR at Morphettville Parks on Wednesday.
We have to wait until the final event, race eight, the SkyCity Benchmark 56 Handicap (1400m) at 4.15pm SA time.
STOKOMO gets his chance to win a race for ABR drawing barrier 8 in a field of 18 with four emergencies and senior rider Todd Pannell retains the ride.
He rode the five-year-old when a good fourth at Mildura at his most recent run.
STOKOMO looks well placed on Wednesday and should prove competitive.
HUNGRY HIPPO was ABR’s weekend star with a very impressive victory at the Hobart harness meeting on Saturday.
Coming from gate five on the second row on his race debut in the Smithawards Pace (2090m), the Emma Stewart-trained three-year-old was driven by Tassie reinsman Mark Yole.
No sooner than the field had found their positions, Yole came three wide on the Stay Hungry colt, eventually finding the spot outside the leader.
Turning for home he “hit the accelerator” and HUNGRY HIPPO streaked away to win easily by 27 metres.
The colt rated 1:58.0 which was 0.9 seconds quicker than the more seasoned pacers had recorded in the opening event and was second fastest for the meeting over the trip, only bettered by fast class star Fighter Command’s 1:55.1 in The Beautide.
Aaron Bain, principal of ABR, said HUNGRY HIPPO could have done no more.
“It was a lovely win on debut,” Bain said.
“It was a tough win.
“He did plenty of work in the run and still pull away in the straight.
“And he went the quickest quarter of the race 28.6 seconds home.
“He was very, very impressive.
“Everyone has been very patient to get to this stage but certainly a bright future ahead.”