Sport
22 October, 2020
Ninja, Paddy Lees’ win trotting crown
ECKLIN harness racing trainer Paddy Lee could not be happier with how his weekend panned out after he won one group one event and very nearly claimed a second at Melton on Saturday night.
ECKLIN harness racing trainer Paddy Lee could not be happier with how his weekend panned out after he won one group one event and very nearly claimed a second at Melton on Saturday night.
The 23 year-old and his brother Jason combined to win the $50,000 Aldebaran Park VicBred Platinum Home Grown Classic Final for two year-old trotting colts and geldings with their horse Keayang Ninja.
It was Lee’s second group one victory as a trainer and the second he and his brother had secured together in the space of 12 months.
He was thrilled with the outcome, after the pair shared their first together in the same event last December with Keayang Ignite.
“You can’t complain at all,” Lee said.
“These races don’t come around too often so you have to take these wins when they come because it can be a long time between drinks.
“We are really happy. Ninja was terrific, and when the sprint lane opened up he took a couple of strides and then went forward and accelerated away which was really good.”
Despite having some pre-race reservations, Lee could not fault the performance of the son of Wishing Stone, who stormed to a 4.9 metre win ahead of Illawong Barmah and Utopia.
“Originally I was a bit worried about the one draw because he doesn’t have good gate speed,” he said.
“It takes him time to find his feet but he trotted out really well. He had a really quick one on his outside but he did enough to kick in behind Illawong Barmah which gave him the best option of the sprint lane.
“When the last lap came around, he was able to take that option of the sprint lane and was too good in the end.”
Lee said he was stoked to share the victory with his brother and the rest of his family as well as members of his stable.
He said his mum Marg Lee, who played a part in the breeding of the victor, had been integral to his training career, which was five years into its infancy.
“You’re racing against the best horses of that age group or the best horses that are around each time you’re in a group one and when you win one with any of your family members, let alone your brother it’s a big thrill,” Lee said.
“There’s a range of family members and staff in my stable who are very hands-on and when you win these races its very rewarding and very thrilling.
“Mum’s been good in letting me train these horses; I’ve learnt everything from her so it’s a good achievement and is very rewarding for the whole family.”
Paddy and Jason almost made it a feature double in the next race, with Keayang Xena run down in the final stages of the $50,000 Aldebaran Park VicBred Platinum Home Grown Classic Final for two year-old trotting fillies.
The filly finished second, two metres behind victor Sheza Pleasure, a result which the trainer was thrilled with given the odds the horse has overcome to race.
“As a foal she was born down on her fetlocks and no one gave her much chance – we put in a lot of hard work lifting her up to feed off the mare and we were strapping her legs to make sure they grew straight,” Lee said.
“Mostly all the credit has to go to her, she’s a tough little filly giving everything she’s been through as a foal and she’s done a great job to be where she is with all the setbacks.
“Saturday night I was super impressed with her, she was a metre away from winning. She did all the hard work out of the gate and was still there at the line.
“I couldn’t have been more impressed with her.”
Lee said Ninja would now potentially progress onto the Redwood Classic on October 31 as well as November’s Breeders Crown and December’s Vicbred Super Series events.
Xena is also a chance to contest the Breeders Crown and Vicbred series.