McCullum
Race Images Palmerston North
Co-owner and breeder Emma McKeon is hopeful that exciting galloper McCullum will grow out of his penchant for finding trouble on and off the track as soon as possible.
The dashing Shinko King gelding remained unbeaten after producing a convincing display over 1200 metres in rating 65 company at New Plymouth on Saturday and then immediately threw a scare into his camp by jumping through the front of the winners tie-up stall when being unsaddled.
Other than ruffling the feathers of his jockey, strapper and the nearby television crew the gelding was thankfully unscathed as he looks to further his burgeoning record in the near future.
"I'm glad I didn't see what happened after the race as he just seems to be able to find a way to get himself in trouble," joked a relieved McKeon.
"He has had a number of problems right from day one, most of which he has caused himself.
"We thought we might sell him after he won his first trial but he hurt himself so had to take time off. He then won another trial and we went to take him to the races but he was sore walking on the truck and we found he had a shoulder fracture so we had to tip him out again.
"I remember at one stage he had about three months in his box and as soon as we put him in his paddock he popped himself over the fence tape like a showjumper which is not really the type of thing you want to see after an injury like he had."
McKeon races the gelding with her husband Gavin, father David Read and family friend Steve Cross, the quartet having bred him from Danroad mare Emma's Dilemma who they also owned and raced.
"His mother was a very promising type who won her first race but then went amiss and didn't really kick on after that," she noted.
"He seems to have inherited her ability which is very exciting as we did think she could have gone on to better things.
"We are not in any rush with him and I'm not really sure where Ralph (Manning) wants to go with him so we are just going to enjoy it as it comes." – NZ Racing Desk
The dashing Shinko King gelding remained unbeaten after producing a convincing display over 1200 metres in rating 65 company at New Plymouth on Saturday and then immediately threw a scare into his camp by jumping through the front of the winners tie-up stall when being unsaddled.
Other than ruffling the feathers of his jockey, strapper and the nearby television crew the gelding was thankfully unscathed as he looks to further his burgeoning record in the near future.
"I'm glad I didn't see what happened after the race as he just seems to be able to find a way to get himself in trouble," joked a relieved McKeon.
"He has had a number of problems right from day one, most of which he has caused himself.
"We thought we might sell him after he won his first trial but he hurt himself so had to take time off. He then won another trial and we went to take him to the races but he was sore walking on the truck and we found he had a shoulder fracture so we had to tip him out again.
"I remember at one stage he had about three months in his box and as soon as we put him in his paddock he popped himself over the fence tape like a showjumper which is not really the type of thing you want to see after an injury like he had."
McKeon races the gelding with her husband Gavin, father David Read and family friend Steve Cross, the quartet having bred him from Danroad mare Emma's Dilemma who they also owned and raced.
"His mother was a very promising type who won her first race but then went amiss and didn't really kick on after that," she noted.
"He seems to have inherited her ability which is very exciting as we did think she could have gone on to better things.
"We are not in any rush with him and I'm not really sure where Ralph (Manning) wants to go with him so we are just going to enjoy it as it comes." – NZ Racing Desk