By MIKE DILLON
Danny Oatham swore he would not own another racehorse after his fine handicapper Chase Alida had to be put down in Melbourne last September.
But yesterday, Oatham won the Famis 1200 at Avondale with impressive second-start juvenile Danavon.
The Cambridge 73-year-old, who owns only one horse at a time, said he didn't sleep for a week after Chase Alida shattered a fetlock.
"It nearly killed me," he said yesterday.
"It was the third horse I'd lost in Melbourne. Tuff'Nuff and Ragatan both had to be put down over there.
"But after I lost Chase Alida I realised that if I didn't have another horse that would probably kill me anyway. I'd die of boredom from having nothing to do."
Six weeks later he went to the Ready To Run sale and bought Danavon, a Danasinga gelding, for $5500.
The youngster drove home hard in the closing stages yesterday to eclipse the favourite, Acertaintee.
"In his first start at Te Rapa he ran to the outside fence just after the start - he must have lost 10 lengths, but he was still there challenging on the home turn," said Oatham.
"He did enough that day to suggest he was going to be useful."
Oatham said that despite his bad luck, the global view was that he had been lucky.
"Just about all of my horses have paid their way. I don't pay big prices for them so that if they don't come up there is not a lot of damage."
Acertaintee rallied well after being held up by Peter Johnson early in the home straight and should not be long winning a race.
* * *
Lee Rutherford will miss riding at Rotorua on Saturday after being suspended for careless riding aboard Dulcetto in the Auto Auctions 1400 at Avondale yesterday.
Dulcetto caused severe interference to Treasure Chest and Lance O'Sullivan 200m from the finish.
Rutherford had a full book of rides on Saturday, including Laughing Cavalier in the $55,000 Rotorua Cup.
* * *
A bad bout of the flu saw Opie Bosson stand down for the last three races at Avondale.
Bosson battled away valiantly, but figured he was better off trying to rest as much as possible to relieve the symptoms before high-profile rides at the Brisbane carnival at the weekend.
* * *
Yesterday's Vegie World 1200 winner, Mattstar, is one of the horses Takanini training partners Tony and Vicky Parker will take with them in relocating to Victoria.
The Parkers will take 14 of their local team to settle in Colac, in rural Victoria.
The Avondale win puts Mattstar in open company in Australia.
"He's already won a race over there," said Tony Parker.
Racing: Big comeback from heartbreak
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.