John Dickie. Photo / Supplied
John Dickie is hoping the most unfortunate bolt of lightning in trotting history can't strike twice.
The Waikato horseman was beaming after scoring one of the richest wins of his career when Paramount Geegee turned the A$162,000 Breeders Crown 2-year-old trot into a one-horse race yesterday.
The leggy son of
Pegasus Spur burst to the lead and was rarely out of second gear for driver Robbie Holmes, cruising to his ninth win in 11 starts from Chateau De Ville and Sir Pegasus.
The win made up for the bad luck, and soreness problems, which dogged Paramount Geegee in the Sires' Stakes Final and Harness Jewels over the autumn but now Dickie is hoping to avoid even worse luck later in his career.
He believes Paramount Geegee could be the horse to take him to the next level on the Australasian scene, with a slew of Derbys and feature races next season and beyond.
"I really think he will be that horse. Because he is so big I think he still needs time to grow into himself," said Dickie.
"And he is going to be an even better horse when driven with a sit, it is just that there is no point trying that at the moment."
Long-term Dickie hopes Paramount Geegee will mature into a open-class star to rival his former star trotter Last Sunset, who was also an age-group star.
"He was a top young horse but when he got to open-class he ran into Lyell Creek, which is, hopefully, a once-in-lifetime occurrence.
"Surely, we can't run into one like that again?"
The win confirmed Dickie as an unabashed fan of Pegasus Spur, who now stands at Woodlands Stud in South Auckland.
"I went back to the sales this year and bought the one I loved and I have a mare already booked to him.
"I think he is really going to make it as a sire."
Paramount Geegee is unlikely to be seen again until February and Dickie is keen to avoid standing starts with him.
