Journalists Wandering Eyes Posted yesterday at 08:48 AM Journalists Share Posted yesterday at 08:48 AM By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Harness racing history will be made just after 5.18pm at Ashburton Raceway on Wednesday. That’s when the dual gaited veteran Take After Me will line up in his 400th start in the Matt Smith Construction Trot. He’ll be the first standardbred ever in this country to reach that mark. “When you think that he started as a three-year-old in Invercargill and he’s still going as a 14-year-old,” says Kaiapoi-based trainer Fred Scott, “he’s been a great horse to us.” He bred and races the horse with his wife Jan. Take After Me’s first race was a second at Ascot Park in March 2024. The son of Holmes Hanover has had 124 starts as pacer for four wins and 17 wins and 275 starts as a trotter, earning just over $300,000. Alexy with 347 starts and Danke with 300 are the only standardbreds in this country to have gone anywhere near Take After Me’s record. His durability and longevity have been incredible though Scott believes the end of his racing days is not far away, and potentially Wednesday could be his last race. “He’s as sound as a bell and working good but in his last two races he’s dropped the bit and not picked up like he used to.” “Age catches up with us all and maybe it is with him too.” “I’ve always said he’ll tell us when he’s had enough.” Along the way there have been many highlights and some very sad moments too. Fred took over the training of Take After Me as his son and regular trainer Glenn battled cancer. He died in 2021. A week later Take After Me won at Methven. At the time Fred and Jan described it as “so special”. As a pacer Take After Me was good enough to compete in the 4YO Emerald at the 2015 Harness Jewels and was second to Johnny Eyre in the 2016 Reefton Cup while as a trotter Fred Scott is particularly proud that his horse finished second to one of the very best in Oscar Bonavena at Ashburton in 2019. “He was not one of the top-liners but he should get a medal for consistency,” says Scott. Now in their 70s, the Scotts have already some enquiries about Take After Me’s life in retirement. “We will give him to a good home and he can go trekking and the like,” says Fred, “when that time comes we will miss him.” To see the field for Take After Me’s 400th start click here View the full article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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