Kenny In The House

Bruce Stewart Journalist

It’s been a long time between wins but Southland owned Jody Direen chalked up her third win and her first for twenty one months when she won in the slush at Ascot Park yesterday.

Masked man – Kenny Barnes keeping his distance

Originally trained for Eastern Southland dairy farmer Kenny Baynes by Tony Stratford, the Mach Three mare is now in Michael House’s barn. Her last win was at Addington in February 2019.

“She’s been up country with Micky and gone okay. She dropped down a grade or two today,” Baynes said.

Driver Kirstin Barclay positioned Jody Direen four back on the outside and approaching the 400 got onto the back of stablemate Changearound. When that horse started to battle Barclay hooked her drive out four wide and Jody Direen came down the middle of the track to beat another stablemate Opawa Mach by a length and a half.

“That was social distancing,” Baynes quipped to Barclay.

In the last few seasons Baynes has supported House and says he’s been essential to Southern racing during Covid times.

“We need him. He can bring fifteen horses per race meeting. They’re not all stars but it makes a meeting. They’re trained on the track so they walk out of the barn and they’re here. He’s a big part of the industry.”

House who’s had a team of fifteen horses at Ascot Park since the end of May wasn’t on course yesterday.

“He’ll be watching it on tele. He broke his wrist about a week ago. It was in the float, a horse pulled back when he tied it up.”

Baynes says Jody Direen will go to stud in the next few weeks.

House won later in the day with Zoned Scarlett.

Last season Michael House trained his 500^th winner.

Beginning his training in 1988, his first winner was Talk About Swift at Forbury Park in January 1992.

Last season was his best, training 98 winners.

His best winning tracks have been Manawatu 145 followed by Addington 142.

Blair Orange has driven 165 winners for House, the first being Andrel’s Fancy at Marlborough in June 1998.

Dexter Dunn (71) Colin DeFillipi (52) and Clark Barron (35) have also been successful drivers for House.

Michael House’s biggest wins: