Always B Batman plays the joker

Bruce Stewart Journalist

Despite having a tough run, Always B Batman (Always B Miki) had too much quality for his eight rivals in the Ashford Motor Lodge Mobile Pace at Ascot Park today.

Trained by Jeremy Douglas and driven by his son Hayden, the three year old was caught three wide early and had to challenge hard to get the lead off Abull, but at the end of the 2200 metres was too good, winning by five and three quarter lengths.

“Nothing went to script. We were ideally going to go back and tuck in somewhere. But we had to play with the cards we had and luckily we were just too tough for them,” Hayden said.

Today’s opposition was decidedly weaker than what the three year old has been facing in heats of the Southern Supremacy Stakes.

“He’d been going around against some pretty nice ones. To slot into a one win race like that it’s perfect for him to pick up an easy kill. He did it super easy and we probably could have not pulled the plugs but I did and he ran away from them.”

Always B Batman after his win at Ascot Park (Bruce Stewart Photo)

Owned by Megan Reidie, Paul Wilson and Gary Tippett, Always B Batman won his first race as a two year old at Addington in August last year and expectations were high that he’d kick on as a three year old this season.

“He was pretty good in his first run back when he ran third. After that he had a couple of disappointing runs. We took bloods and he had a bit of a virus. We were happy with his run (seventh) in the Supremacy. Today he’s probably back to his best.”

Douglas now works full-time for Oamaru trainer Matty Williamson after giving up his job as a civil engineer in Invercargill.

“It was a tough decision to make and I probably had a few sleepless nights. I’d really caught the racing bug. I decided while I was young I’d be best to have a crack and it’s an industry (engineering) I can always go back to. I’m still getting back down here every week to drive Dad’s horses. Matty has given me plenty of drives. It’s been great to learn off such a good driver.”