Always A Menace shooting for three straight

Jonny Turner Harness Racing Journalist

Always A Menace gave the locals more to cheer about with her mammoth win as the Gore Harness Racing Club celebrated 125 years.

Trained on the Gore track by Matt Brinsdon, the five-year-old unleashed a powerhouse performance to win when breaking early before staging a big recovery and easily dispatching her rivals.

Though he has plenty of faith in his mare, Brinsdon said he had his doubts about whether Always A Menace could win after missing the start and then looping the field for driver Hayden Douglas.

“It was a rating 35 race, but I did think if she could hang on and run in the top three it would be a good effort.”

“But to win like she did, I was blown away really.”

Douglas wore the Gore club’s 125-year colours as part of celebrations of its huge contribution to harness racing in the south.

Always A Menace has now won five races, but only two have come in Brinsdon’s colours.

The mare won a heat of the World Drivers Championship with Blair Orange wearing the silver fern, then following her Gore win she won again at Cromwell with Douglas wearing the Revell Douglas Memorial Series colours.

After winning her last two starts with a claiming junior driver in the sulky, Always A Menace is still just at rating 39.

“She has been lucky enough in the ratings, she’s won three penalty free races now,” Brinsdon said.

“Having Hayden on has worked out well, we are just trying to utilise the rating system the best we can.”

Always A Menace will attempt to make it three-from-three at Macca Lodge Northern Southland Cup Day at Ascot Park on Sunday.

“You would think she could go close again, she is the same rating as last start.”

“The only thing is that she can throw in the odd shocker every now and then.”

“She will have a quiet week this week and hopefully she can go good again on Sunday.”

Always A Menace is the last foal from the eight-race-winning mare The Phantom Menace, who has been a grand producer for Brinsdon and his family.

“They have all been able to run, you just have to wait on them.”

“We thought she was a nice three-year-old but we put her out and waited on her.”

“She has improved, she should end up in that country cups grade you would think.”

Always A Menace will link up with Douglas again at Ascot Park in Sunday’s opener.