Famous colour to the fore at Winton

Bruce Stewart Journalist

The Jonny Cox trained trotter He Aint No Devil (What The Hill) cleared maiden company today at Winton in colours that have been in the Cox family for over eighty years.

“It’s pretty special wearing those colours. We chuck them on a trotter every now and then. It always nice to win at Winton with them. Grandad (Harry) started with them so they know their way around this track really well,” Jonny said.

The colours have won more than 420 races with Harry training 335 and Jonny’s father John training 89. And they were to the fore in the 1990s when worn by giant squaregaiter David Moss.

He Aint No Devil was bred by the Cox family and was destined for the Yearling Sales.

“He injured a back fetlock but we never worked out why. We got him x-rayed and scanned and nothing ever showed up. He was dead lame on it, so we had to pull him out of the Sales. Johnny Morrrison did a bit with him, then Sam Payne broke him in.”

The three year old qualified at Ashburton in February and had three unplaced runs in Canterbury prior to venturing south.

“He’s a work in progress as you could see out there today. I think he’s got a motor. It’s a matter of squaring him up and getting him trotting straight. He’s been in work a long time so we’ll look at giving him a wee break.”

In the Night ‘N Day Winton Handicap Trot today, He Aint No Devil began well to sit parked early.

“I had to wait to get around the first bend. He just wasn’t trotting round the bends. Once we got to the straight I could let him go and get to the front. It was the same at the 1200 where I had to nurse him around it and put the foot down, down the back straight.

By the time He Aint No Devil got to the 600 he was five lengths in front. As they straightened for the run home Cox still had a buffer but it was fast diminishing.

“I could hear Ollie (Ollie Kite driving Shakedown) coming at the 200. I gave him a wee flick, he wasn’t trotting that flash but we made it across the line.”

At the line He Aint No Devil had a length to spare from a fast finishing Shakedown.

Meanwhile Shergar (Bettor’s Delight) at start number 39, finally cleared maiden ranks when he won for Invercargill HRC President Craig Heyrick, his wife Tania and their son Dylan.

“I let his hopples out ten holes because he wasn’t really striding out that well. At his first start for us he was found wanting, because it was quite tough on Diamonds Day. He ran home nicely here on Sunday and probably took benefit from that and today Matty’s (Williamson) driven him a treat. I’m probably the luck one to get the win after all those runs,” said trainer Lyndon Bond.

Shegar began his career with Tyler Dewe before having two starts for Jermey Douglas who handed him on to Kirstin Green. Prior to today’s win he’d run six seconds and six thirds banking $28,000.

Just Dylan was on course today with his parents flying back from Australia.