Former Stags coach wins with gift horse at Winton

Bruce Stewart Journalist

Rakadiamonds (Betting Line) was gifted to Invercargill trainer Matt Saunders. And today at the Riverton Trotting Club Meeting at Winton the three year old filly came out and won, providing the horseman with his first winner since 2020.

“A big thanks to Brendan (Fahy) who gave her to us. Three syndicates own her and he likes to see young people at the races. I was talking to him at the pub one night and he offered me the horse which is bloody nice of him. All he wanted was a bottle of whiskey,” Saunders said.

Rakadiamonds is owned by Saunders partner Jolene Harding, the High Hopes Racing Syndicate, the S.A.S Syndicate, and the Say Yes Nellie Syndicate. Out of Rakanellie, she’s a Mach Three daughter of Raksdeal.

She was educated and qualified for Ryal Bush trainer Peter Hunter and raced in his colours once.

“She was quite a hot filly but her attitude has changed in the last couple of weeks. Peter did all the work, so he deserves most of the credit.”

In today’s non winners’ fillies and mares feature, driver Dan Anderson pushed Rakadiamonds off the arm before handing up to favourite Porcupine Creek.

Halfway up the passing lane Rakadiamonds mastered Porcupine Creek and went on to win by half a length.

“Halfway down (the straight) I was feeling confident. She did really well,” said Saunders.

The filly paid $35.50 and $5.50.

“I told everyone to back the other one (Ultimate Rush in Race Two) so I’m still a poor judge I’ll tell ya that (laughter).”

Saunders recently bought the late Murray Brown’s stable in Findlay Road just next to Ascot Park where he trains ten horses in addition to running the Four Square store in Otatara.

“We’re concentrating on the young ones and we potter around with the racehorses for the syndicates. I’m at the shop from 5.30am till 7.00am, then horses ‘til 10.00 or 11.00am then back to the shop. So it works out bloody good.”  

Saunders’ young son Harrison is a recent recruit to the local Kidz Kartz and was on hand to see his Dad’s horse win.

“I’m stoked to get a winner for him because it was our thirty or fortieth starter. It’s a relief more than anything.”

Saunders was the coach of the Southland Stags for one full season so the horses took a back step. But he’s back in the game.

“You’d love to do everything but you just can’t. It gets me out of the shop and it’s good to see people at the races.”

Saunders initially held a trainer’s licence between 2015 and 2020 and his last winner was Natural Fire at Ascot Park in March 2020.

At that point he was running the Four Square store in Tapanui and also training tried racehorses bought out of other stables.

“I did that at Tapanui. It was a necessity because you couldn’t make them (into racehorses) up there. We’re concentrating on the young ones.”

Saunders qualified a couple of two year olds last Friday. Classic Daisy is a filly by Tiger Tara out of Stay Aboard and Sweet Lou is a colt out of Galleons Respect.