Chris and Asha Voak Photo by Northam Harness Racing Club
Chris Voak had a successful weekend, with a training double on Saturday night at Northam for the Pinjarra based stable and it looks like it’s only going to improve.
Newcomer My Silver Spoon NZ made his debut since relocating from New Zealand earlier in the year and after a foot issue set him back around five weeks earlier in his preparation, Voak is confident he has a serious horse in his hands.
“I was really impressed with one of his runs when he ran third behind a horse called Jeremiah, and that horse subsequently about a month later come out and ran third in that group 1 race, so I thought geez that’s a good form line, and we purchased him.
“He’s only a real small little horse, but I think he’s got lots of potential.”
When purchasing the gelding for around the $40,000 mark, a modest figure for a New Zealand import, Voak at the time had no intentions of setting his horse for the Derby, but as time progresses and his preparation with the horse further unfolds, Voak is more and more confident
“We were set back with him about five weeks with him with a foot issue and that sort of put that idea to bed, but he’s come on really well and I’ll probably race him in a three-year-old race next Monday,
“And depending on how that goes I’ll have to rush him through to metro company and try to pick up a race in town, in order to give him a chance of getting selected.”
“I’ll have to miss the Battle Of Bunbury because that’s just coming up too quick for him and he just won’t be right for that, but I’ll go probably another country race and see how he handles that and may even throw him in the Western Gateway and if his form is good, he might be a chance at the Derby.
“I actually never really bought him as a derby horse, he’s probably exceeded expectations of how good he actually he is, I think he’s a lot better horse than what we originally thought we were getting for the purchase of him.”
Voak celebrated a double on the night with Trigwell Road making it four in a row, two this campaign, and Voak is of the opinion that he will only continue to improve.
A niggling issue during his last preparation came to light when it was discovered that he had a bone chip in his front fetlock, and making the decision to have them removed, Voak is sure that he will only get better.
“He certainly started his campaign really well and his win at Bunbury was terrific, beating Fat Louie and it was a comfy win on Saturday,
“He still has to get through a few country runs but he certainly will, in my opinion, step up to metro racing in the near future.”
A Duke To Be makes his return to racing tomorrow night at Gloucester Park in race one and being a half-brother to 2YO Westbred Classic winner Reinette, can he keep the family success going.
“He went terrific first up in his career and then his next run he went terrible and was really rough and I had him vetted and Mel (McGregor) said he’s sore in the offside hind, and he actually had a hairline fracture through one of his hocks,
“When I was bringing him and Trigwell Road up, I thought they were equally as good as each other, I probably think this horse is a little behind, not so much on the ability front, but more so because he had to have an extended period off with that injury, but I do rate him.”
Going out for a lengthy spell, that injury has healed completely and Voak expects that if he can lead tomorrow night, where he has drawn barrier two, he will be very hard to beat.
Ashleigh Paikos
