By Brook Sabin
The horse racing world was abuzz today, as an Auckland schoolboy attempted to enter the record books.
Training top fillies is usually left for the most experienced.
But 16-year-old Jack MacKinnon and top trotter Lotalov turned up to the Harness Jewels Meeting in Cambridge today as favourites.
Training fillies is no mean feat, and horse Lotalov is at the top of its game.
Her normal trainer is one of harness racing's best, Paul Nairn.
But he's based in Canterbury, and decided to leave Lotalov up in Auckland with 16-year-old Jack MacKinnon, who has virtually become its trainer.
“I’m lucky to have him really,” says Mr Nairn. “It all started at Alexander Park and Jack is handy there so works in really well.”
“I've only worked for a couple of trainers before Paul came up,” says MacKinnon. “To get the opportunity to work for him and go down in the holidays, get some more experience and I ended up where I am now.”
Naturally, there were a few jitters for the Mt Albert Grammar schoolboy at the Harness Jewels meet in Cambridge today, as Lotalov entered the $100,000 race as the favourite.
But a filly named Cyclone U Bolt did exactly that, bolting up the inside, meaning third place for Lotalov.
“I thought she had every chance, but it's hard when you have a speed horse like that on your back,” says MacKinnon.
MacKinnon's already eyeing up a job with a little more horsepower.
He's planning to take to the track himself, and no doubt keen to attempt to break a record there too.
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