NOEL Watson came within 2.7 metres of harness racing history at the weekend, when his 126/1 horse Torrid Saint finished second in the $500,000 Inter Dominion Pacing Grand Final at Melton.
Under normal circumstances, the horse should not even have been in the field for the sport’s biggest event.
Swan Hill real estate agent Watson has had the biggest year of his galloping and pacing career, coming within one race of a start in the Melbourne Cup and then within reach of winning harness racing’s equivalent.
Watson had tried only once before to get through the heats of the Inter Dominion, more than 10 years ago – with Saint Flash, the older half-brother of this year’s runner.
That bid went nowhere, although Saint Flash had a stellar country career, including taking out the first Swan Hill Cup and ending with more than $250,000 in earnings.
Incredibly, Torrid Saint got through the 2022 finals with an underwhelmingly best result of fifth.
“It’s been unbelievable,” a stunned Watson said.
“You pick up points in each heat, and when it was all over, my horse had only qualified for a start in the consolation final – but he had been listed as first emergency on a countback.
“I was rapt with even that, I was telling people I was the owner of the 13th best horse in Australasian harness racing and pretty happy doing that.”
The day before Saturday night’s final, Beyond Delight developed a problem and was scratched, suddenly putting Torrid Saint and Watson on harness racing’s biggest stage.
“With 30 hours to the final my horse wasn’t even in the contest and then, bingo, we’ve got a start in the Inter Dominion with a best finish of fifth,” Watson said with a laugh.
“Mind you, I think he’s a phenomenal horse. He won this year’s Yarra Glen Cup, and his one big plus is he has speed, a real rush at the end.
“He has also really developed in the past 12 months, and is a much stronger horse now.
“And when he drew eight, which was just about perfect, I told everyone who asked he was the best long shot not to put money on – I didn’t even have a dash.
“But I know people at home who got 150/1 before he tightened up to the $126 – long shots like that, up against the very best horses the industry has, simply don’t win – they don’t even run a place.”
Well, as it turns out, they do.
Beautifully positioned throughout by driver Jack Laugher, when the winner I Cast No Shadow (also a long shot at 16/1) surged up the inside of the front runner to take the lead, Torrid Saint tucked in right behind and went for broke.
“He didn’t make it, but hey, you get $75,000 for the place finish and now I can tell people I’ve got the second-best horse in Australasia,” Watson said.
But there’s no rest for his champion horse – the seven-year-old gelding will contest the Cranbourne Cup this weekend.
