IT'S been a great couple of days on the trotting track for the Innes family.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
An extraordinary Easter period, in more ways than one, kicked-off with a win for the Carla Innes-Goodridge-trained Zarem at Lord's Raceway last Thursday night.
Not to be outdone, her brother Grant Innes responded with a win of his own on Tuesday night with Vincent Kai.
The four-year-old trotting gelding justified his short $1.90 price to produce a convincing NR 46 to 55 victory, giving Ellen Tormey the first leg of a winning treble for the night.
Innes, who is based at Inglewood, hoped it was a sign of exciting times ahead with Vincent Kai, who has now won three times in 24 career starts, and whose recent form line reads three wins and three seconds from his past six runs.
"We couldn't be happier with him- the penny is just dropping," he said.
"Every time he's out there, he just seems to learn something new.
"He's going to have to go up in class, but I think he can stick with them.
"I just hope he continues to improve and when this (restricted racing) is all over, I will give him a spell and hope he comes back better again.
"He's only four, so he's not that old and not that heavily raced.
"He's a big bugger and they take their time to develop. They're like big footballers, they don't just hit the ground running like the smaller ones."
It was a reversal of roles for the Inneses on Tuesday night, with Vincent Kai winning after finishing second last Thursday, while Zarem had to be content with a second placing behind the Kate Hargreaves-trained Well Defined in the NR 56 to 67 trot, after winning the previous week.
Grant said watching his sister notch up a win was every bit as pleasing as getting one of his own.
"I fully support her and love seeing her horses win," he said.
"We have won on the same day before once, but it was at different tracks.
"The only thing is Vincent Kai is getting up a bit in the classes now, so I will probably have to race her, which is pretty daunting, because he is a pretty good horse that Zarem.
"He's real strong and gets home well as he's shown the last two nights (at Bendgo)."
Innes was full of praise for Tormey's winning drive on Vincent Kai, who is partly named after harness racing legend Vin Knight and also Grant's dad Kevin Albert Innes (KAI).
READ MORE:
Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.