MUCKLEFORD'S Graham Old says it's just his luck.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
"I've waited 50 years for a good horse like this, and now that I've got one, I can't go and see it," he said with a sense of sarcasm and humour.
The 73-year-old horse owner is of course referring to the smart pacer on the rise Reactor Now, the four-year-old Auckland Reactor gelding, who has won nine of his past 10 starts and 11 from 15.
That streak might well have been 10-straight had he not broken in the Regional Challenge Final at Melton three starts ago.
But just as a horse with major race aspirations should, Reactor Now rebounded smartly to win his next two starts in convincing style.
The gelding's imposing form has earned him a crack at the heavyweights, headed by pacing sensation Lochinvar Art, in Saturday night's talent-laden open class pacing feature at Lord's Raceway.
Old, a sheep, cattle and crop farmer, who owns Reactor Now with his son Darren, nephews Frank and Peter Old, and son-in-law Steve Hall, concedes their youngster has got his work ahead of him against a 'crackerjack' field of contenders, including four from the powerful Emma Stewart stable.
But he also knows that with the unknown comes a great sense of excitement and wonder.
"We have waited a long time to get a horse like this," he said.
"We've had a lot of trotters and pacers, having been in the game for probably 50 years, and we've always had some nice horses, but never one as good as this bloke.
"We had Beau Salute and we had Sunana Asset, who was a very good trotter, who won over $100,000, but used to do a bit wrong.
"And then we had a few handy ones like Galleons Son and Son Of Galleon.
"This one has won 11 of 15, but this will no doubt be his toughest test to date - this is the first time he is going to come up against the real topliners.
"It will be a very big test, as he is only a four-year-old. He didn't race as a two-year-old, so he's only lightly raced.
"He's definitely the new boy on the block in this race.
"It's a crackerjack field; that field could be like a Victoria Cup field. Put Ride High in there and it is a Victoria Cup field."
Old's involvement in harness racing extends to his former role as a sales rep with the former Don KR and Bertocchi Smallgoods, long-time sponsors of harness racing at Bendigo, Charlton and Maryborough.
But these days he is more than content to be enjoying the ride - albeit from afar - with Reactor Now, with a ban on crowds due to the coronavirus pandemic still in effect across Victoria.
The David Aiken-trained gelding has attracted solid early support, sharing second favourtism in the betting at $5, alongside the Stewart-trained Hurricane Harley, and behind only Lochinvar Art ($2.50)
Old, however, admits he has more modest expectations.
"If we ran a placing, I'd be tinkled pink," he said.
"Because we are the new kid of the block, we just haven't raced this calibre of horses before.
"We've just been going through our grades. A lot of these horses are very seasoned and we have to get used to that class of racing.
"But look, you never know until you get there I suppose.
"I think he's got plenty of raw ability, it's just whether or not he can take that next step to match it with the big boys.
"I guess we'll find out Saturday night. I only wish we could be there."
Read more: Star-studded cast to grace Lord's Raceway
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.
