TWO brothers a continent apart tackle major racing assignments on the east and west Australian coasts today.
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In Esperance, Western Australia, tall, lanky Aiden St Vincent starts six runners at the Esperance meeting with another four runners in trials after the last.
At Eagle Farm in Brisbane, his older brother, Kane St Vincent, runs 10-year-old marvel “Henry” – The Jackal – in the $50,000 Gallopers Sports Club Open Handicap (1200m)
It’s a big day for the two sons of Tamworth owner-trainer Paul St Vincent.
Paul had trained The Jackal for much of the gelding son of Bite The Bullet’s career until he took him over to Aiden when he was working for Anthony Honess at Coffs Harbour.
“Yeah, Henry had had four runs but was still about 15kg overweight,” Kane St Vincent said.
“He got the weight off him. Dad brought him up to Brisbane, gave him a jump out and then brought him up here (Sunshine Coast) and left him with me.
“He was pretty much right to go when I got him.
“I haven’t had much to do with him, just given him a couple of gallops.
“It’s going to be a proud moment for me, to have him run under my name.”
A two-time winner of Grafton’s Ramornie Handicap, The Jackal had 18 months off before returning for what was to have been his farewell preparation in last year’s Ramornie.
However things went amiss and now this year’s Ramornie could be his swansong, depending on how he aims up with Kane.
“His work has been quite good – he’s working well and feels good,” he said.
“Hopefully he’ll have a promising run to suggest he has got the will to keep racing.
“He’s injury-free too, he’s fit and everything in order.
“We’re just hoping his heart is still in it.
“He’s a funny old horse though.
“He works like he wants to be a race horse but whether he shows that in racing we’ll find out Saturday.
“We know what he’s capable of.
“He’s drawn well (3) and has got Damian Browne on board.
“He looks a million bucks too.”
While he will be taking special notice of Henry, he will also take note of his brother’s runners at Esperance.
“Yeah they all start racing after Henry goes round,” he said.
Aiden headed west in November, taking up a position as a trainer for pizza shop owner Richrad Capelli in Esperance, a town of around 14,000 people.
It’s 700km south of Perth.
“It’s big on mining but is a big agricultural, sheep and wheat area too,” Aiden said.
“It’s been good so far.
“I’ve had two winners already, albeit the same horse.
“I’ve had 11 runners all up and only three or four have missed a cheque.
“The horses have been competitive.
“I have six in Saturday with four more trialling so it’s going to be a big day.
“They race again here in a fortnight and I hope three of the triallers might race then as well.
“It is a long way away from home but it’s a challenge, something different, but it’s only a change in scenery not in racing.
“You still do the same things so it’s been easy to adapt.”
After the Esperance Carnival concludes he then heads to Kalgoorlie, which is about four hours away.
That travelling distance is similar to the travelling he was used to when training out of Tamworth.
“That’s no big change either,” he said.
He is hoping for some success at his new home track as well as cheering Henry on to a successful comeback.