We know that the term Herd Horse is a negative one – when applied to any racing animal, well, you just don’t back that horse.
Ever.
Unless something extreme intervenes, such as we see at Port Macquarie this afternoon with renowned herd horse, OAKFIELD ROMANCE (Hinchinbrook-Believe N Achieve).
By way of quick explanation, a herd horse is one that runs along happily WITH the pack, and never ahead of it.
Oakfield Romance has raced 21 times during her career. She has never won a race, yet has placed 13 times for $60,240 in prizemoney.
That’s a herd horse.
She genuinely has the ability to win but chooses not too.
Well, Wyong trainer Damien Lane has taken over her training. He has had her since late August and there is a sense this non-winning 6-year-old mare can finally salute today. She contests race 4 at Port Macquarie over 1206m and has Darryl McLellan on top.
She is perfectly drawn and will step from gate 3, lobbing in the top half of the field in probably 5th spot on the rails.
She is very fit and was not far away when a battling 4th last start at Wyong in a maiden that was probably two lengths quicker than this.
Take her past failures to run on out of the equation and you are left with form that reads really well for this.
Add the herd horse form and, well, she looks a tremendous place chance.
I’m putting my faith in the change of training, trainer and scenery to spark an interest in winning in her today.
Palmerbet has her currently a $5.50 chance to win….but I may take a chunk of the $1.80 a place too!
