There’s nerves and apprehension, but you can’t dampen the excitement for young trainer, Kieran Regan ahead of Belmont’s meeting on Saturday.
The hobby horseman is set to fulfil a dream and saddle up his first black-type runner when Tin Chooks tackles the Listed Raconteur Stakes (1400m).
“I’ve never had anything in a Listed or Group race,” Kieran Regan told The Races WA.
“I’ve only being doing it coming up to three years.
“We’ve only got a small team with only ever two or three in work at one time.
“I am absolutely thrilled and more so that my brother who is the main owner in this horse .
“He helps me out a lot and it’s good to be training a decent horse for him.”
Regan is relatively new to WA’s training ranks and supplements his income with full time work.
Like most in the racing game, his dedication and commitment to horses is facilitated by family members, both on and off the track.
In charge of a busy stable environment with family members has its challenges, but Regan says without their support his training operation would struggle.
“I have a full time job, Monday to Friday, 10 hour days,” Regan said.
“I do this (training) in the mornings and in the afternoons.
“It’s a big family thing; my brother helps, my uncle and grandfather.
“We just train out of a five acre property out in Oakford.
“I’m a sheet metal worker, it’s a small family business that my brother and I and my grandfather work at.
“It’s a family business and three of the four are all into the horses straight after work.
“My dad, a couple of close family friends, my sister and brother have all bought into him.
Regan is eager to see how Tin Chooks measures up and takes the quantum leap from maiden to Listed opposition in the Raconteur Stakes.
After failing on debut six months ago, the son of Hvasstan ran third at York and claimed his first win in a 1400 maiden last Wednesday.
Coming from well back in the field and finishing hard along the fence convinced Regan to give Tin Chooks a chance in the Raconteur.
“He’s improved with each run and we thought same track, same distance we would throw our hat into the ring,” Regan said.
“There’s not a lot between the ears with this horse, the penny hasn’t dropped and he’s not as switched on in track work.
“If he could win like that from where he was and lay out like he did he still had his ears pricked passing the line.
“He’s doing everything right from run to run and you’re only a three-year-old once, so you might as well have a crack.
“I have always liked him from day dot, he’s just been a bit silly getting hurt quite a few times.”
Regan says Tin Chooks will also be nominated for Pinjarra on Sunday, but is almost certain to line up in the Raconteur.
His grand final is the Belmont Guineas (1600m) on June 17.
