Persistence! Ikara’s remarkable return after three years

Victorian harness racing horseman Barry Ainsworth has pulled off a outstanding coaching feat with steady “undertaking horse” Ikara (Andover Corridor) scoring a victory on the trotter’s first begin in over three years.
Barry and Katrina Ainsworth with their son Ashley after the emotional win by Ikara (Victorian Sq. Trotters Affiliation {photograph})
Lining up for his first race look since March 2022 within the Aldebaran Park Trot at Bendigo (July 2), and pushed by Ainsworth’s son Ashley, the eight-year-old’s six-metre victory was as emotional because it was satisfying.
“He tore a hamstring nearly off the bone three years in the past, so it was all the time going to be a protracted break, however we’ve been mucking round with him, it seems like years to get him again!” Barry mentioned.
“I introduced him up fairly a number of instances and by no means actually let him stride out early, I’d solely let him get to half tempo. It’s been lots of backwards and forwards with him, so it was a fairly satisfying win.”
Ainsworth mentioned the trotter’s gait had all the time been his largest problem and even now, the jury is out.
“He has all the time been one of many worst-going trotters ever, and I used to be simply hoping that when the hamstring healed that he would possibly trot higher. He didn’t!” he laughed.
“He strides too far and throws himself out of stability. Should you hold onto him, he’s alright however as soon as the thrill takes over there are legs going in every single place. I don’t know what number of races he’s misplaced by galloping when he’s out in entrance!”
Regardless of trotting a bit ungenerously at instances at Bendigo, Ikara proved too good for his rivals, defeating Azalea Could (Brett Shipway) and Midnite Muscle (Josh Duggan). He’ll line up once more this Thursday at Ballarat within the Coca Cola Trot, with Jason Ainsworth to take the reins, whereas Ashley drives stablemate Singara Ted.
Ikara is owned by Barry’s spouse Katrina, and the household, at the side of Ashley, has ready groups of as much as 30 at instances from their Moyreisk property, close to St Arnaud, in northcentral Victoria.
However Ainsworth mentioned the couple had refocussed and downsized to a workforce of eight after a call by Ashley to give attention to his farrier work full time and the outlook for harness racing in Victoria.
“We’ve been toying with the concept of getting a gallops coaching licence for some time,” he mentioned.
“I’ve virtually accomplished the applying, and we’ll in all probability purchase a number of and simply hold it as a interest. It’s simply too onerous and too tense to attempt to hold entering into harness racing on the degree we have been.”
The household was additionally rocked by the tragic paddock dying of promising trotter Argyle Rocks earlier this 12 months.
“To be sincere, dropping Argyle Rocks almost completed me with the game. Katrina and I took some time to seek out our toes, however we’ve progressively acquired ourselves into a brand new routine and we’re working at a distinct tempo now.”
Whereas nonetheless enthusiastic about their small workforce of trotters, Barry mentioned the operation is now purely for enjoyment.
“It’s just about a interest for us now – we mess around with our personal ‘pets’,” he mentioned.
“We’re mainly right down to our personal trotters. We’ve acquired some well-bred mares who’re mainly simply up the paddock consuming, and that’s what they’ll do for the remainder of their life.”
From Terry Gange for Harnesslink
Barry and Katrina Ainsworth with their son Ashley after the emotional win by Ikara (Victorian Sq. Trotters Affiliation {photograph})

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