Joes aCharacterscores in itsrun at GlobeDerby onSaturdaynight.PHOTO:GrahamFischer
Graham Fischer
HOBBY harness racing owner-trainer Yvette Zitterbart is having a wonderful season with her four-year-old Joes A Character, with the talented horse winning Saturday’s SA BOTRA Appreciation Pace over 1800m at Globe Derby Park.
Zitterbart, who lives in Craigmore but stables her horse at Lewiston, also bred Joes A Character, which won its ninth race from just 16 starts.
It was an easing favourite as it drifted from $1.60 out to $2.15, but the gelding sprinted strongly to win by a metre from Fine Artist ($3) with Karmic Fire ($29), two metres away third.
Joes A Character was driven by teenage reinswoman Kaela Hryhorec, who used the four-year-old’s sprint acceleration coming off the back straight to establish a winning break.
Zitterbart gave the gelding plenty of time to mature and only began racing him last season where he had one win from four starts.
But with age and experience, Joes A Character matured into a quality pacer with eight wins from just 12 starts this season.
Such was his improvement through the classes that Joes A Character contested the state’s biggest race, the SA Cup on February 8.
Unfortunately, a false start fired him up and he raced roughly before finishing last to Pat Stanley.
“I gave him a break after that race,” Zitterbart said.
“There were no races for him, and I felt he would benefit from a short spell.
“I was confident he would race well but he will be improved by the run.”
Zitterbart said she was looking to head to Victoria at some stage to try and pick up a Vicbonus.
“I probably should have done it before he went through the classes, but it is something I am looking at,” she said.
The Globe Derby Park meeting was run under the COVID-19 restrictions with only officials, trainers, drivers and strappers allowed in the stabling area.
Owners and spectators were allowed to go into the grandstand dining area which was fenced off from the stables.
The card’s two feature races were taken out by Naracoorte-trained Labella Rock, and Final Peace, who won the Norman Memorial and the SA Oaks respectively.
