Surprise juvenile packet wins over trainers

Quirky Habits will contest the Listed Ryder Stakes (1200m) at Otaki on Saturday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)

By Paul Vettise, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Shaun Clotworthy didn’t foresee Quirky Habits contending for black-type honours as a two-year-old, but has been more than happy to be proved wrong by the youngster.

With wife Emma, he prepares the son of Belardo whose late season progress has seen him emerge as a leading chance in Saturday’s Listed Phil’s Electrical & Gipsy Caravans Ryder Stakes (1200m) at Otaki.

“He hasn’t done anything wrong, he hasn’t showed us a lot on the track but has delivered on race day,” Clotworthy said.

Quirky Habits rounded off strongly on debut at Avondale last month to finish runner-up and then had no trouble going one better at Pukekohe Park.

“He’s a big, rangy type of Belardo and looks more like a horse that wants to go over ground,” Clotworthy said.

“I thought he would make a three-year-old, but he went quite nicely when we took him to the trials and then went well first-up before he won his second start so he’s been a pleasant surprise.”

Quirky Habits has proved himself adept on rain-affected going and will be ridden by Jonathan Riddell.

“After he won, we thought we would give him a trip away and see how he handles going left-handed and I’ve been very pleased with him since his last run,” Clotworthy said.

“He’s developed mentally and physically and he looks good. He’s a good-doing horse so I think he will handle the trip.

“He’s had a couple of hit-outs left-handed at home and seemed to be well-balanced around the corners.

“He will have a few weeks in the paddock after this and then he looks like a horse who can push on further in distance. He’s only raced on wet tracks so we don’t know beyond that yet.”

Quirky Habits was purchased out of Haunui Farm's 2021 NZB Weanling Sale draft by Amie and Kenny Best for $12,000 and is raced in partnership with a group of owners, most of which are having their debut run at horse ownership.