Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
New Zealand-born horseman Dean Chandler celebrated his first winner at Gloucester Park as a trainer when Aiden De Campo brought $125.80 outsider Good Times Ahead home with a late burst to snatch victory in the $19,000 Garrard’s Horse And Hound Pace over 2130m on Friday night.
The eleven-year-old Good Times Ahead, who has recovered from three suspensory ligament injuries, was having his 201ST start in a race, and his surprise victory ended a 51-month drought and broke a losing sequence of 93.
The win came as no surprise to the 57-year-old Pinjarra trainer Chandler, who said the gelding’s recent efforts had been most encouraging.
“He has been going good,” he said. “He ran sixth, after starting off 50 metres in a race at Pinjarra two Mondays ago, and at his previous start he finished a close second to Peligroso over 1177m at Pinjarra.
“I think those sprint races at Pinjarra have helped him, and he has regained the attitude to race again.
“I bought Good Times Ahead for $1200 in February 2022 for my daughter, who is now eleven, to ride. And I also decided to race the pacer, who has done a good job.”
Good Times Ahead, who races in the name of Chandler’s wife Buakaew, has had 77 starts for Friday night’s win, five placings and 16 fourths and fifths for $32,573 in prizemoney.
The New Zealand-bred Good Times Ahead is by Mach Three and is the second foal out of the Christian Cullen mare Maheer Princess, who had 27 starts for four wins, six placings and $39,984. Good Times head has now earned $160,426 from 16 wins and 30 placings from 201 startrs.
Interestingly, De Campo drove Good Times Ahead at his first start in a race, as a two-year-old at Pinjarra on February 16, 2015, when he finished last behind his stablemate Sprinter in a field of six runners, and De Campo, one of 34 drivers to have handled Good Times Ahead in a race, was driving the pacer for only the fourth time in Friday’s event.
Chandler worked for Mick Lombardo as a pre-trainer at the leviathan breeder’s property in Shepparton, and he also trained and drove a few winners on Victorian country tracks, including Innovate, Bridie Hanover and Mista Lombo. In the past 12 months Chandler has been successful with Axle Rocks (two wins at Busselton), Ally Rocks (Bunbury) and Beefour Bacardi (Pinjarra).
“I have cut back my team recently after getting a part-time job doing the tractor work between races and trials at the Pinjarra greyhound track,” said Chandler, who is looking for further successes with Good Times Ahead.