By Duane Ranger (courtesy of Redcliffe Paceway)
Warwick horseman, Dayl March, recently adopted ‘the Zola Budd theory’ – and his shoeing tactics are working wonders with three of his 10-strong Southern Downs harness racing team.
Zola Budd was a South African-born middle-and-long distance runner, who set the 2,000m world record of 5:33.17 for Great Britain in bare feet at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Forty years later March has also cast the shoes aside from his pacers – Maywyn A Jug Ortwo (4), Perfect Feeling (2), and Arnold Street (2). And since March 7 they have won seven races – and eight within the past 45 days.
The 53-year-old’s most recent run of success came at Redcliffe Paceway on Thursday afternoon (March 14) when he trained and drove Perfect Feeling and Maywyn A Jug Ortwo in races three and five, and then drove the Anthony Collins trained Certainlycallitin in race five. There were only seven races carded.
That trio of victories came a day after March drove the Collins trained London Lady to win race five at ‘The Triangle’. He also trained and drove Artful Master to win race four at Redcliffe Paceway the Wednesday before (March 6). That was a day before he trained and drove Maywyn A Jug Ortwo to win race six at the same venue.
“The team is going as good as it ever has after a bit of misfortune with our farrier last season. I hadn’t shod a horse for more than a decade, and this year decided to take it on again. With three of them I decided to take the shoes of them completely and it seemed to work the oracle for them.
“I’ve been swimming them as well and the results have been both surprising and pleasing so I’ll keep the shoes off Perfect Feeling and Maywyn A Jug Ortwo for now, and as for Arnold Street, he cross-fires and accidentally kicked a vein, so I might have to put shoes back on him,” March said.
“I also want to thank Anthony for the drives behind his horses. His stable is also going well at the moment,” he added.
March just trained one winner in his own name last season, while his father, Richard, trained 21. This year March Junior has trained 13 winners in less than three months.
PHOTO CAPTIONS BELOW: Dayl March’s three winners at Redcliffe Paceway on Thursday (March 14) – Perfect Feeling (5), Certainlycallitin (2), and Maywyn A Jug Ortwo (5):
His triumphs so far in 2024 have been (in stakes order): Maywyn A Jig Ortwo 4 wins ($12,736); Arnold Street 2 wins ($9,664); Bonnies Cam 2 wins ($9,270); Perfect Feeling 2 wins ($7,642); Our Major Day (1 wins ($7,485); Artful Master 2 wins ($7,485).
March, who regularly travels the 390km return trip (five hours) from Warwick to Redcliffe, said Our Major Dey was still the top seed in his Warwick stable, followed by Bonnies Cam.
Most of March’s training victories have been with his father. Alone, he trained 311 winners since 1988-89 and placed 649 times for $1.4m in purses. His best year was in 2014-15 when he bagged 30 winners.
In the sulky March has saluted the judge 388 times from 3,393 drives since 1986-87. He’s also placed on 795 occasions and accumulated $1.7m in purses. His best year in the bike was 18 years ago in the 2006-2007 season when he was triumphant 27 times.
That personal driving milestone already looks in threat. With less than a quarter of the season remaining March is virtually half-way there with 13 victories.
“I love the job and love winning. This farrier work is also intriguing and satisfying. Harness racing is in my blood. Dad has trained for most of his life and we have trainers and drivers on both sides of my family going way back.
“My mother’s father was Doug Coy and he trained the mighty Stormy Water on our 900m track at my home in Warwick. Doug was one of the pioneers of harness racing in Queensland with his brother Fred, and he won a number of Derbies as a trainer, driver, and breeder. He trained champion Queensland pacer Stormy Water, who won on Albion Park’s opening night in 1968.”
March attended Warwick High School. He used to be a track rider, worked in a butter factory for three years, and the Killarney Abattoirs for 19 years. He and his wife Brook race their team on their own 900m track at Warwick. They have two children – Mackenzie (17) and Ben (14).
“I’ve only really got into harness racing full-time in the last 17 years. Even though there’s a lot of travelling, I love the sport and the people a lot, There’s also nothing like that winning feeling after a long round trip home,” March said.
In February 2020 March trained his first galloping winner at this first attempt with 3yo grey filly, Secondofmay. He’s still keen to train thoroughbreds, but currently has none in work.
The best horse the Marchs’ have trained is the late 2013 Dawn Ofa New Day gelding Clintal Do, who won 32 races from 125 starts, placed 34 times and banked $302,427. He nailed the Group Two Redcliffe Gold Cup in 2019 and the Group Two Qbred 3yo colts and geldings’ pace in 2017
March’s top horses throughout his training career (since 1988-89) have been (In stakes order): Ima Fairlane 19 wins ($114,768); BG Three 20 ($111,279); Clintal Do 13 ($110,894); Our Major Dey 13 ($107,707); Mysterious Power 25 ($74,781); In Default 15 (71,141); Tallyho Bromac 9 ($63,764); Magnussen 9 ($54,176); Artful Maid 7 ($46,946); March With Ors 9 ($43,380).
March’s next drive will be behind the 2-year-old daughter of Sweet Lou he trains named Our Sweet Jess, who will line up in race one at Albion Park on Tuesday (March 19) at 12.42pm.
That brown filly had one start for one third when she was the $2.50 favourite from gate two at ‘The Creek’ last Tuesday (March 12).
Until then he intends to spend a few days away holidaying with his daughter in Leeton.
