By Duane Ranger (courtesy of Redcliffe Paceway)
If only Queensland Rail operated a train service which transported horses to and from racetracks.
But Queensland Rail Guard, Ian Coulson, is a realist and due to ever-increasing heavy traffic on the M1 Motorway, the 50-year-old horseman has decided to the end his frustrating road battle, and retire from training standardbreds.
“I think I’ll call it a day when Lazy Blaze tells me. He’s 10 now and when he retires I will too. He’s my only horse in work. It’s not that I don’t love the game, but the traffic is impossible. Unreliable even!
“Four or five years ago it would have taken me less than three quarters of an hour to get from home (Elimbah) to Redcliffe (34km) where I work the horse. Now it can take hours if I don’t leave early enough.
“If I’m not on the motorway by 5am I’m shot. There’s just no way I would be able to float the horse to the track, come home and then get to Caboolture for my Rail job.
“It’s a sad reality. My son wants me to keep going, but it comes down to there just not being enough sunlight hours and too much traffic on the road. The horse may go for another year yet, so who knows when I’m done,” Coulson said.
If last Wednesday’s meeting (March 29), at Redcliffe Paceway is anything to go by then Coulson could be training and driving for a few seasons yet.
Lazy Blaze obviously had no idea he was 10 when notching up his 13th career win in 143 starts in race six – the Robyn Joseph 80th Birthday NR3-40 Pace.
Trainer/driver Coulson, settled last from gate five and bided their time before getting a drag into the race down the back straight.
Coulson and his left hand then got the best out of the 10-year-old getting up right on the line to nose out the favourite, Feeling The Power. It was their first triumph of 2023.
Lazy Blaze paced the 1,780m mobile in 2:17.7 (mile rate 2:04.5) with 31.6, 32.6, 30.5, and 31.2 sectionals.
The brown Mr Aviator gelding has also placed 24 times and banked $59,739 since he made his debut at ‘The Triangle’ on March 2, 2016. He is owned and was bred by Coulson and his wife Katrina.
Coulson bought Lazy Blaze’s mother, the 1999 Fake Left mare, Karbeela, who went on to win two races for him.
“She actually provided me with my first training and driving wins at Rocklea and Redcliffe in the 2005-2006 seasons. It was Karbeela that actually got me into harness racing – boots and all.
“I’d always had an interest in the sport and worked for ‘Noely’ Hay in the school holidays and weekends. Kingaroy High School actually let me off school one day a week to drive his horses fast-work.
“But I worked in a butchery for four years when I left school, and the horses took a bit of a back seat. I bought Karbeela off Trading Post on the internet and got my trainers and driver’s license while I was working with Queensland Rail. I’ve been with them since 1993,” Coulson said.
Coulson said he had a strappers license in both the thoroughbred and standardbred codes before buying Karbeela.
“My size prevented me from going any further in galloping, so I got into trotting thanks to everything Noel and family had taught me.
“Karbeela was a nice mare but sadly she had pallet problems and which caused her breathing problems in her races. She also left a Western Edition gelding in 2010 named Kaybees Boy, but he didn’t make it as a racehorse. The mare never left a filly to breed on with,” Coulson said.
Coulson has trained 15 winners since the 2004-2005 season. He has also had 28 placings and netted $62,989 in stakes. His best year was 2019-2020 when he trained four winners.
In the sulky Coulson has saluted the judge eight times since 2004-2005. He’s also placed on 21 occasions and banked $35,015 in purses. His best year came in 2005-2006, and 2022, when he won two races.
“I’m looking to my future years, and sure we all need a hobby, but we all need one which is viable and not time consuming at both ends of the day.
“Working various Rail shifts also makes training a bit difficult, especially with increasing M1 traffic,” Coulson said.
“It’s sad because I love the game and I love horses. I ride all the horses I’ve had on the beach, and they are always well looked after into their retirement. I also break them in, which I enjoy. I’ve always treated my horses like pets. I will miss them,” he added.
In the meantime, Coulson and Lazy Blaze have copped the six draw in race eight (8.50pm) this Wednesday night (April 5). Coulson only needs to repeat his inch-perfect-patient drive of last week to go close again.
The Coulsons have three children – Brad, Nathan, and Makayla. They also have one grandson named Dusty.
