When Colm McNulty and Lormer McClure purchased Medoland Glenno, they were thinking long term, but when the two-year-old pacer stepped off a Grassroots win last weekend, suddenly this season looked like it might also be a bit of fun.
Another strong finish in the regular season finale at Flamboro Downs on Wednesday, Oct. 8 would secure a berth for the gelding in the Grassroots Semifinal at the Dundas oval nine days later.
“If he gets a few points here it should put him in,” says McNulty, who divides his time between a farm in Puslinch and a home in his native Ireland. “It’s something to look forward to.”
McNulty purchased Medoland Glenno from breeder Tamara Hoovler of Pataskala, OH and Slaughter Racing Stable LLC of Prospect, KY in early September. The Western Maverick son caught McClure’s eye, and he was confident Medoland Glenno was the kind of horse they were looking for to jump start McNulty’s involvement in the Ontario Sires Stakes program.
“We looked at a few horses and some of them seemed like a finished product, fully grown. They seemed to be at their limit. We expect a lot more from him,” explains McNulty. “We’ll have a nice winter with him, get him out early and get him started.”
Under the tutelage of Michael Medors, Medoland Glenno started his provincial career in the Gold Series, where he posted one third and one fifth in Gold Elimination action. Medors opted to move the gelding into the Grassroots in time for the Aug. 31 event at Clinton Raceway, and Medoland Glenno finished a hard closing fourth from Post 6.
One day after McNulty struck the deal to purchase the pacer, Medoland Glenno finished third from Post 7 in the Woodstock Raceway Grassroots event.
“If you look at all his races, he had bad draws all the time,” notes McNulty. “He just wasn’t getting a chance to show himself.”
Things did not immediately improve on the post position front after the gelding moved into McClure’s barn. For the Sept. 28 contest at Dresden Raceway, Medoland Glenno landed Post 6 for the fourth time in his career. McClure also drives the pacer, and he opted to float off the gate and come up the outside, a move that landed Medoland Glenno his first lifetime victory in an impressive 1:58.1.
“We knew he was a good horse when we bought him, but that race impressed us,” admits McNulty. “The way he fought the favourite; he eye-balled him right to the end.”
At Flamboro on Wednesday the gelding will benefit from just the third inside post he has landed in his career. McClure will steer Medoland Glenno from Post 1 in the second last $20,000 Grassroots division, squaring off against seven veterans of the Grassroots circuit, including Dresden winner Talbot Champagne, who will start from Post 5.
The evening’s Grassroots battles get under way in the second race on the 6 p.m. program, and continue through Races 3, 5, 7, and 9. The top 16 point earners after Wednesday’s event will return to Flamboro Downs for a pair of Grassroots Semifinals on Oct. 17.
To view Wednesday’s entries, click here.
(OSS)