Stapleton's new look team coming up trumps

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk 

At "nearly 80" Mid Canterbury trainer Warren Stapleton is undergoing something of a renaissance.

With a reputation for taking on horses that need "fixing" he has assembled a good team around him including some recent additions from the two of the most successful stables in the country.

"I'm pretty selective with what I take, we've had some over the years we have fixed up only to find out they have two cylinder engines," says Stapleton.

On Sunday at Timaru he had a winning double with two of those newcomers in Fun To Come and Wild Willow (pictured above). It was his second double this year after Lester and Spirited Lou won at the same venue in May.

It was a big turnaround on how his day started at the Phar Lap Raceway.

"We had a trotter in earlier in the day (Gnocchi, Race 1) and he got overawed and did all sorts of things wrong and I thought if this is how things are going to go it's going to be a long day." 

But by the time Race 12 had been run he had recorded two winners on the day - Fun To Come in the Morrisons Saddlery and Feed Pace and Wild Willow in the Beeby Contracting Ltd Handicap. Ivona Dadic was also second in the Mainfert pace.

It was Fun To Come's first win in four starts. Stapleton acquired the son of Always B Miki after he developed some tendon problems.

"He came from Cran Dalgety's and had a crook leg and I managed to get him sound enough," says Stapleton, "we've had him for a six months or so." 

"He is a lovely horse and I would say he would win some more because he looks quite a tough sort."

Wild Willow meanwhile arrived at the Stapleton barn after having two wins from four starts for the Purdons.

"It was a tendon and suspensory with him and he does hit the ground hard with his action - he's full on. He's a big strong horse with attitude."

Sunday's win was his first start for Stapleton.   

"He'd been very strong in his work."

And he's not the only Purdon runner he's picked up.

Renaldo, a Bettor's Delight two-year-old, has headed to his place too after his last start win at Addington in June.

"He's a lovely little fella, probably not a top Sires' Stakes horse but he is sound and we are more than happy with him."

"He's actually the first two-year-old we've had in the stables - some have gone through our place before but he's the first that we've actually trained."

Stapleton has a 1000 metre track at his Rakaia property - "it's as fast as Ashburton" with his son Deane being a key part of the operation.

"He does all the work in the cart - I'm too old to drive," the 78-year-old says.

"I do the feeding and the day to day management with the legs and Deane hops in the cart - between the two of us we get it done."

So what is Stapleton's approach to fixing up horses that have niggles?  

"I make my own leg preparations, I've got two or three different strength preparations, " says Stapleton, "you paint them on, a ligamenty-type thing."

"It's a bit of common sense and experience."

A trainer since the 1970s, Stapleton has been associated with a number of top horses like Cedar Fella, October Pride and Highwood.

So far in 2024 he's had eight wins and with a team of 14 he's confident there are more to come.

"I've had a lot of ups and downs over the years but we will soldier on and things are looking pretty good."