Kid Montana races to ‘biggest win yet’ at Albion Park

Kid Montana just keeps getting better.

The Narrabri-owned pacer has added another win to his impressive resume after racing to victory at the Albion Park Paceway on Saturday night.

The five-year-old gelding, owned by Narrabri’s Nathan and Charles Dicks, Peter, Chris and Garry Shepherdson and Neil Drysdale, was driven by his Queensland trainer Lola Weidemann to a one metre win in the third race of the evening which was the 2680-metre Lucky Creed Open (NR 90 to 120).

Kid Montana started the race from the widest second line draw but Clifton-based Weidemann, who earlier this month surpassed 3000 winning drives, drove him to perfection to secure the victory and claim the $14,915 prizemoney for first place.

The duo saw off the Grant Dixon-trained-and-driven $2.25 favourite Colt Thirty One to win the race which was an impressive achievement in itself given Colt Thirty One holds the Albion Park Harness Racing Club’s 2680-metre mile rate record of 1:53.7.

Kid Montana could not best that on the night after winning with a 1:56.5 mile rate.

In a tight finish to the race the Dayl March-trained-and-driven Clintal Do placed third just 1.2 metres behind Kid Montana.

With two laps left to run Kid Montana found himself one out and four back. When the bell sounded he was still one out and four back and was  running in second last position among the field of 11. With about 900 metres left to run Weidemann took Kid Montana three wide following the Chris Frisby-trained, Anthony Frisby-driven Our Uncle Sam, then with 400 metres to go Kid Montana had moved out four wide and he charged into the final turn running in fourth position.

He entered the final straight with a narrow lead and he stormed down the final straight to keep his head in front to secure the victory.

Owner Peter Shepherdson heaped praise on Weidemann who he said drove Kid Montana perfectly.

“I honestly didn’t think he could win out of 13,” Shepherdson told The Courier.

“The only luck he had was that the number 12 was scratched, the rest of it was because of the driver.

“Lola won that race, she drove an absolute perfect race.

“She got on the back of the second favourite Our Uncle Sam, which has won $613,000, which we knew would be coming home.

“Once he was on his back and with 600 (metres) to go he was still there I thought ‘he’s going to win this’.

“I’m over the moon.

“It was a good finish, it looked like [Colt Thirty One and Clintal Do] were going to get him but he just gave a bit more and started pulling away from them on the line.”

Shepherdson described the race as “the biggest Kid Montana has ever won” and said that he and the pacer’s fellow Narrabri owners were both ecstatic with the win and pleased with the way the Weidemanns were driving and training the champion pacer.

Kid Montana has now raced at the leading metropolitan race club in Queensland 10 times for six wins. Weidemann was in the driver’s seat for three of those.

Saturday’s race was Kid Montana’s 22nd of the season and his 70th career start.

This season he has raced to nine of his 26 career victories and has earned $76,414 of his $148,551 lifetime stakes.

Kid Montana will now have a weekend off to rest a swollen leg and will more than likely return to the Albion Park Paceway on Saturday, August 8.

Meanwhile 10 Narrabri-trained and/or owned pacers will be in action at the Tamworth Paceway at an eight-race meeting on Thursday.

Local reinsman Chris Shepherdson is listed to drive in six races on the day.