How Haney Came To Excel Against All Odds

BEFORE Haney To Excel launched his racing career last November, owner-trainer Allen Williams was already pondering rehoming plans for the illness plagued chaser.

"I rehome all my retired dogs myself and had plenty of interest in people wanting to take this fella," Williams said.

"He's a beautiful dog and a specimen to look at weighing 38 kilos. But as a racing proposition back then he wasn't showing us much at all.

FIELDS AND FORM RICHMOND FRIDAY NIGHT

"His issues were bad news. Liver enzyme problems and flared kidneys, you name it. He had an uphill battle and I almost pulled the pin a few times."

Fast forward nine months and on Friday night at Richmond, Haney To Excel – a son of Million Dollar Chase hero Good Odds Harada – lines up in the Ladbrokes Fifth Grade Final (401m) at Richmond.

The hulking sprinter does so after booking his place in the $5,500-to-the-winner finale with a slashing 9 ¼ length heat romp in a flying near record 22.62 last Friday.

For Williams, the flying effort carried additional satisfaction, having nursed the now four-time winner back to dashing form against all the odds.  

"He won his maiden at Richmond in 18.87 and that was all he was running at the time," remembered Williams.

"He didn't start racing until he was two and after a few runs I decided to turn him out for a good 4 ½ months and work on him and he's a totally different dog now.

"He ran 18.08 a month or so back and then to run that (22.62) the other night which was his first 400m run at Richmond was very rewarding.

"We've gone from looking for homes for him to running near record times at Richmond.

"The next month or so will really tell us what direction we're heading with him though.

“Staying on top of his issues and making sure he is sound is constant work but very rewarding. We put that work and time into all our dogs.”

Haney To Excel will exit box four in Friday night's finale where Peter Lagogiane's unbeaten Sicario Beast looms as the dog to beat.

And it may very well prove to be a big night for Williams who has a team of four engaged across the 12-race card.