He’s been plagued by numerous leg injuries through an interrupted career but Ominous Warning looks as if he is finally returning to his two-year-old form, booking himself a place in the Canola Cup final.
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Four years on since his last hot run Ominous Warning has managed six consecutive wins, the most recent victory being a Canola Cup heat at Eugowra on Sunday afternoon.
He won the race by a comfortable 17.1 metres, after starting at Winx-like odds of $1.10.
Bathurst trainer Peter Trevor-Jones said the win is a reward for his perseverance with the gelding.
“It was a relief (to get through to the final) but that’ll be a different ball game. It’s a pretty strong field and not such a good draw for me, drawing barrier 10,” he said.
“I’ll leave it up to the driver. We’ll devise something.
“Regardless, I’m tickled pink with him making the final. It’s a reward for our perseverance.
“It’s been a long process and there’s been plenty of difficulties but he’s shown a lot of ability from day one.”
After a ninth place finish at Ballarat back in August, 2014 when he was under the training of Brendan McCarthy, Ominous Warning didn’t start another race until April last year at West Wyalong.
He had another set back in April this year, sustaining an injury after a second-place finish at Goulburn.
Since June Ominous Warning has now won six of his seven starts though, four of those wins coming at Bathurst and one at Bankstown before Sunday’s victory.
He started Sunday’s race from barrier one, with John O’Shea in the gig, but didn’t have the best of starts.
But that all changed when Ominous Warning hit the front straight for the first time.
O’Shea saw the front and pushed the gelding to the lead, one he never relinquished.
Ominous Warning was rarely challenged from there and cruised home, sending a huge message to his Canola Cup rivals.
“This is why you get into harness racing, to get into this big races,” Trevor-Jones said.
“The Canola Cup is a great race, one of the best carnivals outside of the Gold Crown.
“Experiencing it with Beetson in 2012 was a bit of a career highlight, winning it with him.”
The Canola Cup final will be held at the Eugowra Showground on Monday, October 1.