VETERAN trainer Kevin Hanley has clocked thousands of miles over the years, travelling to racecourses all over the country.
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But last Friday’s trek to Canberra might have topped them all, as the most adventurous.
Driving his horse truck with two gallopers in the back, Hanley was lucky to escape unscathed after veering off the road and coming to an abrupt halt in the central median strip.
“The fog was real heavy and the windscreen kept icing over and I couldn’t see an inch in front of me,” Hanley said.
“Then a burst of sun suddenly came through the clouds and momentarily blinded me.
“Next thing I can hear the thud of the truck running over the shrubs and realise I’m in the central median strip.
“I tried to reverse back the same way but it was fairly muddy and nearly got bogged.
“So I instead had to drive onto the highway going in the opposite direction so I could get out.
“The only real damage done was I ended up with no headlights or tail lights because I must have broke a wire somewhere when I was carting through the shrubbery.
“But it was nothing startling really.”
Unperturbed by what could have been a serious accident, Hanley continued on his way to Canberra, and could have been forgiven for thinking he may have used up all his luck for one day.
But as luck may have it, Grand Dreamer ($7.50) and Eklands ($8) both saluted to hand Hanley a double.
The Albury trainer capped an eventful couple of days when stablemate Chew Toy ($5) broke through for his first career win from his fifth start at Wagga yesterday.
“After we lost the meetings at Albury and then Wodonga recently, I thought I would head to Canberra and thankfully it paid dividends,” he said.
“I thought it was a good win by Chew Toy but he has had enough and will head to the spelling paddock.”