CROSSLEY trainer Quinton Scott has a special reason for his veteran galloper Henry The Dolphin to win the $25,000 Penshurst Cup over 2000 metres on Boxing Day.
Former Oakbank Racing Club chairman John Glatz, who part-owns Henry The Dolphin, is fighting for his life in the Royal Adelaide Hospital ICU unit with burns to 60 per cent of his body after being caught in bushfires at his Adelaide Hills property last Friday.
Scott told The Standard news of Glatz's injuries were horrific and distressing not only to his family but all his lifetime of friends in racing.
"It's been a very worrying time for the Glatz family since last Friday," Scott said. "We're just all hoping John is alright. John has been a great mate of mine for many years.
We're just all hoping John is alright. John has been a great mate of mine for many years.
- Quinton Scott
"He used to train Henry The Dolphin but he send the ten-year-old over to me to prepare him for next years jumping season. It would be a wonderful result if Henry The Dolphin could win the Penshurst Cup for John and his family.
"A win would bring a bit of joy to the Glatz family at such a tough time. Henry The Dolphin's last effort to finish third in the Mount Gambier Cup was good.
"My biggest concern is dropping back in distance from 2400 metres at Mount Gambier to 2000 metres on Boxing Day.
"We'll give him a run at Penshurst with the view of running in a 3100 metre flat race at Woodford next Tuesday but his long term goal is to run over the hurdles in 2020."
Glatz's links to local racing are strong. He trained Straight And True to win the 1993 Warrnambool Grand Annual Steeplechase and was often a visitor to the Warrnambool May Racing Carnival.
Only the six Penshurst Cup runners will face the starter at 4.52pm.
Apprentice jockey Laura Lafferty will be chasing her first cup victory when she rides Unrealistic for Warrnambool trainer Geoff Withers.
Unrealistic won the Dunkeld Cup two starts ago while Finn McCool is trying for back-to-back wins in the Penshurst Cup.
The first race on the seven event program kicks off at 1.47pm with the last set down for a 5.32pm start.
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