A change of trainer and environment appears to have worked wonders for five-year-old pacer It’s a Hoot given the ease with which he dispensed with his rivals in a C0 race over 2090 metres at Tattersall’s Park in Hobart on Sunday night.
It’s a Hoot (Todd Rattray) faced the breeze for almost the entire journey but still had enough in reserve to forge clear in the home straight and stave off all challengers.
The gelding hit the line 5-1/2 metres clear of Villify with outsider Scarlet Heart almost four metres away third.
The five-year-olds was formerly in the care of Adrian Duggan and ironically It’s a Hoot defeated the Duggan-trained Villify that ran home strongly from well back on the home turn.
Szczypka said a change of environment and a different training regime had made a difference to the horse’s attitude.
“I got the horse in great order and I think it is just the change of environment that has given the horse a new lease on life,” Szczypka said.
It’s a Hoot was having his second start for Szczypka and it was a lot better than the first effort when driver Todd Rattray was tipped out of the cart as a result of interference at his first try for the stable at Devonport on November 3.
Szczypka said It’s a Hoot had done so well since arriving at his country property he expects more wins from the well-bred five-year-old.
“I think this horse goes well even though he has a reputation of having a habit of not trying,” Szczypka said.
“I reckon there were a couple of more deep-seated problems that may have been the cause of some of his dramas.”
“I changed his gear around a fair bit to try and get him more relaxed and being in the country is probably something he wasn’t used to where he was and that can often help a horse accept new things more readily,” he said.
Listen to what trainer Heath Szczypka had to say about Its A GHoot’s recent win – click here.