There are still ten days left in the 2022/23 season, but Keith Dryden can already celebrate one of his best 12 months as a trainer, with the Canberra conditioner registering 52 victories.
His stellar season came to the fore at Canberra on Friday, with Dryden training four winners on the Canberra Actonseven-race program.
On a day to remember, Dryden won with Bringbackthebears (James Innes Jnr, $2.20) in the 1750m Class One Plate, Prometio Mas (Jack Martin, $3.30) in the 1080m Maiden Handicap, Missile Leader (James Innes Jnr, $1.75) in the 1280m Maiden Plate, and Deploy and Destroy (Damon Budler, $4.40) in the 1280m Benchmark 50 Handicap.
Dryden was thrilled with the results and his strong season to date, but he deflected all the praise back onto his hard-working team.
“It’s all down to the staff, they do the work, and I just direct the traffic,” Dryden said.
“I’m really lucky with the team that I have, and Libby Snowden, she is a true horseperson in herself.
“She directs the staff so well, and she isn’t one of these bossy people, and when she asks someone to do something, they do it.”
Even after a busy day at the races and everyone heading home, his team readied for the next day.
“Without the staff I’ve got, I wouldn’t be where I am or have the results I have this season,” Dryden said.
“Look, we’re still here, and it’s twenty-to-six (5.40 pm), and five of them are standing down there looking at the workboard for tomorrow morning.
“I’ve got six or seven permanents and a heap of casuals, but I’m really lucky, and it’s a great team.”
Dryden has the pleasure of training for some great ownership groups and thanked them for the ongoing support.”
“It’s not just the staff but the owners too, and some of my owners, like Laurel Oak (Bloodstock), have been with me for 30 years,” Dryden said.
“They just keep buying horses, and even though we have been blocked out of the Highways, they still send me horses.”
Dryden and his team will head to Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, with stable stalwart Handle The Truth set to go around in the $150,000 Benchmark 88 Handicap (1300m).
With Danny Beasley in the saddle, a metropolitan win would be the cherry on top for the Canberra team before they head to Wagga on Monday and Kembla Grange on Thursday.