Warrawee flies to fastest Trot Rods time at Redcliffe

By Jordan Gerrans

Warrawee Flyer is only a newcomer to Richard Hutchinson’s stable and once she lobbed at his Tamborine base, he knew she was an ideal pacer for Trot Rods.

The bay mare has been racing for Hutchinson since the last month of 2025 and he has bided his time to get her ready for the speedy 947 metre sprint series at Redcliffe. 

“You've just got to pick your horses for a series like this,” he said.

“She's such a beautiful mare to do anything with, she's just foolproof.

“She's a perfect horse for it.”

In the fifth heat of the 2026 series, Warrawee Flyer set the new fastest mark so far on Wednesday evening when she scored in 64.88 seconds.

It was an inch-perfect drive from leading reinsman Nathan Dawson to lift the seven-year-old mare to victory by a half head.

The multiple Group 1-winning driver was comfortable to let the leaders run along after beginning from the widest alley on the front row.

Dawson went around the field on the home turn and Warrawee Flyer responded to his urgings to run over the top of the field. 

“That was the plan,” Hutchinson said.

“We spoke about it quite a bit before the race and we knew there was two in the race who would take each other on in the lead.

“We were hoping to be one out, one back but we were one position further back than we thought.

“But, Nathan’s such a good driver. He just threaded the needle and got through.

“She was just getting warmed up by the time she got to them in the finish. Nathan just got her momentum up as she got to the line.

“It was a very good drive - an excellent drive.”

Warrawee Flyer was previously prepared and driven by Mat Rue in regional New South Wales before he was purchased by Hutchinson to head north.

The Rue and Hutchinson connection has been a fruitful one in recent years.

Horses such as Pocket Book (14 career wins) and Havana Moon (17 victories) were originally raced by Rue before making their way to the 71-year-old Queensland horseman.

Since Trot Rods was first introduced in 2020, Hutchinson has often targeted his horses towards the series.

He previously won a heat in the 2023 campaign with Tungsten Terror. 

“It is a good concept,” the trainer said.

“Warrawee Flyer can sustain her speed for a while. 

“I thought it would be perfect for her.

“I've won a few Trot Rods races over the years.

“I didn't have anything in for the last two years, I don't think. But, before that, I had one in every year. I was in the first one and all the way through.

“So, I've been waiting to get one good enough again. So, she looked like she was good enough.”

Warrawee Flyer has now won three races in the Sunshine State since transferring north about five months ago. 

Warrawee Flyer’s winning mark surpassed the previous clubhouse leader of Trot Rods for 2026 which was the Jenny Anderson-prepared Last Call.

In the sixth heat, also on Wednesday evening around ‘The Triangle', the Ben Battle-trained Littlemickey scored in a tight finish but the five-year-old could not better Warrawee Flyer’s time.