A great little win for Ian | Taranaki Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Taranaki

STRATFORD Trotting Club trainer Ian Martin has had recent success with his horse Little Mistress.

She won Race 11 at the Morrinsville Trotting Club's grass track meeting at Rotorua's Arawa Park recently.

This is the third season Ian has been training Little Mistress and so far she has produced a good win every year.

Previously a jockey, Ian has a lifetime of experience with horses, ever since he was young.

"I have always been around horses in some form during my life, so naturally I entered the sport at a young age."

Not only a jockey and trainer, he has worked with gallopers and grey hounds as well.

During his career he has trained over 50 winning horses.

Ian believes this is the last horse he will train before retirement, saying she has one or two more years left with him. He said Little Mistress is just for fun a hobby.

"I do it because it's a disease, it's in my blood, however I have been told death cures it," he laughed.

Ian believes Little Mistress has a good chance of winning at the Sunday races in Stratford as she has been performing well.

"The last two stand starts have just been unlucky, because she wasn't on the ball and lost too much ground. We have been paying special attention to starts over the past few days and I think she'll nail it."

"I feel this horse has more going for her than any other I've ever trained," he said.