So quiet has this season been for Tauwhare trainer Todd Mitchell, Sunday’s Tauranga win by Malabar Spur doubled his winning tally for the term.

It was his first win as a trainer since the first meeting of the season, on August 3, and he has only had 30 starters over the six months.

“With Prime Power going to America and a couple of others breaking down and retiring, I have just been very quiet,” he said.

“I haven’t had a lot to the races and even now, I will probably only have about four line up in the next six weeks.”

When open class trotter Prime Power left our shores mid-way through last year to ply his trade in America, Mitchell had a number of handy prospects in the team, most of which have since fallen by the wayside.

“Raschker hurt a knee and had to be turned out, Creamee went sore too and has had a long spell and Diamond Lace was retired.

“So, we’re only working 15 at the moment, which is enough to keep us ticking over.

“There are a couple of unqualifieds coming up and three nice two-year-old fillies that might qualify and race later in the season if they keep improving.”

Malabar Spur was an addition to the barn last winter after her previous trainer, Keith Chittenden, started to ail with poor health.

Hawera-based Chittenden subsequently died in August and her original owners resolved to race her again after Chittenden’s lease expired.

Mitchell says she was ‘a bit wooly’ after spending some of the winter without a rug but otherwise arrived in good health and spirits.

She resumed at Te Awamutu with a third last week and then went two better this week, clearing out to win by three lengths.

“She’s an honest mare that just lacks a bit of high speed,” said Mitchell.

“She’s trotting nice and solid and doesn’t seem to be hitting anywhere and seems to be in a good place.

“It’s a late-maturing family and a bit of time has probably helped her.”

The two-day Otaki grass meeting this weekend will be avoided in favour of Cambridge next week, and Mitchell expects to poke around with her, finding manageable races through the summer and autumn.

Mitchell stays in close contact with the American trainer of Prime Power, Rick Dane, as does his Matangi breeder and owner, Bryan Macey, who retained a 50 percent stake in the horse.

“He won three in a row there recently and I know they are really happy with him,” said Mitchell.

“He started out good last year but then began making mid-race gallops and I wonder if they had put lighter shoes on him because he did the same thing when I did that with him here.

“Either the freshen-up or a change in shoeing has done the trick because he is back in form and everyone is really happy.”