The son of Earl was clocking up his 31st start this season - and the 90th in his career - when he held off the late challengers to claim the $7000 Fergus Mathieson Memorial handicap trot at Forbury Park last night.
It was just reward for the 6yr-old and his Gore trainer, Chris Gerken, who has battled away with the half-brother to King Galleon.
Punters had let the gelding go despite a second behind Sarah Lindenny at Forbury Park last week, but Gerken felt his trotter was racing as well as he could.
''He's been really good the last seven starts,'' Gerken said.
''I was scratching my head for a wee while, because he wasn't finishing his races off. But we changed a wee bit of gear and it's made all the difference.''
John Henry Galleon has not been short of fitness this season with his 31 starts, and Gerken praised the horse's ability to do things right most of the time.
''He's probably wee bit under-rated. Out of those 30 starts, he's probably only been out of the top six maybe six times.
''That's his forte - he keeps trucking and we keep coming back.''
John Henry Galleon was having his 51st start since his last win at Wyndham in 2011. His debut win had been 30 starts prior to the Wyndham win, at his home track of Gore at his ninth start.
Followed from afar
Karl Hansen made a trip south from Hamilton to watch Lucie de Gerolstein break her maiden status last night - but the breeder was tuning in from further afield.
Hansen, who works at the University of Waikato, leases the mare from Kurt Ganzl, who is based in Berlin at present. Ganzl, best known for his work in musical theatre, has owned more than 30 winners since 1999, and has developed the de Gerolstein breed in recent years, along with trotters like Seppl (5 wins).
Hansen picked up the lease of the 4yr-old after she had been prepared by Murray Edmonds for Ganzl until March.
Milestone in sight
Matthew Williamson edged closer to 100 driving wins this season when he reined home Lucky Getaway and Cherokee Bromac in consecutive races. He
has 97 wins, with two drives at Ashburton today and three tomorrow, including favourite Springbank Sam in the 5yr-old Ruby division of the Harness Jewels.
