Cashman lands first Metro winner

Trainer Rick Cashman landed his first metropolitan winner when My Uncle Stan (Sweet Lou) sprint laned his way to harness racing victory at Melton.

Sent out a $2.90 favorite, My Uncle Stan held the lead from the pole however driver Jodi Quinlan elected to surrender the front running to her main danger Yapper and await her chances along the sprint lane.

And the move proved to be an astute one as My Uncle Stan charged through along the sprint lane to score by a metre from Clear Left and Layden in a mile rate of 1:56.

Quinlan said she was happy to hand up the lead to the right horse.

“He began well enough to hold the lead but when I saw Yapper beside me and Clear Left pressing forward three wide I was happy to take a sit on the back of Yapper,” Quinlan said.

“He travelled well throughout and then got up the sprint lane well,” she said.

Rick Cashman has secured his first metro winner with My Uncle Stan taking out the Dynamic Sprint Pace with Jodi Quinlan in the sulky. pic.twitter.com/CAB4dO0FRH

— The Trots (@TheTrotsComAu) July 20, 2024

Quinlan admitted she received a thrill to provide the 59-year-old Cashman with his first success at metropolitan level.

“Rick was pretty thrilled after the race,” she said.

“I’ve been in the game for a long time now but its little things like that that make it very satisfying when you win for someone like Rick who only has a small team, so it’s good.”

Quinlan indicated to Cashman that the four-year-old son of Sweet Lou could be his flagship horse.

“I like the horse, I only drove him late last year and he sat along the pegs among some Group 1 horses and finished off quite well and I said to Rick that this could be the best horse you’ve trained,” she said.

“He’s had a few quirks this time in but when we’ve sat him up he’s hit the line well and I would expect him to go on from here.”

For complete race results, click here.

by John Dunne, for Harnesslink