Owner’s hunch sees a classic victory

Northern Victorian harness racing trainer Laura Wilson is more than happy to share the credit for an impressive win by four-year-old mare Chirippo (Always B Miki) in the lucrative Northern Rivers Equine Heidi George Classic.

“It’s nice when an owner makes a suggestion about where to race a horse and it goes exactly to plan!” Wilson said, of the $15,000 final at Bendigo on Tuesday night (Oct 9).

“Verna (loyal stable client Verna El-Khishin) usually leaves those sorts of decisions up to us, but this time, when she saw the race series, she said she knew it was a long way to go to Swan Hill for the heat, but she’d like Chirippo to go round in the series.”

Chirippo ran a solid fourth in the heat, but from barrier 11 it seemed the mare would need everything to go her way in the final over the sprint (1609 m) trip.

Wilson didn’t take any part in the early burn restraining to the rear, then was two back in the three-wide train from the 400-metre mark.  Wilson and Chirippo were six-wide up the straight but finished too strongly to grab the decision by a half-neck.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been that wide on the track,” Wilson joked.

“But the way the race was run (first quarters in 27.9 and 29.7) I thought if she could get a trail up, she should be thereabouts,” she said.

Chirippo is the fourth winner (from four of racing age) from McArdle mare Chiquita Bromac (five wins) bred by El-Khishin.  She has also left Celerina (Pet Rock five wins), Cheyella (Heston Blue Chip 13 wins) and Calexico (Lather Up one win), all of which have been trained by Wilson.

“Chirippo’s always had ability, but you have to get her on the right day, she can be a bit of a mystery. You don’t change anything between runs, but she can go super one week and then plain at her next,” Wilson said.

“I’ve racked my brain a lot with her and looking at her racing patterns I think maybe spacing her runs a bit more might have helped.  But I’m the first to say that, with her, because it works this time doesn’t mean it will next time!”

The Heidi George Classic was a mares series initiated by Kyabram standardbred stud Northern Rivers Veterinary Service and Llowalong Farms, with the heats at Echuca and Swan Hill.

Winners across the series competed not only for increased prizemoney, but presentation rugs and free services to Soho Tribeca, Raging Bull and Poster Boy, three of the sires on Llowalong stud’s classy 2024 roster.

“Especially as hard as the game is at the moment, it’s great when sponsors like Kath put themselves out there and try to do something different that gives back to the industry,” Wilson said.

“It was a great race to win for Verna for a horse of this class.  Not just for the stakes on offer, but Verna loves her horses and loves her breeding, so the Poster Boy service was a big plus for her.”

For complete race results, click here.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink