Don’t forget to order that photo, Claire!

There’s no prize for guessing which race photo will be on harness racing photographer Claire Weston’s wall this week – with her brother and co-owner Ian Woolridge getting the “money shot” at the Maryborough meeting on Wednesday (August 3).

The maiden victory of Sweetsazzymylazzy (Devilish Smile) for raceday photographers Weston and Woolridge fulfilled a 30-year ambition for them to win with a horse they own and race together.

“It was like our Group One! Ian was at the track working and I was at home watching and I think the neighbors were probably close to calling the police the way I was screaming when she was getting up the straight.  It was just so exciting. I’m absolutely stoked,” Weston said.

“We’ve both been involved with harness racing for 30 years and we’ve never been in a position to get a horse that’s just owned by the two of us.  But life changes and ‘Sassy’ was the one, so this win was pretty special for both of us.”

Weston said she had believed Sweetsazzymylazzy was capable of winning at Maryborough after her previous run at Charlton, back in June – but Claire’s method of “doing the form” is, perhaps, a little unorthodox.

“I knew I’d done up race photos six or seven times over the years for the winner of that Charlton race, and for the third placed horse as well. When Sassy ran fourth behind them, we were absolutely stoked – it was just a case of whether she would put it all together and when,” she said.

Sweetsazzymylazzy’s win at Maryborough was the second leg of a training and driving double for Michael Bellman, who also scored an easy victory with trotter Majestic Pride (Majestic Son).

The victory wasn’t without its anxious moments for the nervous connections though.  Bellman was content to sit at the back of the field, but was hampered on the final corner, and “Sassy” broke stride momentarily before pulling out wide and blistering home wide to score comfortably by 2.7 metres.

SWEETSAZZYMYJAZZY REPLAY

Weston said the four-year-old mare was purchased as a yearling from Wedderburn veterinarian Greg Hargreaves who also saw the win – he was at the Maryborough meeting on official duties.

“Greg had a few horses advertised, and he suggested a colt that he liked, but I was definite that I wanted a Devilish Smile filly.  Some horses just stick in your mind, and I noticed Devilish Smile from when I used to work as a (race) judge. He was a pretty thing, and I just really took to him,” she said.

“We only paid $2000 for her, but we’ve had to be so patient.  She was an April foal, which meant that when she was racing at two years old, she was actually racing against three-year-olds.

“She took some time to mature too.  She always seemed to be tough enough and fast enough, but she needed time because she would hop and skip – I always said if there was a skipping race, she’d win by a mile!

“Mick has been just so patient with her.  It helped too that he also loved her from the moment he saw her.”

Weston said it was her brother who had first got her involved in horses.

“Ian bought us ponies when I was 11 so that was where it started.  We loved the trots and we’d go to Moonee Valley fairly often, then we both went into syndicates over the years,” she said.

“I was judging for seven years before I started doing the race photography as a hobby at first, then as that grew, I needed Ian to work with me because I couldn’t be in two places at once.  We’ve worked together ever since,” she said.

“I’m not sure how he went getting the race photo yet – I rang him straight after the race and he was still shaking.  Mick did a little fist pump to Ian as he went across the line, so I hope he got that!”

For complete race results, click here.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink