Greg’s new boy has big shoes to fill

When Wimmera harness racing trainer Greg Cooper arrived home one afternoon to find a newborn foal, it took him no time at all to come up with an appropriate name.

"I'd been to the funeral of a popular guy earlier on in the day. His name was Bob Radley. He was a good friend and I'd worked with him a bit. I knocked around with his son and I guess in my eyes he was a local icon," Greg said.

"So later on, when we sat down and had to come up with some names for the horse to race, 'Local Icon' was the first one to come to mind."

And four-year-old bay gelding Local Icon (Grinfromeartoear-It Is What It Is (Panorama) has made quite an early impact himself, with a win and a placing from just four starts.

The pacer steps out today at Horsham, one of a number of clubs that have been waiting patiently to resume racing due to the pandemic restrictions.

"I think he will be competitive despite coming off the back row because we'll be able to choose who we want to follow," Greg said.

"He shows that he's got a lot of bottom at home and his work on our track is as good as any of the others. So, when the penny drops, I'm hoping he could be the best one we've had over the years."

Greg has a property at Glenorchy, between Stawell and Horsham, and does cropping, as well as run sheep and cattle.

"I've been around horses all my life because my late dad Reg was a keen breeder. He had legendary trainer Jack Moore preparing them back in the day," he said.

Reg Cooper, who died a few years ago just short of his 90th birthday, had a 60-year association in the sport. He was a life member of both Stawell Harness Racing and the Race Club. He also served on the harness racing committee for 25 years and was president for 13 terms as well as the scales clerk at the gallops.

"We got an outstanding broodmare first up in Romantic Express, which was a Noel Simpson breed. She left five free-for-all horses, including the brilliant Bar Adios, trained by Ralph Ford," Greg said.

"In recent years we raced and then bred from the Paulsboro-sired mare Reasons Why, a winner of six races, who is the grand-dam of Local Icon.

"Reasons Why was a tough horse. She won her first start at St Arnaud for Chris Alford and won another five at Ararat, Ballarat and Charlton. Neil McCallum was also successful on her a few times.

"She had three of her foals get to the races, one being It Is What It Is (by Panorama) the dam of Local Icon. We just enjoy breeding and owning a few of our own."

Greg said Local Icon was "very green" when he took him to compete in his first trial.

"He wouldn't score up and then was looking around everywhere and galloped. But he did a few at Stawell later on and ran well," he said.

"We took him to Bendigo for his race debut and we were happy to finish fourth. Then at Terang on a rainy night he hated the wet dirt in his face and was well back.

"His next start third at Stawell was encouraging because the first three placegetters in that event all came out and won at their next outings- including us, because we were successful at Ballarat seven days later. So the Stawell race presented a good form line."

Greg said he was fortunate to have his daughter Megan around to give him a helping hand.

"Megan is terrific with horses and did the pony trots when she was younger. She now has her own riding horse and is right into dressage, as well as being a qualified equine myotherapist," he said.

"I love having her on the farm because apart from Local Icon, we also have a couple of two-year-olds to keep us busy."

Terry Gange

NewsAlert PR Mildura