Livewire lands another big blow

For the second time in a fortnight, livewire Melbourne harness racing driver Michelle Phillips has sent punters reeling to the bar with a 100/1 winner—and at the same venue.

“It certainly brightened up my night at Mildura, which had been a bit rough prior to that,” Phillips said.

“I ended up getting three catch drives late in the night and the rank outsider Mista Pumblechook in the last was one of those – it was a nice surprise to get the money,” she said.

Seven-year-old gelding Mista Pumblechook (Village Jasper-Nora Barnacle (Golden Greek) was left out of calculations by most form students, but jumped to the front, and led all the way at odds of $104.

“I had no intentions of leading because I thought Elleker Hanover (Alby Ashwood) would find that position. But my horse was happy out in front and at the bell I thought we were travelling okay,” Phillips said.

“Then on the home corner, I was more than happy because we were still going strong.”

Mista Pumblechook went to the line with a 19.6m advantage over Elleker Hanover, the $1.04 favorite, with a further two metres back to Robert Crocka.

And it was a case of déjà vu for Phillips – and for punters!

On both occasions she has proven to be a nemesis for the powerful Hargreaves/Ashwood training partnership, who have been runners-up on the race favorites each time.

The talented horsewoman with nearly 140 winners to her name is based at Caroline Springs, an outer Western suburb of Melbourne.  She said after her early drives on Friday night, including a second placing on National Draft, she had thought of having a rest in her car while her travelling companions fulfilled their driving commitments in the later races.

“The trip up to Mildura takes us close to six hours. It’s a long way. And I was just settling down for a nap when Jordan (Leedham) came to get me to tell me I’d got the late call for drives in races seven, nine and 12 so that changed things,” she said.

“I love competing up there. I’ve actually been busy with picking up drives at other meetings as well, so most nights I’ve been at the races lately so it’s been really good.”

Phillips picked up the extra engagements as a result of confusion about the implications of Victoria’s COVID-19 seven-day lockdown.

A handful of South Australian trainers and drivers were engaged, but, with the uncertainty over South Australia’s likely response, a number of runners were late scratchings, others, including champion Adelaide reinsman Wayne Hill, elected to make the trip.

Hill said he made the decision after getting assurances the South Australian was not expected to implement a hard border shutdown for returning travellers.

“I had an essential worker permit to go over the border, and I checked everything else and it was all approved.  The racing hotline confirmed that everything I’d done was perfect and I was right to go,” Hill said.

Hill arrived in Mildura and completed his early driving commitments, before the SA Premier implemented a snap closure of the SA border at 7.45 pm, effective immediately.

“I figured the best action was for me to get back over the border as soon as I could, so I left the meeting and headed back to South Australia,” Hill said.

“Now I’ve had a text message from the stewards advising me I am not allowed to drive, I have to be in quarantine for 14 days and I can’t work horses or be at a registered trainer’s stable.

“I went and got a COVID test on Saturday and that’s come back negative, but even though I have done 100 percent everything right and everything correct and got approvals everywhere, I have eight engagements at Globe Derby (today) and I’m not too sure if I’ll be able to fulfil them.”