Most Unlikely wins, and Massey has mojo back

It took South Australian hobby trainer Christopher Massey only one start to get back into the harness racing winner’s circle after a six-year absence.

And it was an unraced seven-year-old maiden, the appropriately named Most Unlikely (Cullens Legacy) that, to put it in Massey’s words, has given him his “mojo” back.

Most Unlikely snapped up South Australia’s richest race for Maiden-class horses, the $9000 Valley Horse Transport Pace, at the Strathalbyn Cup Meeting at Globe Derby on Saturday night (March 2).

“It’s hard to keep interested sometimes and there were a lot of things happened that kept me away from the sport for so long,” Massey said.

“I only work one or two at a time, and you think the horses are four or five years old, and all of a sudden, they are actually six or seven!  I bred this horse, and I had some problems with her, but she’s always shown ability so thought I’d better get back to it.”

The 68-year-old spent some time on the sidelines about seven years ago through suspension, but more recently has battled health issues, including a serious stroke in mid-2023.  Added to some bad luck with horses having problems and going sore, Massey admits he was struggling with motivation.

“But I ended up checking myself out of hospital after my stroke because I was so worried about my horses,” he said.

“They give you a reason to get out there each day.  Sometimes you don’t think you’re lucky and you’re luckier than you think – that might have been the way it was with me and the stroke.

“I was lucky, and I just got my heart set on getting this horse going first.  When she was finally ready, I couldn’t believe the race was a $9000 Maiden.

“I felt fairly confident because she had drawn one and some of the better horses in the field she had beaten at the trials.  But you can never be too confident in this game! Deano (Dean Girardi) drove her perfectly and it was just the best feeling when she went across the line!”

Most Unlikely is out of Amberlu Veejay (Village Jasper), a half-sister to Fashion With Flair (Troublemaker), the dam of Real Life (23 wins) and Mister Anthony (29 wins), both by Life Sign.

And now that he’s back in the game?  What’s next?

“Well, I’ve got an unnamed Lincoln Royal that I’m going to get back to now.  He needs a bit more work with a breaker, but he’s a lovely nature of horse, so hopefully I can get those issues sorted out now.  I have my horses here at home with me at Two Wells, but I work on the track at Lewiston, and I float them to the track – so I might as well be taking two than just one!

“For Most Unlikely, I think I’ll just keep her ticking over around here, but I grew up at Mildura and my brothers and I got started with horses there when we were kids.

“I’d really love to be able to get her across to Mildura for one of the minor races at the Pacing Cup carnival in April – but we’ll see how we go.”

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink