Wilson is ‘flabbergasted’ by Alot Like Louie’s rise in form

Alot Like Louie (Sweet Lou) has gone through a renaissance period since struggling to break through for a maiden harness racing success in his first 13 starts, winning four on the trot since coming back from a five-month spell.

Trainer-driver Laura Wilson has been shocked by the pacer’s invigoration.

“To be honest, I really don’t know what has happened,” Wilson said. “I was flabbergasted that he couldn’t win a two-year-old because he always showed the ability.

“Right from the time he came back, he felt like he could go to the races and he has just been awesome.”

The son of Sweet Lou’s last run before the spell came in September’s Group 1 Vicbred Super Series final for two-year-old colts and geldings where he finished 12th.

“He did gallop in the Vicbred final, and that’s when I thought he was tired and might have had enough,” Wilson said.

The bay was gelded during the spell, which might have led to the improvement in form.

“He was the quietest colt ever, but I did geld him and he had about eight to 10 weeks off. Maybe he is not thinking about anything else being a gelding now,” she said.

The 39-year-old Wilson has found that her pacer has sharpened up with age.

“As a two-year-old, he sort of used to hang in and hang out, and he used to pace a bit funny. He is a lot more mature this time around. He is racing straight and he is a beautiful horse to drive,” she said.

Alot Like Louie will feature in tomorrow night’s APG Vic Gold Bullion heat for three-year-old colts and geldings at Bendigo, with qualifiers progressing to a $150,000 final against rivals from New South Wales and Queensland at Melton on May 25. A series for three-year-old fillies will run to the same schedule.

“I think he can go right through his grades if he keeps working the way he is going. He is very versatile and as we have seen at Melton, he is super-fast,” Wilson said.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Lachlan Mitchell, for Harness Racing Victoria