A nice pick me up For Brinsdon Family

Gore harness racing owner Anne Brinsdon hasn’t had many chances to watch her horse Major Menace race recently.

However it was her lucky day today. Having it’s seventeenth start at the Wyndham meeting, she was there to watch Major Menace, which she part owns with her son Matt, win her first race.

Matt said “She’s (Anne) super excited today. She broke her hip so she hasn’t seen any of her races recently but she was on-course today. It was a pretty good tonic for her and Dad’s up in the home so he’ll be watching too,”

Driver Jonny Cox settled the five year old Art Major mare in the last five from a second row draw. He followed Sherwood Maggie into the race at the top of the straight. Cox waited as long as he could before hooking Major Menace out to the centre of the track and she came home nicely to beat Better Thana Missus by a head with a half a neck back to Sherwood Maggie in third.

“The blinds worked the oracle today. She’s a funny wee thing. She doesn’t always put her best foot forward.”

Major Menace (11) beating Better Thana Missus (12) – Photo Bruce Stewart

Jonny Cox, Major Menace, Matt Brinsdon his mother Anne and wife Cheryl. Photo Bruce Stewart.

Brinsdon said Major Menace has been a slow maturing horse which wasn’t quite strong enough to qualify as a three year old, but qualified at four.

“She’s always had enough in her to bag a win or two so she’s probably destined for the broodmare paddock.”

Major Menace

The dam of Major Menace Holmes Hanover mare Phantom Menace won eight races for Brinsdon and his mother, and has left Phantom Grin the winner of eight, and Can Go Like El which also won eight in Australia.

“She’s in foal to Always B Miki and that’ll be her last foal. She’ll be retired, she’s twenty one now.”

Meanwhile Auckland Reactor three year old Willie Go West looked like Southern Supremacy Stakes material when he easily won over a mile.

Willie Go West

Owned by Vicki Purdon and her son Michael and trained by Michael, the three year old was pushed out of the gate to lead early over the 1609 metre journey.

Driver Sarah O’Reilly opened the small field up and at one point was eight lengths in front. It looked as though the field was going to catch Willie Go West but O’Reilly was only foxing and she went down to the line to win by five and half lengths from I’m Watching You.

The winning time was 1-54.1.

Willie Go West and Sarah O’Reilly winning at Wyndham – Photo Bruce Stewart

Willie Go West is out of the unraced Bettor’s Delight mare Bettor Go and was bred by Studholme Bloodstock which has a half-brother by Art Major in this month’s Christchurch Sale.

Bruce Stewart