Brookies Player tough in Bluff Cup

They breed them tough in Bluff and the Bluffies would have appreciated Brookies Players (Shadow Play) win in the Bluff Cup at the Invercargill Harness Racing Club’s meeting at Ascot Park today. 

Trained by Ross and Chris Wilson the four year old was purchased from the Gavelhouse horse trading website for just $1,000. 

Driver Mark Hurrell sent Brookies Player forward early from gate six but was caught three wide into the first bend. He kept on trucking to sit parked before taking the lead off Castelo De Vide (Bettor’s Delight) but no sooner had he got to the top and Jordy (Bettor’s Delight) came knocking.  

At the end of the 2200 metre race Brookies Player showed the tenacity of a Bluff loose forward and held out Castelo De Vide by half a neck with the desperately unlucky With A Bang (A Rocknroll Dance) running third. 

“He’s a bit dumb and doesn’t know when to stop. It’s a great trait to have,” Ross Wilson said. 

The Wilsons watched the race unfold in the main stand. 

“I said to Chris ‘geez he’s going to have to be good to win today.’ Horses just kept coming up to him.” 

BROOKIES PLAYER REPLAY

Wilson said the horse has turned a corner recently and is racing more consistently. 

“His manners have improved out of sight. He used to run off the track. Now we’re a hundred percent sure he’ll do things right.” 

Brookies Player is owned by the extended Wilson family. 

“They’ve been threating to sell him because he’s racing out of his grade in the mobiles down here. I’ve been trying to convince them to keep him because they won’t get another one like him for $1,000. He was up in Auckland with Jason Teaz, and they couldn’t get him to pace. The guy who owned him had two horses, so they got rid of him. Chris only bought him because he was by Shadow Play.” 

Shadow Play is the sire of the Wilson’s open class pacer Robyns Playboy and Ross says the seven year old is due back in work. 

“He’s had two months off and is due back in in the next ten days. He’s really well and today he wanted to come to the races. He’s been roaring round like an idiot. This is the first decent spell he’s had. It’s done him well. Hopefully we’ll have a good year with him.” 

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink