It was close, but hot favourite gets the win

“He was good enough to get the job done,” trainer Tony Stratford said after hot favourite Leithen Louie (Sweet Lou) won at Ascot Park today.

In the hands of Blair Orange Leithen Louie lead for most of the race, was challenged through the middle part of the trip and withstood a late run from Rocky Pacific to win by a head.

LEITHEN LOUIE REPLAY

“He’s won a race now so we’ll build from there. Blair said he did it quite comfortably but the horse is still green.”

The three year old gelding is owned by ninety three year old Alan Steel and Ray Steel, Chris Steel, his partner Shelley McCann and R Shaw.

Pulp Fiction won twelve for Stratford and another fourteen in Australia. He was also placed in the Sunshine Sprint and finished fourth in the Blacks A Fake.

Leithen Louie is out of the two win Bettor’s Delight mare Delight which is a full sister to New Zealand Derby winner Sherriff.

“He’s a lovely wee horse. His mother was a typical Bettor’s Delight and took a couple of preps to gait up. This guy took one.”

Alan said Ascot Park has been a lucky track for horses he’s owned.

Pulp Fiction won twelve races of which seven were at Ascot Park. Two of the wins were Riverton Cups.

Lilac Flash and Leithen Burn won two, both at Ascot Park and one of Delight’s two wins was on the Invercargill track.

Today Leithen Louie added to that great record.

The Steels own a 2,000 acre family farm at Greenvale just out of Waikaka and the name Leithen derives from Leithen Valley which is north of Waikaka.

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink