Stapleton remedy working wonders for Wild Willow

The special leg paint Rakaia harness racing trainer Warren Stapleton uses is doing wonders for Wild Willow (Art Major) who won yesterday’s Placemakers Oamaru Cup.

“It’s a liquid that I paint on. I just add ingredients to what I call a base paint. It doesn’t hurt the horse. One ingredient comes from China and I mix it all up. You’re allowed to race on it, there’s no problem there. I put it on up to a couple of days before they race. It just feeds the injury and keeps things tight. It doesn’t work for every horse and we have to make alterations to their shoeing. I’ve got the advantage of having big paddocks and we can take them down the road if need be,” Stapleton said.

The four year old gelding suffers from tendon and suspensory problems and has had a number of lengthy spells to help with his issues.

He began his career with the All Stars in September 2022 and in three starts for that stable won once at Kaikoura. His next start was for Mark and Nathan Purdon in April 2023 at Ashburton where he also won. After that he was given to Stapleton and he debuted for his new stable two weeks ago, winning at Timaru.

“They decided to give him a go with the Hopes (Greg and Nina Hope) on the beach. They got him to the trials okay but the leg got a wee bit of filling. The owners advised the Hopes that I may be able to help so that’s how he came here.”

Wild Willow is owned by Greg Hope, Phil and Margaret Creighton, Ken Cumming and John and Jenny Grainger and is out of thirteen race winner Willow.

The Creightons, Graingers and Cumming have been in the horse since he first started, with Hope joining the ownership group in February this year.

In yesterdays pacing feature driver Ricky May settled Wild Willow in the second half of the field before he improved three wide on the back of Deny Everything. Turning in, favourite Dreams Are Free had pinched a break but Wild Willow came down the middle of the track to win with stablemate Lester finishing second. The winning margin was half a length with Dreams Are Free three quarters of a length back in third.

WILD WILLOW REPLAY

“He got away and had a reasonable run. He got held up round the corner and had to do a bit of work. It did surprise me going straight past those horses.”

The winning time was 3-17.1.

“He’s a Cup horse isn’t he. That horse of Nathan Williamson’s (Dreams Are Free) is a nice horse. I didn’t realise until my son was taking me down to the race about the calibre of the field.”

The win is the second for the four year old.

Warren says he doesn’t like to look too far ahead but the new $200,000 Four Year Old race at Addington in December could be a possibility.

“That’ll be looked at. There’s another race at Kaikoura. With unsound horses I don’t like to drag them too far.”

For complete race results, click here

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink