A winning treble has shot former local trainer Chris Heywood to the top of the Southern District Racing Association (SDRA) premiership. Chris dominated the fields at the Murrumbidgee Turf Club with three winners and three second placegetters.
Included in the feat was a Racing NSW Breeder Owner Bonus Scheme (BOBS) payment of $5,000, bringing the total for the day to $38,300 in prize money for the connections of his horses.
The treble put him to the top of the Southern District Racing Association Trainer’s Premiership for the 2015/2016 season with 13 wins, one ahead of fellow Wagga trainer Trevor Sutherland and Albury’s 10-time SDRA premiership winner Brett Cavanough with 10.5 wins.
Chris only moved to Wagga just over two years ago and said he struggles to comprehend that he is now leading the district’s training premiership. “It’s different,” he said with a laugh. “I don’t think about it much, I just do my job. It would be a nice thing if I could roll it, but there is still a long way to go.” Chris said “A lot of my horses are home breds, a lot that we’ve gone and bought aren’t on the track yet, but they’re ticking over nicely and I’m having fun doing it.”
Chris spent Sunday in Sydney at the Inglis Yearling Sales in Newmarket where he and a longterm owner picked up a nice filly by Al Maher. With the grandsire being ‘Danehill’ on the stallions side and ‘Scenic’ on the dam’s side (sire of 2008 Melbourne Cup winner ‘Viewed’). Chris said he hopes to syndicate her in the near future. “She was probably one of the the prettiest fillies out of the 175 lots we saw go through the sale on Sunday, she’s a well bred, good type and we hope that by syndicating her we can share in the experience of horse racing with lots of people.”
Chris’s three winners at Wagga came courtesy of ‘So French’, ‘Destiny’s Future’ and ‘Dantain’s Spirit’. All three that started their careers in other stables. He is becoming known for taking good horses and making them better.
Dantain’s Spirit is a horse that is showing plenty of spirit on the track after failing to impress in its first two career starts coming in 10 of 13 at Hawkesbury and 6 of 11 at Wyong. After taking over the training duties and bringing the filly to Wagga she has claimed 4 wins from 4 attempts and a prize money tally of $37,000 for the racing syndicate involved.
Chris said “Thats what it is all about anyone can be involved in horse racing its no longer just the sport of Kings, its everyones sport.”
Dantains Spirit resumed from a spell to win the Harvey Norman Benchmark 55 Handicap (1000m) and is one of four horses he hopes to set towards the $100,000 Country Championship heat at Wagga next month. He said “I couldn’t be happier with how the team is performing, we’re on target for the goal, the Championships heat is the race I’ve got my horses aiming for and they’re all on target for it.”
Heywood has enjoyed four wins on a day once before, but was happy enough with a winning treble on a strong Wagga TAB card. He said “It could have been better with a couple of close seconds, but I’m not complaining.”
The Southern District Racing Association Competition season will finish on July 31.
Nick Heywood made a return to racing after a four month lay off after a horse reared in the stalls in Goulburn injuring his knee. Nick had just one ride for the day easing back in to it with a credible 4th place.
Wallendbeen trainer Trish Anderson recorded a win at Wagga with her only entrant for the day in the Viatek Mdn Plate over 1000 metres. ‘To a Degree’ a 3 year old gelding by Bon Hoffa carried 57 kilograms and second place favouritism in to the race to claim the win at $3 odds and $8200 in prizemoney.
