Brittany Heywood leading one of Chris Heywood’s 2015 Country Championship hopefuls.
Chris Heywood will be saddling up 3 runners for the Wagga heat of the Country Championships on February 27, over 1400 metres. The current Southern Districts Racing Premiership trainer is preparing High Opinion, Imperious and Mitchell Road for a tilt at the $100,000 Wagga heat, after entering two horses including Mitchell Road in last years’s event. Mitchell Road finished 3 and a half lengths off the pace in 6th position in last year’s Country Championship Qualifier at Wagga in March 2015. If he can win at Wagga this time around, he will head to Randwick for the final worth $400,000 on April 2. However, Mitchell Road will have some stiff competition from within his own stable. Imperious is a four year old chestnut gelding by Street Cry out of the dam Regal Cheer. He has a consistent record of 2 wins and 4 placings from his 15 starts. High Opinion has had 16 starts for 3 wins and has recorded 8 placings to bring his prize money to just over $60,000. The 4 year old gelding by Lord Jim out of the dam Kerzaz has been in good form recording 2 second placings in October and November in 2015 and has just come back in to work after an 11 week lay off. Heywood hopes that his 3 runners will be very competitive at the Wagga heat. “They are all travelling well, and are quality horses which is why I have chosen them for this campaign. Nick will be riding one of them at this stage and its another opportunity for him to race at an elite level. He continues to impress those in the racing industry with his talent.”
