Ted & Meryn Demmler with Geoff Webster after he steered Charlie Machsheen to Group 1 victory
Legendary horseman Ted Demmler celebrated his biggest thrill since being forced out of the sulky when Charlie Machsheen won Friday night’s Yeomans Slate & Stone Vicbred Super Series 2YO Colts and Geldings Final (2240m) at Melton’s Tabcorp Park.
The former champion trainer, who also won a World Drivers’ Championship in a driving career that yielded more than 3500 winners, got to experience the joy he gave so many owners during his own career when the Geoff Webster-trained-and-driven gelding won the $100,000 Group 1.
“This is a little bit different because it’s the first horse I’ve really ever owned, but it’s a great thrill for us all,” said Demmler, whose career ended with a fall at Warragul in November 2005.
While he didn’t have a first-hand involvement like he did with stars he trained including Bowral Boy, Breenys Fella or Impressionist, Demmler was still taking some of the credit for the upset win over favoured pair Fly Like An Eagle and Soho Valencia.
“Unfortunately for the other two, I had $10 on both of them to get them beat,” he said with a chuckle. “I’ve driven over 3500 winners and I’ve never had a bet until tonight, but they both got beat and that’s why I backed them.”
A masterful drive from Bannockburn-based Webster also played a fair role in the success.
Forced to go back from his wide back-row draw, Webster surged Charlie Machsheen around to sit outside the leader Fly Like An Eagle at the 1400m, but quickly had cover after Chris Alford also shot around the field aboard Soho Valencia.
Webster sat on Soho Valencia’s back until nearing the straight, when he peeled Charlie Machsheen ($9) into the clear and powered over his rivals for a 2.2m win over Soho Valencia ($7) in a 1:58.8 mile rate.
Boom Kiwi colt Fly Like An Eagle ($1.40 fav) got an easy 63-second first half of the last mile after an uncontested lead and despite a 28.2sec third split, he couldn’t keep up towards the end of a 28sec final quarter and only battled into third spot, 4.6m from Charlie Macsheen.
Webster was thrilled for Demmler and his wife Meryn, predicting they had even better times ahead with the son of Mach Three.
“For all the ups and down that Teddy’s had over the last few years, it’s just been wonderful for him to get a horse like this that’s giving him a bit of a buzz and has got him back to the trots,” Webster said.
“He’s a bit of a work in progress at the moment. He’s a handy sort of horse who’s got a bit of a mind of his own, but he’s got a pretty good motor.
“He’s still learning to be a bit more tractable all the time, so it’s next time we’re looking forward to. He’ll go to the paddock now because he’s not in the (Breeders) Crown and we’re looking forward to the (Victoria) Derby.”
The Vicbred success was half of a feature-race training double for Webster, who also produced Lets Slash An Burn to win the $20,000 Shire Of Melton Sprint (1720m) with Greg Sugars in the cart.
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