Wee Jimmy and driver John O'Shea after their win at Bathurst last Wednesday.
WE'RE accustomed to the idea of trainers, and owners, keeping a keen eye on weather reports to anticipate track conditions and decide whether or not they should withdraw a horse from its upcoming race.
But that's a long way short of using the weather forecast to "scratch" yourself from the drive on a well-drawn, well-graded chance with excellent recent form.
At your home track, with no travel involved.
And you're the owner!
That was the "backstory" behind the win of Wee Jimmy NZ in the C2/C3 sprint at Group One Feeds Paceway on Wednesday night.
Owner and regular driver Amy Rees, who recently departed balmy Brisbane to join her boyfriend John O'Shea in Bathurst, took one look at the forecast of single-digit temperatures and possible snow for Wednesday night and didn't hesitate in handing over the driving duties to O'Shea.
Drawn in three, he pinged the Stonebridge Regal gelding straight to the lead, gradually quickening to a last half of 57s and an easy win, from Sportygal and Tim McGee, in a 1:56.0 mile rate.
With that win behind him, and Bathurst bracing itself for similar conditions in the months ahead, O'Shea isn't ruling out getting the call-up from the owner in the immediate future.
He completed a driving double by taking out the final event, a second division of a 3C0/3C1 sprint, with a similar all-the-way win on What A Jolt, for local trainer Lester Hewitt, with whom he's had a strong association.
The Village Jolt youngster, on debut, rated 1:58.2 and impressed with good race manners and especially with a 27.7s brush home.
Doug Hewitt, who'd commenced the night in winning fashion in C1 grade with Allnight Mlady for father Bernie - campaigning in Brisbane and no doubt enjoying all that warmth - had to settle for second behind What A Jolt with the odds-on favourite Hez All Courage, after a tough run in the death.
For the second week in succession, the Bourke family supporters group enjoyed a win at their home track, this time with the promising four-year-old gelding Mister Haywood, which sat outside the lead in the fast-class sprint before booting clear turning in and holding off the fast-finishing Hidden Courage and Swaggie Shannon.
The post-race comments of driver Mat Rue - " I wanted to hold him back from the leader Sabrage, who's a cranky horse that can get fired up, and just turn it into a three-hundred metre race, where his sprint could just blow them away "- demonstrated not only his very high opinion of the horse but also the keen tactical sense that makes him such a sought-after driver.
Phil Bourke trains the Abercrombie Dexter gelding for his mother Harriet, a self-confessed veteran of 53 years in the sport and well-known to everyone in racing for the dress rugs she supplies to race clubs all over the state.
Any special ones among them?
" I suppose the one I supply every year for my father (Don Callan) at the Memorial Meeting is one I take special pride in. Also, the satin rugs for the Crown, Tiara, Chalice and Bracelet winners, which we keep photos of each year.
"We were racing at Dubbo recently, and looking around the stalls we counted 25 horses that were wearing dress rugs that we had made! "
On the promise he's showing at the present time,, Mister Haywood will be starting a collection of his own from here on.
Other winners at the meeting:
Tulhurst Santanna (Nathan Hurst) in a C0 sprint, sitting in the one-one before bursting away for an easy win, the fourth this term for the above-average juvenile who is shortly to return to Victoria chasing another Vicbred bonus.
Spike Robyn NZ (David Hewitt) in a 3C0/3C1 sprint, showing improved manners to lead throughout before putting a gap on his rivals in the closing stages, for his second win in five lifetime starts, and a siring double on the night for Art Major son Santanna Blue Chip.
Wrangler Duke (Trent Rue, for Tony Hagney), coming from the second half of the field to round up his C1 rivals with ease, for a well-deserved and overdue win after consistently placing, and the promise of morning tea at the track supplied by the trainer/ track curator.
Hopefully hot sausage rolls and not Iced Vo-Vos!
