Racing: Melbourne reject fulfils cup prediction

By MIKE DILLON

Ken Wikeley will tell you that he has always enjoyed a bet.

By the age of 18 he was working two jobs to own his first racehorse, Blue Senarda, who won one race at Tauherenikau.

He wasn't old enough to race it in his own name, so his father, David, claimed ownership.

"Then I bought Raspidora and she won 15 races. That got me hooked and ruined me," he said with a laugh yesterday, as he held the $350,000 Westbury Stud Trophy that Maguire had just won him.

Wikeley, who has been heavily involved in big business, has no idea how many horses he has raced over the years, but says he has shares in 25 at the moment.

Imperial Angel, who won the 1000 Guineas before being sold to a United States buyer, and Arctic Wolf, were two smart gallopers he has raced.

"I hit a flat spot when I was doing big business with aquariums in Asia from 1990 to 1997, because there was no racing in the Asian cities I was dealing with."

The former Aucklander has been living in Melbourne for the past 18 months, at the 10ha Cranbourne property he established as a private horse-training establishment.

Former Kiwi John Collins has been Wikeley's private trainer for the past 1 1/2 years.

The pair met when Collins was training at Otaki and bought Dance On Wind, who proved very smart, for Wikeley.

"I liked John," said Wikeley.

"He's young, confident and does his homework. He's also a very good judge of what horses to buy.

"He told me to buy Coco Cobana, which I didn't do, but I respect his vision on that."

Wikeley bought Maguire on Collins' advice after the horse won a maiden race on debut at Wanganui.

Eric Watson later came in and bought a half share. He has been joined by John Higgins (15 per cent) and recently sold a 10 per cent holding to Tom Elvin.

"I wanted to get Tom into racing," said Watson.

"I sold him a share in this horse, and also in Even Psalm and Unbridled Hope, and each of them won within the first 10 days of ownership."

Maguire finished 13th in the 1999 Melbourne Cup after his third in the Queensland Derby.

"When he failed to get a start in this last Melbourne Cup, John said he'd come over and win the Auckland Cup," said Eric Watson's stud manager and chief executive, Russell Warwick.

But things went wrong.

Maguire was to have come across for the Waikato Cup, but Collins learned that if he won that race, he would be given a 1kg or 2kg re-handicap for the Auckland Cup.

"So, we ran him at Flemington a few weeks ago instead and he got out three wide, started pulling his head off and finished second-last," said Warwick.

"We had no idea whether he was on track for the Auckland Cup or not, but I said to John if he was happy with the horse to send him.

"Arriving on the Monday and racing in the Queen Elizabeth on Boxing Day two days later was a big ask, but he's come through it all well."

Watson and wife Nicky watched the race in his togs after a beach day at their Takapuna Beach property, and drove to Ellerslie immediately afterwards.

Watson's Westbury Farm sponsored the race, continuing the great association Westbury has had with the race - last year's winner, Our Unicorn, and Able Master, the year before, were sold by Westbury as yearlings.