Getting sacked as a trainer doesn't usually elicit a smile, but Masterton's Jim Wallace was in a jovial mood after his former stable runner Uisce Beagh scored a decisive win in the Marchon Engineering 1400 at Rotorua yesterday.
Wallace prepared Uisce Beagh before his son, James, took over the training
of the Lord Ballina mare.
"I won a couple with her, but then James sacked me," quipped Wallace.
"She has always shown ability and I ran her in some of the 3-year-old fillies races.
"She's been troubled by her knees, but when she's right she's good."
Uisce Beagh hinted she was back on the right track when she finished fourth over 1320m at Wanganui last month, and yesterday she was ridden a treat by top jockey Leith Innes.
Settled off the pace, Uisce Beagh came with a strong run down the outside and drew clear inside the last 150m to beat Sadie Belle and Fast Wheels, who also ran on well wide out.
Uisce Beagh has now won five races, with two of the successes being over yesterday's 1400m.
While Wallace represented his son with Uisce Beagh, he also trained a winner of his own.
That victory was with Gliding, who was also ridden by Innes and came with a strong finish wide out.
Gliding went into the race with two solid leadup runs.
The meeting also marked a first for Matamata trainer Mark Walker and his stable jockey Michael Walker when Oh So Precious took the First Sovereign Trust 1400.
Though Michael Walker has ridden past winners for the Te Akau Stables, the win yesterday was his first since becoming stable rider.
Owned by Peter and Philip Vela, Oh So Precious has an international pedigree, being by Sadlers Wells.
"They paid about $1.1 million for her so it was a good result," said Michael Walker.
"She's got the ability, but she has been holding her breath. I used a trick my old boss, Allan Sharrock, taught me - I put some dirt in her mouth around at the start."
The "dirt in the mouth" trick is an old practice used by old trainers with the idea being the horse is worried about getting rid of the dirt and not holding its breath.
Oh So Precious certainly had her mind on racing as she charged down the outer and won going away.
- NZPA
