Trainer Davina Waddell was momentarily hoping she hadn't used up all her week's quota of good luck at Te Rapa yesterday.
She thought about that watching her horse Fredrex win the hurdles yesterday paying $105 and $20.
Then she thought about the luck factor and realised she was in the
clear - she hadn't backed Fredrex. (Well, she did, but with only a couple of dollars.)
"Last start we backed him heavily - I thought he'd win."
That was at Te Aroha and the little-known Fredrex only managed ninth.
"We got stung quite badly by that and I wasn't prepared to back up.
"The other factor was he seemed to lose a bit of confidence with that Te Aroha run and I felt he'd need this race to get it back."
Fredrex had not previously run a place in eight starts, but Waddell rates him highly.
"I have a huge opinion of him and I mean huge. I thought he just had to line up at Te Aroha to win."
With in-form Lance McFarlane in the saddle, Fredrex had an advantage over the last three fences in the home straight and maintained it to the line to comfortably beat River Chief, who was backed into favouritism for his jumping debut.
"With him losing confidence, I wasn't quite sure what to do with him so I took him down to the Browne's at Cambridge at the weekend and Lance came over and schooled him on Monday."
Waddell said if Fredrex has one more start this year it will be at the jumping championship day at Paeroa next month.
Waddell will not be too disappointed if the rain continues to stay away and the track remains close to firm for the Great Northerns at Ellerslie on Saturday.
She has Just The Man engaged in the $100,000 Lindauer Great Northern Steeplechase.
"I'm very happy with him and of my horses, he's the one who won't mind a good track on Saturday."
The Ellerslie footing yesterday was rated at 2.7 and dead.
The odd shower is predicted through to Saturday, which should have little changing effect on the rating and rain is forecast "later" on Saturday.
Most trainers would prefer that to read 'earlier', even Sheryl and Roger McGlade, who will produce noted dry-tracker Bart into the Great Northern Steeplechase.
