Old Fellow Fisherman Not Ready For Pension Yet
Old stager Fisherman (Where's Pedro – Stylish Dotty) proved that he is not yet ready for retirement with a slashing victory in the Rapidvite. Com Invitation (452 metres) conducted at the Devonport Raceway on Tuesday afternoon.
Whelped in January 2007, the Mark Sutcliffe prepared chaser has now won 34 of 113 lifetime outings with earnings approaching the magical $100,000 mark.
Fisherman began nicely from the pink box and clashed with race favourite Quarter Hitch (Hallucinate – Go Girls) early in proceedings, but then took up the running and hung on to score in the time of 26.21 and paying a dividend of $7.10.
Veteran trainer Sutcliffe is pleased to report that the chaser has recovered nicely from the run and will be seen going around again in the very near future.
“We decided to retire Fisherman several months ago, but he is his own worst enemy when turned out in a yard and is inclined to injure himself by careering around,” he explained on Wednesday.
“I have built him a nice retirement penthouse, but at this stage he is still enjoying racing and as keen as ever, so we have put retirement on hold for the time being.”
Fisherman's big payday came in last year when he surprised everyone by winning the prestigious Launceston Cup as the outsider of the field.
“He doubled his earnings that night despite the fact that almost everyone said that at four years of age he was too old and just to prove them wrong he has won six or seven since,” Sutcliffe explained.
The trainer is assisted in his endeavours by his wife Shirley and over the years the pair have proven to be a formidable combination.
Meanwhile another veteran of the sport in Bracknell trainer Maurie Strickland, was also seen in the winners circle at Tuesday's NWGRC meeting.
The ace trainer prepared former Queensland chaser Bubble Gump ( Big Daddy Cool – Jasper's Oceania) to take out the Simon's Design Centtre Maiden (452 metres) at his 12th Tasmanian outing.
The chaser ran on strongly to score by seven lengths in the time of 26.07, paying the handsome dividend of $8.20.
Strickland will be glued to the TV on Saturday night when his kennel standout Rewind ( Collide – Ricky's Angel) contests the $25,000 Ambrosoli to be conducted at Wentworth Park.
Rewind, the winner of 31 of 51 lifetime outings and stakes of in excess of $144,000, has drawn the red box and according to Strickland will give a good account of himself.
“Terry Penny took Rewind to Sydney for me and reported that he was off colour for a few days, but I believe that he is now spot on and will give a great sight,” he revealed.
Unfortunately for Penny, Rewind's litter sister Miss Roman Nose, which also travelled north to contest the Golden Easter Egg Series, is believed to have broken a hock and will most likely be retired to stud.