Young Trainer Ben Englund Experiences Feature Race Success
Young Wynyard trainer Ben Englund may have only held a licence for a year, but it did not prevent him entering the winners circle following the rich Breeders Classic Final (515 metres) conducted on Monday night at Launceston, with the highly promising chaser Wynburn Rush (Collide – Hayleys Girl) saluting in style.
Drawn the red box in the annual feature, the black bitch sped to an all the way victory, defeating her litter mate Wynburn Wizard by a length, in the time of 29.89.
Filling third spot was the Debbie Cannan owned and Ted Medhurst prepared Spring Fall (Bit Chili – Wongawillilesley), a further five lengths back.
Wynburn Rush and Wynburn Wizard are raced by the Wynburn Racing Syndicate headed by Scott Bryan, who also prepares the latter.
Ben Englund's father Tom, who in years gone by raced the outstanding chasers Wynlee Wonder, Wynlee Spirit and Wynlee Raider, bred this particular litter. At the time of writing they have won a total of 15 races between them.
A former Burnie Dockers footballer, Ben Englund has no grandiose plans for Wynburn Rush, but admits that the entire litter are improving with age and racing.
“We have no forward plans for them, other than to contest the Illingworth Classic Series, which will be conducted in Launceston in the near future,” he explained.
“The entire litter are improving and I am hoping that we will have a bit of fun with them yet.”
Meanwhile promising chaser Lou James (Nitro Burst – Mega Yellow) was responsible for a giant run in winning the Grade 5 (452 metres) conducted at Tuesday's NWGRC meeting at the Devonport Raceway.
A noted slow beginner, he was a conspicuous last on settling down in the back straight, but unleashed an amazing sprint in the lane, running his rivals down in spectacular fashion.
It is not the first time that the Margaret Rossendell prepared chaser has performed in this way and repeat efforts will surely see him in the winners circle again.
A feature of Tuesday's meeting was the fact that several long priced winners were seen to prevail on the day.
The Allan Anderson prepared and Chris Chilcott owned Chilly Vibration (Velocette – Cheeky Vibration) took out the first event on the card, a Grade 5 over 580 metres, paying a lucrative $30.10 for the win.
Three races later veteran Sheffield mentor Ged Mace was seen in the winners circle with Arnold Bibby (Bit Chili – Speedy Vixen), which paid $16.60 and then the Anthony Bullock prepared Said You Wood (Bit Chili – Painted Shaza) surprised at odds of $16.10.
The Exeter based Bullock then delivered the final knockout blow as far as punters were concerned when Big Tsonga (Big Moose – Tsonga Queen), put paid to his opposition from the red box as a friendless $29.20 commodity.