Emily Suvaljko has notched up her 200th winning drive, giving Corey Rogers his first training win with his maiden pacer, Addisyn, when the pair teamed up in race 3 at Collie on Sunday, March 7.
The win from the double-west-bred mare, was the icing on the cake for the Byford based trainer, with Addisyn being bred and owned by Corey Rogers and his family.
“It feels great having bred her, broken her in with dad and now finally getting that win, it just feels great,” he said.
“I am so proud of her, after everything she has gone through, and to still have the drive to be a racehorse.”
After sustaining a serious injury as a yearling, there was doubts whether the now 4-year-old would ever make it to the racetrack.
“She [Addisyn] tore her leg apart as a yearling and needed 12 months of rehabilitation as it got infected and wouldn’t heal. There was a 50/50 chance she would never race.” Rogers said.
“There were times during this period where she wouldn’t let anyone near her. It has taken a lot of time and TLC to get her back.”
The short-priced favourite started from barrier four and led from start to finish, pulling away from her rivals for an easy win, spacing the field by 40 metres.
“I actually felt very calm on the day. Everything leading into the race with her was just perfect and I thought with any luck, she would run well.” Rogers said.
Emily Suvaljko’s drive on the winner sees her bring her total wins up to 200 in just three short years, which according to Harness stalwart, Alan Parker, makes Emily the third fastest in the state to notch up that number of wins.
“It was a great feeling, even better to get it on Corey Roger’s horse, which was his first ever training winner. My Nanna and Grandad were there to see it, which made it even more special.” Said Suvaljko
The Suvaljko family started the meeting off with a bang, with Shannon Suvaljko steering the Craig Hynam trained Mybrotherskeeper to victory in the first. Part two of the Suvaljko show continued in to the second race, with Sarah and Joseph pairing up with Fifo, who defeated stable mate and last start winner, Ark of Rock, giving Sarah Suvaljko a race quinella.
Shannon went on to close the meeting with the strategically driven, winning drive on the Matt Scott trained, Miracle Max.
Busselton based couple, Reece Kaptein and Kayla Trewenack went head-to-head in race seven, with their runners Major Michelle and Adda Girl giving the duo a race quinella, with Kaptein’s runner Major Michelle being too strong for her rivalling stable mate.
“We thought Major Michelle would lead and win, I just told Reece that I need to connect the tow rope, but my main aim was for mine to step, then worry about the race, but the quinella wasn’t something we thought would happen, so it was pretty cool” Trewenack said.
“There was a bit of banter before the race, but just super stoked to get first and second in any order,” Kaptein said.
“But we did watch the race separately” he joked.
Collie Harness Racing Club has two meetings remaining, with plenty of standing start action on Sunday April 4 and the Collie Cup on Sunday April 18.
by Ashleigh Paikos