The stocks of young harness racing trainer Brad Mowbray continue to go from strength-to-strength.
The Russley based horseman picked up three winners from three meetings over the weekend, culminating with the victory of Quite Ideal at Sunday’s Amberley meeting. That win followed up victories in the days before by Ultimate Deisre at Ashburton and Delishka at Forbury Park.
“It’s been a good few days, I wish there were more like that,” Mowbray said.
Truth be told, Mowbray is riding the crest of a wave in the early stages of 2017 with six winners coming from his stable in the first five weeks of the new year taking his tally for the season to 11 – and there is the promise of a whole lot more too.
With a team of 12 racehorses in work, his small, but efficient stable is running like clockwork and the placement of his horses into races that give them the best possible chance of winning has been one of the key elements in his run of form.
“It’s been a really good start to year, we’ve been lucky enough to have some good success.
“And probably most satisfying is that a few of the wins have come from horses who were nice maidens, but have gone on and done the job up in grade too.”
Sunday’s winner, Quite Ideal, is a good example of that.
The American Ideal gelding was having his 12th start and picked up his second win after being given time to adjust to the C1 grade following his maiden win at Geraldine prior to Christmas.
Ultimate Desire, who won on Saturday, is a different kettle of fish all together though.
The dour mare paced her mile in 1:52 to enhance her credentials as a broodmare when the time comes, but she will get a chance to get some black-type too with some lofty assignments ahead.
“We will head to the mares’ races with her now, she deserves a crack at those.
“And with the best few mares not currently in the country it makes sense to go to them.”
Ultimate Desire has split her time between Mowbray and Marlborough trainer Brent Weaver throughout her career – dependent on where her racing schedule lies.
With her heading to Group One races, Mowbray could be forgiven for resting on his laurels a bit and just focussing on the task at hand with her, but there’s the enigmatic Tiger Thompson sitting in the wings ready to pounce back into action.
“He trialed at Addington last week and I couldn’t have been happier with him.
“He beat Ultimate Machete but the most exciting thing I think was the way he handled himself.
“There was none of that usual stuff from him, he sprinted up really well and ran in a straight line with no problems.
“I think that last preparation has really brought him on.”
Tiger Thompson will return to the races at Addington next Friday night before turning his attention to the Great Northern Derby at Alexandra Park in early March and then back down to Canterbury for the New Zealand Derby in April.
Matt Markham