Iso victory a breakout

JOEL Flannery celebrated his first winner as a trainer when his mare Miss Iso outslugged the favourite to win a Class 1 handicap over 1400m at Elwick last Saturday.

Miss Iso ($ 9) looked well out of contention turning for home with the favourite Divisor ($ 2.20) kicking clear well into the home straight.

But under strong riding from apprentice Ianish Luximon, Miss Iso knuckled down and grabbed victory in the last stride.

Flannery, who secured his trainer’s licence in August, has only four horses in work and Miss Iso was his first starter, but she failed in a Benchmark 64 handicap in Devonport and at two subsequent outings.

“The mare was on notice today and I told a friend that if she didn’t do well we would have to find a good home for her but she did a great job and may have appreciated the heavy track,” Flannery said.

Miss Iso is raced by Flannery, his partner Stephanie Clemmens and best mate Shane Gardener.

Flannery, 32, became a racing nomad after a stint with Scott Brunton about 10 years ago.

He ended up in Melbourne, rode trackwork for Lloyd Williams and had an association with that owner’s Melbourne Cup winner Almandin in 2016.

When Flannery returned to Tasmania to try his luck as a trainer, Williams gave him Almandin’s younger half- brother, Lygon, who had his first start for Flannery at Elwick this month.

MYSTIC JOURNEY will have her last serious track gallop on Tuesday at Spreyton before her next assignment in Melbourne. The Adam Trinder- trained mare ventured to Mowbray last week for a workout on the grass, but Tuesday’s hitout will be with a mate and is expected to lift her fitness to tackle the Group 1 $ 1m Empire Rose over 1600m at Flemington on Saturday week.

THE INEVITABLE returns to Tasmania this week to be prepared from Scott Brunton’s Seven Mile Beach complex for interstate assignments.