In-form mare can finish with flourish
TRAINER Trevor Thomas says eight-year-old mare Ellawisdom has wound back the clock to produce some of her greatest form in her final season of racing.
Ellawisdom will run in today’s BenchMark 80 Handicap (1400m) at Gold Coast’s Aquis Park, chasing a 12th win in what will be her 73rd start.
The reliable mare has won two of her past three races to keep her move to the stud at bay and Thomas said there were more to come.
“She is looking good and has started to find a bit of form,” Thomas said.
“She is shaping up well. She is a bit older now and taking a bit longer to come up but she is one of those horses that when she does find a bit of form she will be able to hold it.
“This will be her last season. It was a toss-up whether to send her to stud this season or wait until next season.
“The decision was made to run her through the season as far as she can go.
“As soon as she drops off in form again she will probably be retired and look to go to stud this season.
“The Gold Coast isn’t her favourite track but she is probably going as well as she has done in her past four years. She led and won three starts ago and last start she came right along the inside of the field.
“I think they are the only two times she has done that in her whole life.
“She is going through a bit of a midlife crisis.”
Thomas has had Ellawisdom since she was a yearling, forming a special bond with the mare that has battled hard and managed to pull off enough wins to keep her career going.
“She has been a great little horse,” Thomas said.
“She tends to be a bit hit and miss sometimes but a lot of it comes down to the way races are run.
“If it falls in her favour she is hard to hold out.”
Ellawisdom will jump from alley eight today and Thomas gave her a chance at winning against a strong field.
“It’s a very strong race,” Thomas said.
“It certainly wouldn’t look out of place on Saturday in town.
“There is some real depth in the race and some horses in nice form.
“It will probably all come down to luck in running.”
THIS WILL BE HER LAST SEASON. IT WAS A TOSS UP WHETHER TO SEND HER TO STUD THIS SEASON OR WAIT UNTIL NEXT SEASON. TRAINER TREVOR THOMAS