On fast Lane to glory with winning streak
AS a relative newcomer to the Far North, Peeramon’s Ricky Ludwig never envisioned having a starter in the $100,000 Cleveland Bay this quickly.
The formerly Beaudesertbased trainer relocated north late in 2014 with the aim of just looking after a small team of horses and has three under his watch today.
He was happy cruising along to Oak Park or Cooktown with a few horses but one of them, Windmill Lane, just kept getting better with every run.
This preparation Windmill Lane, by Written Tycoon from Turtle Dove, has put together six straight devastating victories, four of which were at Townsville’s Cluden Park.
The five-year-old will step up to the toughest company of his 27-race career this afternoon in the 2017 Cleveland Bay Open Handicap (1300m).
“I did not expect to have a Cleveland Bay starter in the first couple of years,” Ludwig admitted this week. “There are fellas that have been up for years and years and not had a starter in this type of race.”
North Queensland racing followers are dubbing the race the highest quality Cleveland Bay in recent memory, with five horses with metropolitan wins – Le Cap, Sporting Page, Tyzone, Craiglea Wandoo and Heartbreak Harry – in the field.
Craiglea Deken, trained by Sunshine Coast-based Krystle Johnston, has put six wins in a row together but Ludwig believes it is a race in three – between Tyzone, Craiglea Deken and Windmill Lane.
“I think Windmill Lane will be hard to beat, I am very happy with him,” Ludwig said.
“The weight is great, he has not had anything like 54kg in ages, he just needs a little bit of luck.
“He just keeps improving and going.”
Ludwig has had many quality horses in his years as a trainer but rates Windmill Lane, who he owns as well as trains, as right up there with the best.
Sundae Jester, who collected 21 wins, 18 seconds and eight thirds from 108 starts, as well as several “bush cups”, was another who rated near Windmill Lane, Ludwig said.
Windmill Lane, who will again have apprentice hoop Amanda Thomson on board, was previously trained by Pat Hyland in Victoria.
Windmill Lane and Tyzone, trained by Roy Chillemi, are both set to jump from wide alleys this afternoon.
Chillemi earlier this week hinted Tyzone may be looking towards a campaign in Sydney following the Cleveland Bay.
Regular and in-form jockey Stephen Wilson will partner Tyzone this afternoon.