Filly provides thrill

A filly purchased for less than $1000 at a Shepparton dispersal sale has provided 25-yearold Armstrong trainer Leroy O’brien his biggest thrill in harness racing.

Imprincessgemma – Village Jolt-melody Stride – didn’t even fetch four figures at the Shepparton sale – O’brien paying ‘$900 plus GST’ for the filly.

On Saturday night she won the $50,000 Empire Stallions Vicbred Platinum Home Grown Classic two-year-old Fillies Final at Tabcorp Park Melton, netting O’brien and his mum, co-owner Sharryn, $25,000.

“Tonight’s win was special,” O’brien said.

“This is one we own ourselves, we’ve done all the work with her and she’s named after my niece.

“She really is one of our favourites.”

Driven by Kerryn Manning, Imprincessgemma took the lead early in the contest from Hakuna, Nathan Jack, and once in front never looked like losing. really

She paced a 1:54.8 mile rate, her last half-mile in 57.2 with splits of 28.8 and 28.4 seconds.

“She carried herself well at the sale,” O’brien said when asked what had caught his eye at Shepparton.

“Melody Stride was from the good-producing Stride family and Village Jolt was a fairly new sire when we purchased her,” he said.

“She was just very cheap and I thought she was definitely worth a go.

“My dad Danny and I actually went to the sale to buy a trotting mare in foal, but she went a little bit too dear.

“I had an eye for the filly, so I had to ring mum to transfer some money so I could buy her.”

O’brien is positive he wants to make a full-time go of the trots.

“I really do. I’m a plumber by trade but I’ve done my time with the business and put that aside to have a real good go with the horses,” he said.

“There’s nothing better than waking up and working with them. I love them to bits.

“I really want to make it in the future and have a real good crack at it while I can. And I’ll give it 110 percent, that’s for sure.”

O’brien said the trots operation was ‘very much’ a family project.

“My mum gets up at daylight and gets out there with her nightie on, she loves it,” he said.

“It’s a huge team effort. Dad does a great job and my girlfriend Kristy helps out along the lines too.

“I’ve got massive support from my family.”

Manning was full of merit for O’brien post-race.

“She’s a lovely horse to drive and Leroy does a great job with his horses,” she said.

“He knows them very well and he’s got a good head on his shoulders.” O’brien returned the praise. “Kerryn’s driving tonight because I wanted the best driver possible to give her every chance. And you just can’t beat Kerryn Manning.”