A tough road to first win

Clinton Isdale was due a change of luck - he’s had some tough recent battles.

The former Australian jockey arrived in New Zealand last year at the behest of his homesick Kiwi partner Gemma Hewetson.

There’s been times when he’s questioned the wisdom of the move to Te Awamutu the town his partner calls home, but the smile was back on his face after the Ruakaka Beach Front Motel Maiden at Ruakaka on Saturday.

It was the first career training success for Isdale a well-travelled, accomplished horseman who shares ownership of the 4-year-old Alamosa mare with Hewetson.

At Ruakaka Hewetson shed a tear after jockey Mark Du Plessis kicked the consistent mare to victory while Isdale was in Te Awamutu ‘‘doing the work’’.

Whether they were tears of relief or joy was hard to tell maybe it was because the plain mare was a $2875 birthday gift from her thoughtful partner.

‘‘We bought her from an on-line auction - it was Gemma’s birthday present,’’ Isdale said.

Or maybe Gemma was remembering what the couple have been through to get to taste sweet success.

They have battled and scraped their way to the winner’s stall battling through an horrendous injury to Isdale along the way.

Isdale was speared by a flying piece of wood projected in his direction after a horse he was breaking-in careered into a fence.

The object pierced his small intestine, bowel and colon and incapacitated him for several months including a lengthy stint in Waikato Hospital.

‘‘I couldn’t walk - I couldn’t do anything,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s been a struggle at times but tough times don’t last, but tough people do.’’

It was a major setback at a time the couple, who supplement their income riding track work for fellow trainers, were busy getting established after years working in Singapore and Australia.

‘‘It took us a while to get a grasp on her [Almarie],’’ Isdale said. ‘‘We worked out she didn’t like wet tracks. We vary her work - Gemma takes her eventing, jumping, for a gallop up Mrs Browne’s hill and to the Raglan beach.’’ It’s done the trick. ‘‘The win means a lot to both of us.’’