‘Real handful’ rewards trainer’s patience

PERSEVERANCE paid off when Waikouaiti pacer Bobbie’s Medley scored an upset win on Invercargill Cup day.

The pacer scored her maiden victory at start 10 when winning at $36 odds for trainer Amber Hoffman and driver Jonny Cox.

Bobbie’s Medley had shown Hoffman enough ability in training to suggest she would win races.

However, the mare had also shown her she had a bag of tricks that would make the trainer’s life rather interesting.

‘‘She is a very highly strung horse. At home, she can be a real handful. She can really test your patience, that is for sure.’’ Bobbie’s Medley, who is raced on lease by Hoffman’s principal owner, Gerald Cayford, showed she was getting close to a win when she ran a cracking fifth at Winton on New Year’s Eve.

The 5yrold struggled in very wet conditions at Cromwell, which caused her to start 10th favourite on Saturday.

The horse also tests the trainer’s ability to manage her soundness. She battles injury niggles, which are helped by training at Waikouaiti Beach.

The incredible ride Mike Corcoran has been taken on by his first horse is not over just yet.

The Cantabrian was in the winner’s circle for the second time in 10 days when Direct Control beat a tidy intermediate grade lineup, backing up the Paul Courttrained pacer’s win at Timaru last week.

Both victories have come as a bonus for Corcoran and his partner, Lee Zammit.

They sold their Stunin Cullen entire to the Inner Mongolia Rider Horse Industry and agreed the horse could race on until his export.

‘‘He was due to go to Mongolia this week, but he is going to stay down here and race on Thursday,’’ Corcoran said.

‘‘Part of the deal when we sold him was that he could keep racing and he has won twice.’’

Corcoran described himself as a lifelong punter and racing enthusiast who had no involve ment in ownership before getting Direct Control.

That changed after a business meeting with fellow Court stable client Terry McDonald. ‘‘I have just been a punter.

‘‘I am based in Christchurch and I do a bit of business with Terry.

‘‘We had done a deal and I walked back into the office and I said ‘hey Terry, any chance I could come in on a horse with you?’

‘‘And he said ‘OK, Mike’.’’ Corcoran said some of his friends were in disbelief at the success he has had with his first venture into harness racing ownership.

‘‘He is my first ever horse to the races and he has won five.

‘‘My mates just can’t believe it.’’

Fun at the beach justified his hot favouritism for the group 3 Invercargill Cup with a comfortable victory on Saturday.

Driver Tim Williams took no chances with the $1.50 tote favourite and moved into the park position with a lap to run.

Fun at the beach held runnerup Royal Bengal by threequarters of a length at the finish.

Let spend a ni te to get ha was a further threequarters of a length back in third.

The feature trot on Invercargill Cup day was won by War Admiral for trainer Tony Stratford and driver Samantha Ottley.