SEYMOUR mare Loving Mandy took her record to an impressive three wins from only six starts in taking out the 55 Second Challenge at Moonee Valley on Valentine’s Day.
The win left trainer Dwayne Reid both thrilled and stunned, seeing the mare started from a sticky barrier draw, and was forced three wide in the run home.
The win was the second Moonee Valley win for Reid, and the first city winner for jockey Holly Durnan.
Reid suffered a debilitating shoulder injury six weeks ago which has seen him unable to ride or perform his normal duties around his Seymour stables. Reid paid tribute to the efforts of his staff in ensuring the smooth running of his team of mainly young horses.
Reid raced the dam Another Bender, and bred Loving Mandy, being by the Benalla based stallion Redente.
Loving Mandy was named after Reid’s aunt Mandy who sadly passed away 18 months ago, which made the win even more special.
The recent run of success for the Hope stable continued on Friday with promising three-year-old filly Spirit of Jo winning at Bendigo. It was her second win from only five starts. Not content with the slow pace and with the filly at the rear of the field, jockey Jarrod Fry let the filly have her head and cleared away for a comfortable 1.75 length win.
Trainer Lee Hope also trained the dam Forjo, who raced only twice for two wins. If it hadn’t been for her soundness issues, Lee Hope believes the mare could have won in town.
Seymour trainers had a day out at the Dederang picnic races on Saturday. Don Dwyer scored in the second race with the five-year-old American Pharoah mare Wilma Wombat.
The win was Wilma Wombat’s second win in a row, having won at Healesville on February 1, and it was her third win for the season.
Dwyer also had a second placing in the Dederang Cup with Pine Valley, and a third placing with Wild Canary.
Seymour trainer Phil Campbell scored with the five-year-old mare Hibernia Queen in race three. It was Campbell’s first foray into picnic racing and no doubt it will not be his last.
Both winners were ridden by French expat Tom Brassart, giving him a tally of two wins and a second for only three rides at the meeting.