The Jody Thompson-trained Test a Day looks likely to surpass her mother on ability after her impressive win at Kyneton last Thursday.
The four-year-old Testafiable mare was beautifully rated by apprentice Jordan Childs in taking out the KHRRC Members Raceday Saturday 23 April Maiden Plate (2000m).
Test a Day, who started at $5, defeated $1.40 favourite The Weald by 2¼ lengths.
Test a Day was bred by the trainer’s father, Norm Thompson, who races the mare in partnership with his wife, Faye.
Memories flashed backed for the Thompson Family when Test a Day returned to the winner’s stall, as her dam, Satdies ’n Sundies, was part-owned by the trainer’s brother Ricky, the trainer and former jockey who was killed in a car accident in Kilmore in 2007.
There wasn’t a dry eye on the Kilmore track when Satdies ’n Sundies, ridden by Mark Pegus, got up on the rails that year to take out the first Ricky Thompson Memorial, a race the family has sponsored each year since.
Jody Thompson said Test a Day pulled up “super” after her win and would run either on Sunday at Wagga or at Avoca on Anzac Day.
“She has the best temperament of any horse I’ve trained. She just takes everything in her stride,” she said.
Test a Day has had eight starts for last week’s win and two minor placings.
Handy pick-up
Popular young trainer Dean Krongold produced Leicameares ($3.70) for a smart win on his home track later on the Kyneton program.
Having her first start for the stable, the five-year-old Bel Esprit mare was a comfortable winner of the Sportsbet Cash Card 0-58 Handicap (1100m).
The mare, ridden by promising apprentice Ben Allen, defeated Azzcool ($8.50) by 1¼ lengths with the Neil Dyer-trained Senor Juez ($13) a close-up third.
Krongold has also acquired Leicameares’s younger half-sister Diamond Spinner, who had her first win for her new trainer last month at Warracknabeal.
Both mares were previously trained at Ballarat. They were bred and are raced in similar interests.
Leicameares’s win was her first since January last year at Ballarat. She has now won three races with eight minor placings from her 26 starts.
Reine reigns
It’s rare that a week goes by when Kyneton trainer George Osborne doesn’t rate a mention in this column.
Last Saturday at Bendigo, Osborne saddled up yet another winner in the Jenharwill 0-58 Handicap (1300m) with $2 favourite Reine Happy.
The four-year-old Good Journey gelding was ridden by Ben Allen in defeating Rayhan ($7) by 2¼ lengths.
Renowned for his eye for a bargain, Osborne purchased Reine Happy at the 2013 Magic Millions Adelaide yearling sale for $8000.
The gelding now has two wins and three minor placings from nine starts, earning $30,500 in prizemoney.
Fresh best for Whirlpool
A change in training methods proved successful for Whittlesea filly Whirlpool ($9) at Pakenham’s Racing.com Park last Sunday.
“We went into the race without a trial this time with her as she disappointed us a little as a two-year-old,” said Peter Morgan, who trains the filly in partnership with Craig Widdison.
Having her first run since July last year, the daughter of Sebring and El Tornedo came from the rear of the field for an impressive win in the Cross Electrics 3YO Maiden Plate (1200m).
Ridden by Patrick Moloney, the filly defeated Robert De Hero ($31) by 1¼ lengths with Godolphin-owned $2.75 favourite Spiral third.
Morgan said he’s always had a lot of time for Whirlpool. He will take her to Adelaide for a Group 3 race early next month assuming she can get a run.
Whirlpool was a $120,000 purchase at the 2014 Inglis Premier yearling sale by Morgan for long-time stable clients Bruce Mathieson and Rick Smith along with Jonathon Munz’s Pinecliff Racing.
The filly, having only her third start, is Super VOBIS qualified and earned a $6300 bonus.