In Brief
- Lady Joker delivers the goods for big cash bonus.
- Breeder gave the filly away.
- Top ride by apprentice to secure much needed win.
Trainer Trent Wells celebrated a maiden victory in Launceston Saturday night like it was his first winner when three-year-old filly Lady Joker powered home to take out the Jansz Maiden over 1200 metres.
It might have been a maiden, but it was a race carrying a $20,000 Tasbred bonus that meant a giant windfall for the trainer, his wife Leah and his sister and brother-in-law.
Lady Joker went into the race on the back of a bold first-up fourth to White Cliffs last Sunday week, which was good enough form for her to be backed in to start the third favourite at $4.60.
The equal favourite Gee Gee Royboy ($4.20) led and looked to have a winning break half-way up the home straight but when apprentice Scarlet So aimed Lady Joker at the middle of the track she rattled home to score comfortably.
“This is fantastic because my wife and I own most of the filly and my sister and brother-in-law have 20 percent, so the initial winner’s prize money and the Tasbred bonus it’s almost a $30,000 result which makes it like a feature race win,” Wells said.
“The filly cost us nothing because the breeder gave her to us and kept 20 percent and she ran second on debut and then ran fourth at her next three starts.
“She’s no world beater but she wants to be a racehorse and tries hard and that’s going to get her more wins.”
Lady Joker scored by a long neck from Red Roger ($13.00 that flashed home late with outsider Smashing Hit ($51.00) a half-length astern ahead of the favourite that tired over the concluding stages.
Watch Lady Joker score an impressive win in the opening race in Launceston on Saturday night.