In Brief
- Miss Iso delivers for novice trainer.
- Flannery has only been licensed for three months.
- Lygon could be his next winner in Launceston on Friday.
Novice trainer Joel Flannery prepared his first winner in Hobart on Saturday courtesy of his mare Miss Iso scoring a last stride win in a class one over 1400m.
Under strong riding from apprentice Ianish Luximon, Miss Iso came from well back to run down the favourite Divisor in the shadows of the post.
Flannery, who only secured his trainer’s license in August, has only four horses in work and ironically Miss Iso was his first starter, but she failed in a 0-64 handicap in Devonport and at her two subsequent outings.
“I bought the mare from Ricky Polley for $2000 and I am rapt that she is my first winner because she tries her heart out every time she races,” Flannery said.
“Now that she’s broken through, she might win us another race or two.”
Miss Iso is raced by Flannery, his life partner Stephanie Clemmens and the trainer’s best mate Shane Gardener
Flannery, 32, became a racing nomad after a stint with Scott Brunton about 10 years ago.
He ended up in Melbourne and snared a job riding trackwork for Lloyd Williams and had an association with that owner’s Melbourne Cup winner Almandin in 2016.
“Almandin was one of the horses I cared for while I worked at Lloyd’s Macedon complex, so strapping the 2016 Melbourne Cup winner was quite an experience.”
When Flannery left the complex to return to Tasmania to try his luck as a trainer, Williams gave him Almandin’s younger half-brother, Lygon, that had his first start for Flannery in Hobart earlier this month.
Lygon is expected to have his next start in Launceston in a maiden/class one over 1600m on Friday night.
Watch Miss Iso give Joel Flannery his first winner as a trainer last Saturday.