STOWPORT trainer Kelvin Hamilton attributed the win of his lightly raced five-year-old mare Anpao to heeding the advice of Tasmania’s multi premiership-winning jockey Brendon McCoull.
Hamilton was intent on having Anpao ridden back in the field but when McCoull suggested her best chance of winning would be to ride her forward the wily trainer took a step back and allowed the rider to have his way.
Anpao travelled on the speed and when McCoull exposed her at the top of the home straight she sped past the leaders and went on to score by 2-1/2 lengths from outsider Ain’t That Whisky that led for most of the race with Rock Away a head away third.
“Brendon (McCoull) said that the way the rack was playing it would be better to race closer to the lead,” Hamilton said.
“And when the top jockey says that, you don’t argue,” he said.
Anpao (Brief Truce-Dawn Arrival) was purchased from a newspaper advertisement by a group of North-West Coast sportsmen including Advocate sports writer Brad Cole.
“This is a first experience for a lot of us and winning a race is brilliant,” Cole said.
Hamilton said the mare had limited potential but her win had already covered the owners’ outlay.
“They paid only $2000 for the mare so she was a cheap buy and if she can win another one it will have been a worthwhile exercise,” Hamilton said.