WHILE Spreyton trainer Mark Ganderton doesn’t expect his six-year-old mare Set For Tea to be spending a lot of time in the winner’s circle in the coming months he was impressed with the way she delivered the goods in a maiden-class one handicap over 1650 metres at Spreyton on Sunday.
The six-year-old mare produced an eye-catching effort three starts prior when second in a class one handicap over 1350m but despite that punters shied away from her and sent her around a $21 outsider.
Set For Tea that trailed the leader to the home turn before powering home to score by a long neck from race leader Pinjewell.
Set For Tea was ridden by Tasmanian rider Siggy Carr who has been domiciled in South Australia for over a year indentured to top trainer John Hyam.
The six-year-old mare is owned and raced by Saskia Van Lulofs Umbgrove who had not had a winner for almost a year.
Mrs Umbgrove teamed up with Spreyton trainer Mark Ganderton last year after a split with her former trainer Gareth Horner.
“When we changed trainers we had to stop everything and start again so it is great to finally get another winner,” Mrs. Umbgrove said.
Ganderton said Set For Tea was a grinder and would most likely remain competitive in similar class races up to 2100m.
“We are just happy to get a win with this mare and we are under no illusions about where Set For Tea fits into the big picture,” Ganderton said.
“It was a great ride by Siggy and that was a major contributing factor to the win,” he said.
It was the first leg of a winning double for Carr who also won aboard the Adam Trinder-trained Lake Fergus who won a class two handicap impressively.
By Peter Staples.