The Chief Does it For Brave John
- Saturday, 10 August 2002 00:00
The gallant gelding's trainer John Ledger has been laid up in the past three weeks suffering from a serious foot infection. The infection came about after the likable Wangaratta trainer accidentally shot himself in the foot with a shotgun some 34 years ago.
The thoughts of Brave Chief's owner Frank Vodusek were clearly with Ledger, who was home in bed watching on television.
"He (Brave Chief) really did win if for John," Vodusek said. "It was really fantastic, he's such a brave horse."
"Our thoughts are definitely with John, we just hope everything turns out okay."
While his trainer is in poor health, for Brave Chief it was a welcome return to the winner's stall and the track where he scored his greatest career victory.
During the 2000 Spring Carnival, the son of Hula Chief blitzed his rivals in a track record breaking win in the Group Two Sandown Classic.
Brave Chief was well named as a youngster. Not long after his Sandown triumph the bold front runner suffered a severe twisted bowel on the eve of travelling to Sydney.
"It was about Easter time and he was due to go to Sydney and he suffered a twisted bowel," Vodusek recalled. "And since then he's need two operations and today is just a great result. We couldn't have dreamed of it happening."
With three kilogram claiming apprentice Michelle Payne in the saddle the spritely nine-year-old led throughout in the Carlton Draught Lincoln Handicap (2175m).
Recent Sandown winner Freegold ranged up on the outside in the middle stages of the home straight but he was unable to grab Brave Chief, and at the post the Group Two winner's class was too much. Natch was a handy third.