Rapid Waters Wins Gippslands Horse of the Year
- Tuesday, 08 October 2002 00:00
Rapid Waters commenced last season eligible for Class One races. The four year-old campaigned from December to May, racking up four wins and four placings in a quality season of just 11 starts.
A runaway four length win in a Traralgon Class Two (1200m) on December 9 influenced trainer Bennie Benbow to step his charge up to city grade 10 days later. A controversial protest relegating Rapid Waters to second after he'd passed the post the winner in a Caulfield midweek Class Six (1200m).
Revenge was sweet a month later when, at just his seventh start, Damien Oliver steered him to victory in a Sandown Class Six (1200m).
Rapid Waters then scored in another Class Six (1200m) at Moonee Valley in February before being freshened and landing the $26,000 first prize in a Caulfield Open Hcp (1200m) over five weeks later.
Rapid Waters ended his season with a second in the Gippsland Sprint Final at Caulfield on May 18. This followed perhaps his best run, a top-class third in the Listed Straight Six (1200m) at Flemington.
The gelding missing a cheque just once for the season and earned $87,250 for connections.
In accepting the award, Benbow thanked the owners for giving him the horse to train and those involved in getting the horse, which he said has the worst feet hes ever seen, to the track.
Commenting on the uncertain future of racing at Traralgon, Benbow said "were fighting hard to get this club back, so tell your friends to support the three meetings this year".
"Its my livelihood and I hope next year I can be standing here again. Ive got a lot of good owners and I will lose them if Traralgon falls away please back us."
Runner-up in the Horse of the Year was Blacktype Magic, trained at Moe by Charlie Gafa.
Blacktype Magic proved to be one of the State's most durable gallopers, fronting the starter on 26 occasions for the season. Amongst his four wins were the Traralgon Cup Prelude (1900m) in November and dual wins over 2000m in Open Handicaps in December at Mornington a great achievement for a horse who started the season eligible for Class Three.
Tough and honest, Blacktype Magic contested 14 races in Gippsland in 2001-2002, including the Traralgon (4th), Moe and Stony Creek Cups. Placed at Moonee Valley in April, Blacktype Magic returned a stakes cheque on 11 occasions during the season.
Winner of the Gippsland Racing Bonus Series was Boortkoi Mustang, trained at Stony Creek by George Hulls.
Sale based Ian Hutchins and his regular rider, Vlad Duric, scooped the pool, winning the trainer and jockey premierships respectively.
In his relatively short time in training at Sale, Ian has made a significant impact on Gippsland Racing.
Since re-locating from Epsom five years ago, he has won three of his home clubs premierships and tied for the Gippsland Award with Robbie Griffiths two years ago.
Last season Ian trained 18 winners on Gippsland tracks with nine seconds and seven thirds and formed a formidable partnership with this years jockeys premiership winner, Vlad Duric.
"Ive been lucky to have a good deal of success since I came to Gippsland," said Hutchins, who has also won a Bairnsdale premiership and produced Gippsland horse of the year winner, Fashion Flame.
"When it became clear Epsom was closing, Sale Turf Club secretary, Helen Cantwell, approached me about coming up this way.
"She was definitely the instigator of me coming here and I must say things have worked out really well. Doors have opened since I arrived and there have been plenty of opportunities, particularly in the past six to eight months.
"When I left Melbourne I had about five or six horses and I guess you could say the backside out of my pants. But now Ive got 18 in work and 17 two year-olds this season with owners from all over Australia."
Ian, who is a great advocate of Gippsland Racing, said he was very pleased he made the move east.
His highlights of the season were two trebles at Sale and the Sale and Bairnsdale premierships.
"Awards like this are not won by individuals, its a real team effort and my wife Jan and my staff have been terrific," he said
Vlad Duric had what could only be described as an outstanding year, highlighted by his Moe Cup win on Ascana.
The Cranbourne based jockey, who also won the Sale and Moe premierships, said he loved riding in Gippsland.
"I do a lot of my riding in Gippsland and I want to thank Ian and all the other trainers who have supported me over the past season," he said.
Vlad recorded 33 wins, 32 seconds and 23 thirds for the 2001/2002 season.
The apprentices title went to one of the states outstanding up and coming talents in Reece Wheeler, who recorded 15 wins, eight seconds and seven thirds in Gippsland last season.
His highlights were winning the Traralgon Cup on Storm Edition, a Sale sprint on the very talented Transparent Lover, the Latrobe City Cup on Fire Starter and the Lakes Entrance Cup at Bairnsdale on Beau Ties, trained by his father.
Reece said he likes coming to Gippsland because it is an area where he is well supported and has had a great deal of success.
"I ride for Tony Noonan and he takes a lot of horses to Gippsland, but there were plenty of others who supported me. Ive been lucky to have a good deal of success there," he said.
Media Release - Tim Bull (Gippsland Racing)
