Up ‘n’ Gone secured a sentimental win for trainer Reece Cole when recording his first victory in nearly two years in the Pryde’s Easifeed 1550 at Cambridge’s synthetic meeting on Wednesday.
The eight-year-old gelding was originally raced by Cole’s late mentor Toby Autridge, and the win couldn’t have come at a better time.
“It was really good to get that win today,” Cole said.
“We are only seven days to the day since it’s been two years since Toby died. This horse is pretty special to all of us.”
Following Autridge’s passing, his father Bob took over the handling of the gelding, who faced a limited future on the track before he found his groove on Cambridge’s polytrack.
“Two years ago, when Toby died, he was one of the ones that was on the outer and we weren’t going to carry on with,” Cole said.
“He ran 100 lengths last at Hastings one day and his next run was his last chance, and he only got beaten by a nose (on the polytrack), and then he won three in a row. After that he earned his place to stay.”
The son of Castledale had been winless since those hat-trick of wins, and Cole was pleased to see him break that dry spell when beating the Stephen Marsh-trained Arrowette by a neck on Wednesday.
“I thought he needed the run, especially drawing one from the outside,” Cole said.
“Maria (Sanson) rode him in the best spot you could because he can be a bit niggly coming out of the gates and miss it, but she ended up in the perfect spot and everything panned out really well.”
It was the third training win for Cole, who has held his trainer’s license for two seasons, and he is hoping to quickly add to that tally in the next week.
Shocking Penny is set to line-up in the Dunstan Horsefeeds 2200 at Pukekohe on Saturday but is also nominated for the Te Aroha Cup (2200m) and 0-1 Win Hurdle (3100m) at Te Aroha on Monday.
Cole is also set to head to Te Aroha with Meisho Toot and Saint Brigid.
“I am not sure what I am going to do with Shocking Penny yet,” Cole said.
“Ideally, I would like to run them all on Monday, but I will have a talk with the owner. She will end up hurdling, but I don’t think she will hurdle on Monday, I think she might need one more (run on the flat).
“Meisho Toot is a big, staying filly that has taken a bit of time. One of my best mates and I own her. She should run well, she has shown a lot of ability.
“Saint Brigid has gone a lot better than what her form suggests, out of a very good mare in Irish Heartbeat, and a wet track should suit.”
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