By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk
Heading into the West Coast circuit Mid Canterbury trainer David Mitchell thought Deceptive Lee was his best chance of victory.
As it turned out the best he could manage was one third while unfancied stablemate Sinai Sermon won at Westport on Friday and then again at Reefton yesterday, both at big odds.
“To be honest I didn’t back him either day, usually I put something on as an interest,” says Mitchell, “I would have at Westport but didn’t get to the tote on time and then I looked him at Reefton and thought they’d be too good for him at this stage.”
On Friday at Patterson Park Sinai Sermon and Gemma Thornley had the oddest of runs. They were three back the fence initially in the John Reedy’s 80th Mobile Pace only to get shuffled back to last at around the 750 metre mark.
Their plight looked tricky to say the least but gaps opened up at crucial times and they got the perfect passing lane to win by a neck, paying $26 for the win.
Reefton yesterday was a big step up in class as the same pair tackled the day’s feature pace, the Recreational Hotel Inangahua Grey Valley Cup. At a quote of $42, he was 12/13 in the betting.
This time, from a stand, Thornley made a flier with the five-year-old before handing up to the favourite Kourtney Kardash.
It was then just a waiting game as Thornley once again took advantage of the passing lane to win by a length.
By Bettor’s Delight out of Bethany, Sinai Sermon is a full brother to the great Lazarus and has now won five from 30. It was just his second standing start, having won his first one at Timaru in April last year as well.
“He’s a lovely horse with a nice attitude and very kind around the stables,” says Mitchell, who trains a team of 12 at Elgin, just outside Ashburton.
With six wins Deceptive Lee has been a good performer for Mitchell as has four-race winner Song Sung Blue (Sweet Lou – Cracklin Rosie).
While the latter is currently spelling his half brother Crackle N Crunch (Captain Crunch – Cracklin Rosie) is not far from resuming, after having three unplaced starts as a two-year-old last campaign.
“We quite like him … he’s just come back in and will be racing in the next six weeks.”
