By Jonny Turner
The wheels were far from wobbly as brothers Fitzthebill and Winnyzbak scored back-to-back wins at Cromwell yesterday for their passionate group of owners.
Older brother Fitzthebill started the winning run for The Wobbly Wheel Syndicate before Winnyzbak won the Shannon Farm Cromwell Cup just a matter of minutes later.
Both pacers are trained by former Waikouaiti horseman Andrew Faulks, now based at Burnham.
And Waikouaiti is where The Wobbly Wheel’s Syndicate’s outstanding Cromwell success can be traced back to as Fitzthebill and Winnyzbak’s dam, Ferry Glide, was raced by a keen group of Waikouaiti Trotting Club members.
The Wobbly Wheel Syndicate has continued to breed from the mare and race her progeny and the Cromwell Cup double gave them their biggest day at the races.
“This is the best day ever, I think,” syndicate member Mark O’Neil said.
Both Fitzthebill and Winnyzbak were cheered home with plenty of vigour by the syndicate members who were able to make it to Cromwell yesterday.
Faulks was delighted to able to deliver two victories for the passionate group.
“They know how to scream a bit them fellas. They must have a fair set of lungs on some of them.”
“They are great to train for. They are just as good when they’re winners as they are when they get beat.”
“They are mostly local fellas, so it has been a great week for them.”
Winnzybak recorded Faulks’ second win in the Cromwell Cup.
The trainer produced Waihemo Cullen to win the feature event in 2008, when he was based at Waikouaiti.
Blair Orange drove Winnyzbak to victory at Omakau last Thursday before reuniting with the pacer in his Cromwell Cup victory.
The pacer may not have produced his best effort in the first of his two wins, but he certainly did in the second.
“He was a bit sluggish winning at Omakau but he travelled a lot better today.”
“We got that little bit of luck that you need on these days and in these races.
“We managed to save every bit of ground and go straight through the middle.”
“It scripted out beautifully.”
Matthew Williamson also gave Fitzthebill an economical run in his victory in Race 9, the Sangster Electrical / Regan Todd Racing Stables Mobile Pace.
The pacer was snookered away four back on the inner before charging to the line once Williamson found him clear air.
Orange also linked up another impressive winner at yesterday’s Cromwell Cup meeting in Always A Menace.
The pacer sat parked in Race 2, the Happy 70th Birthday Betty Lee Fillies and Mares Mobile Pace, before toughing out a good win for trainer Matt Brinsdon.
Always A Menace is from Brinsdon’s smart former race mare Phantom Menace and is raced by a group of his family members.
