Ottley inches ever close to 100 wins for season

[Wandering Eyes]

By Brigette Solomon 

Cambridge trainer Arna Donnelly’s golden run continued when she combined with driver Samantha Ottley to score a winning double which included Little Spike’s outstanding win in yesterday’s Cambridge Pacers Christmas Cup.

“Little Spike was just sensational today,” said Donnelly “It was so great for Sam (Ottley) to come up and get to drive him when he’s really firing because she just didn’t get the rub of the green with him when she drove him down south, nothing really quite went his way.”

“Both Sam and I were a little emotional after the win which really isn’t like either of us, it really was so awesome to be able to give her a couple of winners today toward that 100 season win milestone especially after I somewhat bossed her into coming up to drive today!”

That takes Ottley to 95 wins for the year with just a week of the season to go. She is vying to become the first female driver in this country to have 100 winners in a 12 month season. 

The Terror To Love three-year-old started the race off a 20 metre handicap and stepped away well enough to settle six back on the fence, with the entire field remaining in single file for the first half of the race. With 1200 metres to run, several horses moved off the fence with Ottley shifting to sit one out and four back until around the 600 metre mark when she made her move to round the field four wide down the back straight and explode away with a devastating burst of speed to hit the front with 400 to run. From there it was game, set and match to Little Spike as he secured the Christmas Cup with a dominant 3.75 length win. The placings were filled by Fernleigh Cash in second, and Le Major, who is also trained by Donnelly, in third.

“I’m just thrilled for his owner Audrey Piercy too, she’s 93 and lives in a home down in Wellington and she will have been glued to the tv watching him today,” said Donnelly, “the horse is actually named after a nickname of her late husband, and he absolutely loved the horses too, so it’s pretty special having a horse like this for them.”

“He’ll cop a few rating points after today, so we’ll have to have a think about where he heads next, but I’d say in the New Year he’ll have to go up against the big boys at some stage and learn to battle it with them.”

Donnelly and Ottley also combined to win the Garrards Horse And Hound Mobile Pace with The Surfer earlier in the day, with the Downbytheseaside gelding bringing up his fourth career win.

Meanwhile the Cambridge Trotters Christmas Cup was won by Lord Popinjay, trained by Matthew White from his Clevedon base, and driven by in form junior driver Monika Ranger.

“We’re thrilled with the win, and it was a nice drive by Monika (Ranger) she gave him a great trip throughout” said White “She gets on really well with the horse and has now won five races on him taking advantage of the half points which has really helped the horse as he comes through the ratings.”

The Majestic Son gelding was the sole starter off the 20 metre line and he started well to be in the parked position early. With a mile to run, Manchester In Time came around to provide cover leaving Lord Popinjay in the one out one back position until the 600 metre mark when Ranger would make her move three wide and in doing so push race favourite Matty A four wide. Lord Popinjay sustained a strong run home, digging in to run down the second place Romeo Foxtrot who had led throughout and win by 0.75 lengths.

“A few of the owners were on course today too which was pretty exciting for them as it’s the second country cup he’s won for them now at Cambridge,” said White, “he’ll have a few days off now and be back racing in the New Year.”

The win was Lord Popinjay’s seventh career win and brought his earnings to just over $100,000.

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