FUNNY NAME BUT SHE CAN RUN!!

GOPHER shows her winning style at Ascot on Wednesday with Dan Staeck on board. (Photo courtesy Hollands Photographics)


Lightly raced three year old filly GOPHER may have a slightly different name but when it comes to doing what she was bred to do, she is a serious little race horse.
Having only her second lifetime start, this filly took on older opposition in her 1100m maiden run at Ascot yesterday and gave them a galloping lesson.

Starting at the very generous odds of 10/1, this filly took advantage of an inside barrier draw and was positioned ready to strike when the field turned for home. The filly responded well to the urgings of rider Daniel Staeck in the straight and belied her inexperience with a very polished and workman like victory. The filly will have only a handful of starts before we ease her work and prepare her for the Belmont season.

The filly is raced by Renny Lee-Steere and without sounding to harsh, she has defied the odds by becoming a city winner. Renny is one of those owners that a trainer needs very few of!! Even Renny would gladly tell you that he is so unlucky he could stop the sun from rising if he were to bet on it happening and even he can't remember his last winner.

It was his father Sir Ernest Lee-Steere, who gave me my start as a trainer some 38 years ago and during my time with Sir Ernest I also trained a few for Rennie. Two horses I won with back then were BIB BERRY and LATERILITY. That was back in 1981 and to this day I still reckon they were the last city winners Renny has raced on his own. That's what I call a long time between drinks!!!!