I Am Wilma’s last gasp win in classy field

Capable mare I Am Wilma (Father Patrick) scored her best win to date with a narrow but determined win In the Prydes Easifood Trotters Free For All at Melton on Saturday evening. In an exceptionally good field harness racing patrons saw the return of rising star Meccano and current Inter Dominion champion Arcee Phoenix who was resuming after just under four months off the scene.

In a keenly contested start, I Am Wilma showed speed along with Gotfeelingsyouknow and Im Bobby who with characteristic early speed eventually found the lead.

Meccano who was favourite was allowed to settle down before driver Michael Bellman moved around the field to eventually race outside the leader.

I AM WILMA 6 JUNE REPLAY

Im Bobby in his favourite role was free wheeling in the lead with I Am Wilma right behind while Arcee Phoenix was one out but towards the rear of the field.

Im Bobby continued to give plenty of cheek and Meccano looked to be struggling on leaving the back straight. Gotfeelingsyouknow broke up inconveniencing both Keayang Stuka and Arcee Phoenix.

Im Bobby sprinted clear with what looked to be a winning lead but Chris Alford went for an inside run as I Am Wilma finished best to grab victory by half a head. Hoppy who was well back at the rear of the field finished strongly for third just over eleven metres away.

I Am Wilma rated 1.55.9 including the last two quarters in a fast 27.6 and 28.3 seconds. The four year old mare was a star late last season when she took out both Heat and Final of the VicBred Super Series for three year olds.

This was clearly her biggest rise in class and she showed her capability in showing great fight in snatching a win.

Driver Chris Alford commented after the event:

She hadn’t had a lot of racing close together and they run along pretty solid. She did a good job to pick up Im Bobby. I thought I made a blew when I waited for the inside. She took a while to wind up and Im Bobby rolled down a little bit in front of her. But thankfully she was able to get up on the line.

As to a potential trip to Queensland to tackle the $150,000 Group 1 Great Square Alford was non-committal.

Its all up in the air, its 50-50 on what to do with her whether to wait another year to leave her here for the Sires Stakes. So that will be up to Chris and the owners to work out.

However Chris Lang who trains I Am Wilma with Sonia Mahar is regarded as one of the nation’s finest mentors of trotters and with having trained the likes of such outstanding trotters as Sundons Gift, Skyvalley and Let Me Thru he will surely map out the optimal path for her future career.

Meccano is sure to improve on that effort as he needed the hit out and Arcee Phoenix’s performance is best forgotten given the interference he suffered. But Im Bobby is on track and he should be suited by the Albion Park track if trainer Eddie Tappe takes him for the Inter Dominion.

By Tony Milanese for Harnesslink