Trainer gets first win in eleven years

Aspiring Beauty (Royal Aspirations) gave West Melton trainer Michael Cunningham his first winner since Ares (Pay Me Christian) won at Alexandra Park in July 2015.

Handled by Sam Thornley, Aspiring Beauty began well and lead before handing up to Ellagater Al.

Turning in, Thornley hooked Aspiring Beauty away from the inside running line and she came down the middle of the track to win easily by a length and three quarters from Georgia Trouble who came home late.

ASPIRING BEAUTY REPLAY

“I thought she was done for all money when they started to come three and four wide around her, she couldn’t get through down the passing lane. Sam just wiped her out in time before Ricky (Ricky May driving Georgia Trouble) came through the hole and away she went. Once she got to the outside it was good to watch,” Cunningham said.

Yesterday’s non-winners trot was only Aspiring Beauty’s fifth start but her form has been slowing building.

“She’s been working well. It was her first time on grass, so you never really know and being wet is another thing. But she’s a solid trotter. Sam was more confident than me.”

Aspiring Beauty is raced by Cunningham on lease from Fred and Faye Fletcher and is out of one of their mares Dandy Diedre, making her a full sister to Royal Deidre the winner of seven.

“We hadn’t had a horse for six years. I decided I might get another one again and this is the one we got.”

Michael’s grandfather raced horses with George Noble, including Bonnies Frost and Julie Hanover.

Bonnie Frost won the 1969 New Zealand Oaks and the Northern Oaks and was placed in the Northern and New Zealand Derbys in the same year.

Julie Hanover won ten races including the National Handicap. She was also placed in the Auckland Cup.

These days Michael fattens chickens on his farm between West Melton and Kirwee.

“We’ve been doing that for twenty five plus years I suppose. But we do the bulk of the work with our horses at home. I go next door to Graham Court’s which is now Aimee and Tim Williams property and we fast work there.”

Aspiring Beauty is Cunningham’s tenth winner, his first being Jimi Chew at Timaru in April 2011.

He’s won four races apiece with trotter Sundons Comet and pacer Ares.

“He (Ares) won the first Two Year Old race of the year down in Invercargill. He was a very nice pacer but had a bit of a mind of his own.”

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink