| FEATURE RACE COMMENT |
YEAR: 2007
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He couldn't remember a day at the races he enjoyed so much as he did at Addington last Saturday - not because One Dream won the $125,000 Nevele R Fillies Final like the trooper she is, but because he'd gone to the races and gone without the pressure. Before, he carried it inside like a friend who wouldn't leave. "As she kept winning, I felt the pressure more and more. No-one else did. It was just me, putting the pressure on myself. I was being growled at to enjoy what she was doing."
And then, One Dream was beaten in the Northern Oaks by a dropped whip and Running On Faith. "I was just waiting for the bubble to burst. I was a mess after that, not because she lost, but because it was over. I was not enjoying going to the races - I was so scared. And I thought 'Ooo, whats happening here?' The good thing was that it brought everything back into perspective for me."
With some relief from that, McGowan was able to sit back and analyse how One Dream had been racing, and he knew she wasn't quite playing the game. "She wasn't hitting the line like I knew she should. So I gave it some thought and decided to work her in half blinds. I had no need to do it, but she was being a bit casual and I knew she needed a wee tune-up." They went on last Tuesday, but not for her work on Thursday, as McGowan considered they had done what he intended. He was right. "I pulled her out on Thursday, to see if it had made any difference. Well, holy sh... I wasn't ready for it, and lost control for a short time," he said.
That was the horse that took the unflappable Cooney to a convincing win over Belletti in the Group 1 feature. "I've driven some good fillies, like Alta Serena and Oaxaca Lass, but they couldn't do what this filly can do," Cooney said. "My own belief is that she's better coming off the back of one, and she's better racing this way round," he said.
A sensitive and gentle man, McGowan had more pleasing moments to come after the race. "Frank and I were taking her back to the box, and each driver of the next race we passed on the track called out their congratulations to us. It makes you feel good about yourself, and you could tell they love to see a great horse win. She's such a sweet horse... no ears back, no swishy tail. And she gets so excited when she goes out to fast work. At home, we'll either go left to the jog track or right when we go to our fast work track. She gets that spring in her stride when we turn right and she knows what's happening," he said.
McGowan made his start in Canterbury with Brian Gliddon, when he had Frosty Lobell and Alias Armbro, followed by time with Murray Hamilton and Peter Robinson, and his first training winner was Fergie's Rocket who won eight for J X Ferguson. He doesn't think the success he's had with One Dream has been a huge success for business, but a documentary on 'The Racing Show' brought him Sue Dreamer, Alta Sirocco and Nicky Hanover. "They've all come with their little problems, but that's where Clare is so good in helping them thinking it through. I really think Sue Dreamer is the fastest horse over a furlong I've sat behind, and I think there is a lot more in her."
Another key to the success of the team is stable driver Nicole Molander. "She's there every morning, and she comes back and tells us things that only we know about. She gives you all this information, and it's all about caring for your horse and making a difference," he said.
McGowan is well aware of where he's heading with One Dream, and the program from here is simple and laid out - as it was when they started. "It's easy to plan for her, because the races are programmed. She races this week in the Oaks, then the Harness Jewels, a heat of the Breeders' Crown at Cambridge at the end of July, a semi-final, then the final, and then it's a spell for two months. Very limited mileage really, because Jill has said she does not want a tired broodmare." So nice for them too, knowing they have a half-sister by In The Pocket waiting in the wings to take her place. "And she knows what life's about. She has that same attitude and quiet aggression that One Dream has," he said.
So, has McGowan really shaken the pressure off? "On Sunday I had a lovely time taking Mum out for Mother's Day, and on Saturday night we celebrated and I had two gins. That was the first time I'd done that since Ballarat." Perhaps he has.
In the meantime, Smolenski has Fraser - her maiden name - Island, a half-brother by Island Fantasy, to look forward to, while their dam Solitaire will be going to Christian Cullen next season.
Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 16May07
YEAR: 2010
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Off track, Secret Potion was hansomely served by those in the Black Type categories: the trainers - Mark Purdon and Grant Payne ; the breeder - Brian West; the owner - Studholme Bloodstock Ltd, and the sire - Courage Under Fire.
On track for the Nevele R Fillies Final, there were other matters to think about. The wide front-line draw was one, and the driver was not a familiar name at Addington. Two years ago, Nicole Molander had not been as busy on the track as she was about to be. She had won two Group 1 races with Gotta Go Cullen, but that was back in 2006 and there had been some slow days between then and now. In the 2007/8 season she won six races. Her Blonde Type profile did not glitter like the others, but that's been changing.
It started with a phonecall that led to employment with Mark Purdon and Grant Payne, and running their northern base with Jordan Compain. It brought her in touch a year ago with Secret Potion, and with a confident and aggressive drive it brought her another Group 1 success over stablmates Meredith Maguire and Lancome in the $150,000 Nevele R Fillies Final at Addington last Saturday. She caught the back of Meredith Maguire, who followed up Lancome, sat parked from the 800m outside Royal Cee Cee, and then sparked again when she had to. Lancome was unlucky, Molander was not.
Tall and slim, Molander had also won some Group 2s with Una Bromac and Gotta Go Cullen and Listed races with Sue Dreamer and Collectable. And now Secret Potion, with not one but two Group 1 wins, has given the former Christchurch girl a career with great scope and potential. Back further, Molander was schooled at the very best academies. After early work for Wayne Ross, she joined Jack Smolenski. "He was the person who guided me, and opened doors for me later."
The first one came when Smolenski had most of his horses turned out, and he was able to place Molander, or Thorn as she was then, with Barry Purdon. "Three months there and I was the only girl." After that, she worked for Dave and Clare McGowan and part-time for Steve Hunt. She was then told that Mark had some horses coming up and he might need some help. "I thought, I couldn't work for him...I was scared." Not quite scared enough to say no, and soon she was caring for Auckland Reactor and Highview Tommy at Barry's for the stable, and soon there were six of Angela Purdon's as well. "Now we have fourteen in the barn at Pukekohe and we're looking at expanding with another one."
Molander is the first to admit how lucky she has been, with another early highlight being the driver in the Inter-Dominions of the trotter, Lanson. More recently, as senior trainer in the north for Purdon and Payne, Molander has had opportunities she never thought would happen. "I'm so thankful. It's not that easy for girls in this game. There are quite a few in Australia, but it is hard here and there aren't many of us.
Molander was surrounded by her family after the race. "A day like this pulls at your heartstrings. All the family is here: Dean and our daughter Ella, my parents Peter and Claire Thorn, my sister Amanda, and my uncle Murray Thorn is here from Australia. It's just awesome where I am. The family is just a huge part of it. I don't get down here that often, and they're all here. Having another one will not stop me." As she is expecting, Molander's last day driving for some months will be on Jewels Day at Cambridge.
In the meantime, her 150th driving win is one racing memory the Molander and Thorn families will treasure forever.
-o0o-
With five runners in the Group 1 Nevele R Fillies Series Final, it was no surprise that trainers Mark Purdon and Grant Payne were going to make their presence felt. However what did surprise many, was that the first three over the line all came from All Stars stables and that none were the race favourite.
As the 1950 metre pace began, Aziza sprinted through to the lead before Royal Cee Cee took over, shuffling the race favourite, De Lovely, deep on the markers. The Purdon and Payne runners sat toward the tail of the field from their wide draws until Lancome moved three-wide with a lap to run as stablemates Meredith Maguire and Secret Potion followed behind her. From here the race belonged to the Canterbury-based trainers.
Turning for home it was Secret Potion in front and with 150 metres to run the Purdon and Payne runners kicked it up a notch. Secret Potion charged ahead with Meredith Maguire chasing her down, but Secret Potion and driver Nicole Molander were just too strong. She claimed her second Group 1 race with half-a-length to spare over Meredith Maguire with Purdon in the sulky. Third in, by half-a-neck, was fast-finishing Lancome with driver Blair Orange.
Secret Potion has had a wonderful debut season with seven wins and three placings from her 14 starts. Her stakes have reached $236,474 for Studholme Bloodstock Ltd, who also own Lancome. The $80,000 won from Saturday has seen Secret Potion take over from Meredith Maguire as the Harness Jewels 3YO Diamond leader. Only one last major race remains for the three-year-old fillies until the Jewels fields are selected, the Group 1 NZ Oaks this coming Friday.
Earlier in the day trainer Geoff Small took out the Nevele R Fillies Series Consolation with Indulge. With David Butcher in the sulky, Indulge held out the race favourite, Flying Pocketlands, by a nose. Indulge is currently ninth on the 3YO Diamond leader board.
Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 19May2010