IT’S been a long time between wins for Lesgo Don – and his group of popular owners – but the four-year-old repaid connections in spades at Moree on Friday with a strong win in the 1300m Gwydir Gallop Class 1 Handicap.
Apprentice Ella Drew logged the miles from Scone for only one ride, and left Moree smiling broadly when Lesgo Don swept to a comfortable win for Inverell trainer Ridge Wilson – the horse’s second win since breaking maiden status back in January.
“One ride. One win. Home time,” Drew beamed.
“You have to do the miles in this game to get the opportunities and I’m really grateful to Ridge for supporting me. He’s a very good trainer.”
Lesgo Don ($6.50) sat behind rank outsider Cashmere Inn ($91) before taking over halfway down the straight.
The four-year-old responded kindly to Drew’s encouragement to race clear and win by one-and-a-half lengths from Michael Mulholland’s The Impeckable ($2.80), with early leader Cashmere Inn holding down third, a neck away.
Ella Drew is all smiles as she brings Lesgo Don back to scale after winning at Moree on Friday.
“He relaxed in the run really nicely, and with 52kg he was able to hold them off in the straight. No-one could have asked for a better preparation from Ridge. The horse is in top form,” Drew said.
Wilson, a former picnic jockey who made the successful transition to training, said he was pleased to win a race for Les Quinn.
“It’s good to see the horse win for Les and his family – they’re a very good family,” Wilson said.
Wilson has trained seven winners on both sides of the border since the Fathers’ Day Moree Cup meeting. He said Lesgo Don deserved to win on Friday.
“It was good to see him do it. Ella gave him a peach of a ride with 52kg, and the horse did the rest, full credit to him,” Wilson said.
The trainer was backing up Lesgo Don after the gelding finished second at Armidale six days earlier.
“He led at Armidale and was just beaten. But he was a fit horse for today’s race and the quick back-up didn’t concern him. He didn’t do anything during the week – saved it for race-day,” Wilson smiled.
Words and Images: Bill Poulos
Lesgo Don (blinkers) wins at Moree on Friday.
