Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Aleesha Bynder, deputising for absent trainer Michael Brennan, brightened a cold and windy night at Gloucester Park on Friday night with an uninhibited joyous celebration which saw her stumble to the track after $45.50 outsider Whatabro charged home to snatch a half-head victory over the $1.95 favourite Euphoria in the 2130m City Discount Tyres Pace.
“I was so excited that I tripped over the fence and fell on to the track,” she said. “I skinned my knees, but I’m okay.”
The 36-year-old Bynder was filling in for Brennan, who was on holiday in Ireland, and this was the first time she had been given the task of taking horses to the track to race.
“I have been working for Michael for 12 months, and he rang me from Ireland to congratulate me moments after Whatabro went past the line,” she said.
“I’ve grown up with gallopers and had a brief go at harness racing about 15 years ago. I’m now working on getting my driver’s licence, and I’ve had nine drives at trials.”
Whatabro, an experienced five-year-old, was neglected by punters at his fourth appearance after a spell. He was a $126 rank outsider at his two previous starts when he finished tenth behind Dominus Factum and ninth and last behind the same horse.
“He has been working really well,” said Bynder, who was not surprised at the gelding’s performance on Friday night. A winner of 18 races in South Australia, Whatabro has now had 26 starts in WA for Brennan for four wins and six placings. His record stands at 97 starts for 22 wins, 36 placings and stakes of $140,969.
Michael Grantham drove Whatabro with great confidence. The gelding began fast from barrier five and quickly led by a length but was unable to cross the polemarker Steam Punk. Grantham was then happy to ease Whatabro, who enjoyed an ideal passage in sixth position, one-out and two-back.
Euphoria, who raced in the breeze in the middle stages, took a narrow lead 220m from home, but was unable to hold out the strong-finishing Whatabro.