Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Pinjarra trainer Michael George praised Harvey farrier Ryan Eyre after Stuart McDonald had driven Cooper to an all-the-way win in the 2503m Tricky Miki, Golden Nugget Winner Handicap at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“I have had Cooper for a couple of months, and he had bad feet,” said George. “Ryan Eyre has done a lot of work on his feet, so it’s a big thank you for him.
“He has sorted his feet out, and the horse is now enjoying his new routine. He’s got a nice little paddock, which is clay based which serves to strengthen his feet.
Cooper is hit and miss in the stands, and if he doesn’t rear up and gets it right, he’s a flying machine. It’s unfortunate that he can go up in the air at the start. Stewie drove him hard to get to the front (after 200m) and the horse did a good job.”
Supporters of Cooper were apprehensive when Cooper reared in the air before coming down to get away to a flyer at the start, while Carana, the $2.80 favourite, galloped badly and settled down in ninth position.
Watching Our Coin ($3.80), the sole backmarker off 20 metres, got away well, and Gary Hall Jnr sent him forward from sixth with 1450m to travel to move into the breeze 250m later.
Watching Our Coin challenged Cooper strongly in the final lap and the five-year-old at his first appearance after a spell, finished second, a half-head behind the winner, who dashed over the final 400m in 28.5sec.
Cooper, a New Zealand-bred gelding by Mach Three, was having his second start for George, following his excellent first-up second to Ventura at Pinjarra. It was his fifth win in a stand and took his record to 44 starts for nine wins, nine placings and $89,082.
Carana made up a lot of extra ground to finish fourth. He was eighth on the home turn and sprinted home strongly, out very wide.