Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Trent Wheeler, born and bred in Collie, and a hard-working auto electrician in the famous coal mining town in the South West of WA, lit up Gloucester Park on Friday night with a masterly display in the sulky to achieve his greatest success in harness racing by guiding up-and-coming star pacer Pinny Tiger to victory in the $125,000 Nova 93.7 Four-Year-Old Classic.
Pinny Tiger, a $13.70 chance, and produced in great shape by Coolup trainer Michael Brennan for his third start after a 28-week absence, gave the 38-year-old Wheeler his second win in a Group 1 feature event, following his success with $13 chance Once Bitten in the $100,000 Westbred Classic for three-year-old fillies on July 3, 2015.
Pinny Tiger drew the inside of the back line in the 2130m classic, and Wheeler planned to trail the polemarker and likely pacemaker El Chema and relying on gaining a clear passage in the final circuit and using the Mach Three gelding’s sprinting ability.
They were the identical tactics Wheeler employed with Once Bitten, who trailed the pacemaker Delightful Jade before she finished strongly to beat that filly in the Westbred feature event.
“We were hoping that El Chema would hold up,” said Wheeler. “We had the same sort of runs with Pinny Tiger at his two runs in this campaign when he started from the back line and raced on the pegs. But we didn’t get much luck and finished fifth behind Lavra Joe in the Pinjarra Four-Year-Old Classic and eighth behind the same horse in the Four-Year-Old Championship at Gloucester Park two weeks ago.”
Pinny Tiger was locked in on the pegs behind El Chema in the final lap before Wheeler was able to ease him off the inside with about 250m to travel. “There was a gap, and then I had to check off Junior’s wheel (Gary Hall Jnr and Mighty Ronaldo) before going four wide,” said Wheeler.
Jumpingjackmac, the $2.90 favourite, had settled down in sixth position and had sustained a strong three-wide burst to get to a narrow lead 120m from the post. But he was unable to stave off the flying Pinny Tiger, who burst to the front in the final 50m to win by two lengths from Jumpingjackmac, with $41 chance Machnificent, eleventh at the bell, flying home, out seven wide to snatch third place ahead of El Chema ($8.50).
Lavra Joe ($4.20) finished strongly from eighth at the bell and was unlucky when he lost ground after twice locking sulky wheels with Tenzing Bromac in the final stages.
“Mouse (Brennan) and the connections simply told me to ‘go out and enjoy it; what happens, happens,’ so there was no pressure,” said Wheeler, who started driving 21 years ago and is enjoying his most successful season this year, with 72 winners.
For the 47-year-old Brennan this was his sixth Group 1 success, and he has no regrets about his decision to travel to Melbourne to attend the 2019 yearling sale there. He outlaid $53,000 to purchase Pinny Tiger, who now has had 32 starts for 12 wins, ten seconds and stakes of $163,378.
Brennan syndicated Pinny Tiger to several stable clients, including Dave Cabassi and Brian White, who enjoyed the experience of travelling to Melbourne to attend the yearling sale there.
“I’m extremely happy for all the owners, particularly Kim Tuckey and Michael Maxwell, who have been supporters of mine for a long time,” said Brennan.
Friday night’s triumph gave Brennan his second win in the Four-Year-Old Classic, following the victory with Sangue Reale in 2019 when that pacer finished a close second to Shockwave before being awarded the race after a successful protest.
“At least, we’ve won this won fair and square,” said Brennan. “I am in awe of Pinny Tiger; he’s something special. His work last Saturday was mind-blowing, to say the least. It’s been a tough 18 months for us, and, thankfully, I have some very loyal owners and great support staff.
“Trent is an underrated driver. He has exquisite hands. The next step is the Golden Nugget in a fortnight, and then, hopefully, the Cups in January. And we’ll reassess after that, and think about going east for the Miracle Mile, or perhaps staying home for the Slot race in April.”
Pinny Tiger is the sixth foal out of Tigress Franco, who was retired after racing twice as a three-year-old for a fourth at Horsham and an eight at Bendigo.