Photo: Trish Dunell
Cambridge trainer Nicky Chilcott secured a winning double at Alexandra Park on Friday night and she is hoping her stable can continue its winning ways at Cambridge Raceway on Thursday night.
Chilcott piloted home Phoebe Imperial to win his mile contest, while Gary Gillies sat behind Madeakillin when he broke through maiden company at the Auckland track.
“It was terrific,” Chilcott said. “A little bit more luck and we could almost have won another couple.
“Ferritts Sister, she was really unlucky and Monkey Selfie has got all the ability in the world but she has just got to get her head around the racing game.”
The double took Chilcott’s season tally to four wins and she hopes that it is the catalyst for more victories in the near future.
“We haven’t had a lot of winners on the board, but the team has been racing really well. We just don’t seem to have been having a lot of luck.
“It was good for morale and great for Gary to get a winner, especially at the Park, it was a big thrill.”
Chilcott will be looking to add to her winning tally on her home track on Thursday night, where she will line-up four runners.
Six-year-old trotter Flying Taine will kick-off proceedings in the Black Dog Furniture Trot (2700m).
Chilcott was buoyed by his last start performance when fourth over 2200m at Cambridge earlier this month and she believes if he puts in a similar performance he will be right in the finish.
“I was the happiest I have been with him last start,” she said. “He got a long way back and ran to the line really well.
“We had a few problems with him and his prior two races he had great trips and just went average, but he didn’t get the rub of the green last start and I thought he went really well. I think he is quite a good chance on Thursday night.”
Chilcott doesn’t hold as much confidence with maiden pacer Blake who will be driven by Luke Whittaker from the unruly in the Smythe Contractors Mobile Pace (2200m).
“He is a work in progress,” Chilcott said. “I just hope he can do things right, he has been racing really well.
“He has been off the unruly, so you are always getting the backwash and getting a long way back in the field. The maidens are actually going really quick times here and you can’t afford to give them a start.
“He has done things right twice now and if he can do it right again on Thursday we will take him off the unruly.
“He’s then going to be a more realistic winning chance. He seems well and I am sure he will race well, it’s just really hard from the draw.”
Chilcott is looking forward to contesting the O’Connor Warren Insurance Brokers Mobile Pace (2200m) with Allonblack, who she rates as her best chance of the night.
“She has been racing well with unideal draws,” Chilcott said. “She is one that really likes to get out in front and have her own way.
“I am living in hope that we can lead them up on Thursday. She has run plenty of seconds and thirds, but she hasn’t won one for the stable yet.
“The owners are very loyal people and they are enjoying having her, but getting that win would be terrific.”
Meanwhile, the stable’s galloping pacemaker Ally Mae will make her raceday return in the Dunstan Horse Feeds Mobile Pace (2200m) after an enforced layoff.
“She got a foot abscess and that set her back quite a while,” Chilcott said. “Then she had a wee accident and cut her leg.
“She hasn’t done a huge amount of work. She has just been pottering around with the babies, so she will possibly need the run.
“She tries her heart out and always gives 110 percent, so she will be thereabouts.
“It’s nice to have a galloping pacemaker that can also put their foot in the till.” – Cambridge Raceway
