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Securing a win at start 19 was a special moment for Owen Martin as Feelingoodfreddie prevailed in Monday afternoon’s Raffle At The Cricket Club Hotel March 1st Maiden Pace at Charlton.
The four-year-old’s debut was back on March 8 at Swan Hill, and for Martin the win didn’t come a day too early as the $2.20 favourite led and held on to score by 3.5 meters.
“He should have won a race before now, but he has been a bit of a head problem,” Martin said.
“He is his own worst enemy.”
The 70-year-old trainer has proved that patience and persistence pay off.
“He’s been in and out, we have just kept working him to try and rectify the issues. He is one of those horses, you see him and he’s as good as gold and the next time he is fiery,” he said.
“He might start coming into it now that he has broken through.”
The Concongella trainer is hopeful the win might give the gelding a bit of confidence moving forward.
“I hope it has,” he said. “Yesterday he was in good spirits and wasn’t trying to annoy anyone. He was happy about the whole situation.”
Martin has had experience with horses struggling to break through for a maiden win.
“I had a horse called Hellovanight and in his first start he lost by a nose at Maryborough,” he said. ”It took 22 starts for him to win his first race.
“When you’re in this game, it’s bloody hard to win.”
Martin shared in Feelingoodfreddie’s success with his family.
“I was happy for my son (Ben) because he leases him. I have been in the game too long to not get carried away,” he said.
