A $3000 outlay by Tayla French has proven a prudent investment after Wicked Confession took out Victoria’s first slot race, the $125,000 Running Of The Bulls at Birchip.
And the faith in the mare shown by radio host Gareth Hall was suitably rewarded for the slot holder SEN Track.
The lowest rated runner in the race (NR 55), Wicked Confession was beaten for early speed from her pole position as the $3.10 favourite Sanchez took up the front running around the tight Birchip circuit.
Somehow, the country’s premier reinsman James Herbertson managed to extricate the Alex Ashwood-trained mare away from the pegs into the one-out, one-back trail before making a three-wide charge towards the lead turning off the back straight.
In a thrilling three-way finish, Wicked Confession ($6) held off the fast-finishing Golden Tribe to score by a head, with Sanchez a neck away third.
Herbertson admitted he didn’t share the pre-race confidence of Hall or Ashwood.
“I’m a bit of a realist and they were very pumped up, and I don’t think I noticed the confidence he’s got in this horse,” Herbertson said.
“As a trainer to go out on a limb, I don’t think many people in the game would be willing to do what he’s done, full credit to him,” he said.
Herbertson, who took out the Ultimate Drivers Challenge in Brisbane a fortnight ago, was chuffed by the occasion.
“To put on a day like this and this sort of prizemoney, it doesn’t get much better,” he said.
A delighted French, too, shared the optimism shown by Hall and her partner Ashwood.
“It’s pretty wicked, isn’t it? It doesn’t get much better than this,” French said.
“I saw her one day at Bendigo and she looked too good and then she popped up for sale on Trading Ring for $3000,” she said.
Hall conceded his pre-race belief in the mare was tested shortly after the start.
“I can’t believe it, I thought once we got crossed at the start we were in all sorts of trouble, but James Herbertson is just a superstar, isn’t he? What a drive to come off the pegs and put the trust in that horse,” Hall said.
“There were a few different options and I was thinking we needed a horse that was going to get to the fence and that Sanchez was going to be the horse to beat,” he said.
Hall said he put the slot proposition to Ashwood after watching Wicked Confession win at Mildura by more than 60 metres.
“I was just lucky that Wicked Confession came along and I saw her win at Mildura and when they run those times, I thought why not have a punt on her and Alby (Ashwood) gave me confidence, but we had to talk him into it,” he said.
Ashwood said the lightly raced four-year-old had thrived since joining his stable.
“It’s a great feeling, especially after getting this horse off Jaunita Breen, and it arrived in terrific order and it slid into our system and clicked straight away,” Ashwood said.
“All credit goes to our team back home and Tayla does a lot of work behind the scenes and James Herbertson for a great drive, he’s the best in the business,” he said.
Ashwood didn’t give up hope of winning after Wicked Confession was unable to hold the lead.
“I thought she could still win if she had the right gaps with the way she’s been working at home,” he said.
