Joe Fenech would have been the happiest man on the planet when Viva Storm landed a knockout blow to win the first Victorian two-year-old race of the season at Bendigo last night.
The performance landed Fenech his seventh victory as a trainer and a cool $12,000 boost on prizemoney as the first Vicbred Pure bonus was paid out.
“I was pretty nervous,” Fenech said. “We were so excited (when she won).
“It’s a lot of effort to get her going, I was just so happy she won. A lot of work had gone into her to get her to the races.
“She wasn’t the easiest horse I have ever broken in. I broke her in, and she is so much more relaxed now and she was a perfect lady yesterday at the races.”
Viva Storm is by The Storm Inside out of Viva La Nina, with Fenech also a part-owner of the horse.
The 65-year-old was bitten by the harness racing bug and has always had a passion for the sport, playing a number of different roles along the way.
“I started back in ‘85, I was a driver as well. I was introduced by a friend of mine who used to work with me,” he said.
“He said ‘you should come down’. He knew I was interested in horses, I used to work with the gallopers and I got the bug for it. I have been in it ever since.”
Viva Storm’s win – with Chris Alford in the sulky – makes the journey all the sweeter for the hobby trainer.
“We hadn’t had much luck in recent years. A lot of hard work has gone into a win like that,” he said.
“I just enjoy what I do.”
