Michelle Phillips proved she is a good judge as well as a talented young reinswoman after partnering Harryhoo to an all-the-way victory in Sunday’s Cr. Neil Beattie and Family Boort Pacing Cup.
When asked about her chances in the Cup in a pre-race interview, Phillips replied: “He can win.”
Harryhoo speared across from his outside front row draw to find the lead and Phillips maintained a genuine tempo, ensuring there were no mid-race challenges for the front running around the tight Boort circuit.
The Danny Curran-trained pacer surged away from his rivals in the home straight to score by six metres from Interpretation, with Warrantee a metre away third.
Phillips admitted she went into the race with a degree of optimism.
“I was very confident, he’s a ripper little horse,” Phillips said.
“He has a good sit sprint and we’ve just unmasked his gate speed, and it’s a front-runners track,” she said.
Phillips said she was buoyed by the pacer’s previous placing in the Gunbower Cup.
“He ran huge at Gunbower, so I knew he’d been somewhere near the top today,” she said.
Phillips revealed Harryhoo is now back in the good books with his trainer.
“Danny had an accident on Harryhoo a couple of years ago, but I think Harry has redeemed himself now,” she said.
“Danny has done a terrific job with the small team of horses he has in work.”
The win completed a race-to-race double for Phillips who partnered the Tim Mortlock-prepared Outback Queenie to an all-the-way win in a heat of the Central Victorian Pacing Championship.
Sunday’s Hon. Peter Walsh MP Boort Trotters Cup was won by Wish Upona Dream for Rebecca Morrissey and Michael Bellman.
