By Michael Guerin
Tupelo Rose replaced the nightmare with a dream on Saturday night.
For years Wayne Ross and Kevin Townley have developed some of harness racing's hottest names - and watched them win great races for other people.
Ross has made a name for himself as a breeder-trainer with the Midas touch. With Townley doing the driving the pair have put the polish on countless stars, headlined by little champion Courage Under Fire.
"Then somebody comes along, offers the owners telephone numbers and the horse is gone," said Ross.
"I have been very proud of what Courage Under Fire and the other horses I have developed have gone on to accomplish, but sometimes you wonder what could have been."
Now Ross and Townley don't have to wonder. Because Tupelo Rose is the real deal, a dream horse.
The leggy filly became the first female to win the Juvenile Championship in 18 years when she gave her rivals windburn at Alexandra Park on Saturday night.
The pre-race plan of running to the front and staying there met just one hitch as Tupelo Rose cut out one of the fastest opening 400m sectionals seen in an Alexandra Park juvenile race before finding the front.
"That was a bit of a shock because they really came out of the gate humming. But once she got to the front she relaxed beautifully and they were always going to be flat catching her."
Alert Falcon got closest to the winner in what was an outstanding debut effort, but Tupelo Rose looked in a different class.
She has been blessed with the blinding speed In The Pocket has passed on to the elite of his stock, horses like Christian Cullen, Courage Under Fire and Under Cover Lover.
That sort of speed enables them to lead virtually at will and makes keeping up with them tough, passing them almost impossible.
Both Ross and Townley have felt that speed only once before Tupelo Rose.
"I drove Courage Under Fire in his first couple of workouts and this filly would have as much speed as him over 200m at the same stage," said Townley.
"I am not saying she is going to win 15 races in a row like him, but I am just thrilled because I get to keep driving her.
"It has been pretty hard losing the drive behind so many good horses after you help to get them started."
There was talk before Saturday's race that the Australian owners who paid well over $100,000 for Tupelo Rose before she even raced may have provided another nightmare for Ross and Townley.
But the win was enough to earn the southerners a guarantee Tupelo Rose would stay put until at least the end of the season.
"I suppose it is the same sort of situation that Bruce Negus was in with Courage Under Fire last season. If you keep winning people don't usually take a horse off you," said Ross.
Even though she looks the best juvenile in the country, Tupelo Rose won't be burning up too many more tracks this season.
"I will nominate her for Ashburton this Saturday but at the most she will be having four or five more races this season, with the Caduceus Club Classic back up here the last of them.
"We want to look after her because there are so many great races for her next season."
Horse Racing: Tupelo Rose produces real dream
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