Racing:Treble takes Kennedy closer to his century

Chapel Star beats Leeboy at Wingatui yesterday. Photo / Otago Daily Times

Terry Kennedy took a giant leap towards 100 training wins courtesy of a winning treble at his local track yesterday.

The Wingatui horseman was sitting on 93 lifetime wins as a trainer going into the meeting, but strung together a hat-trick in the first three races.

The first success was the most impressive as Remind Me, in the hands of Toni Direen, pulled away from her rivals to win by 4 lengths.

Not that it was any surprise to Kennedy, who was taking the 4-year-old Remind mare to the races for the first time since she joined him from the Iain Marks stable.

"She probably should have won a maiden before now," Kennedy said.

"With the work we've done with her, she's always felt a lot better than a maiden horse." Kennedy followed up with Chapel Star, who broke maidens over 1200m, with jockey Chris Johnson sneaking up the inside of Leeboy by half a length after being headed halfway down the straight.

The Kennedy benefit continued into the third race when Johnson put Dubai Bear's head out to down Perfectly Court in a maiden 2100m.

A versatile mare and a diligent jockey paid dividends for Timaru trainer Michael Daly in the feature race. The 6-year-old Lord Of Warriors mare No Rosettes has been consistent and the downgrade of the track to dead (4) after race two did not concern Daly.

"She's always been a nice mare, and has gone on any type of track."

Jockey Ross Doherty earned Daly's praise as well, riding the mare right to instructions. "I said to [Doherty] we need to be in the trail so he rode it beautifully."

A hometown start is most likely for No Rosettes next. "We'll pick a race over Christmas somewhere - there's a race at Timaru on December 28 [a rating 85 2100m], so we might take a look at that."

Paldez, the dam of No Rosettes, had four wins for Winton trainer John Phillips in the early 2000s.

- ODT