Cover image courtesy of Clear Mountain Fairview Stud
The veteran jockey didn’t enjoy the easiest of rides in the opening 700 metres of the race, but kept a cool head and regained his balance before going against instructions come down the outside of the track.
Instead, Colless stuck closer to the rail and picked a winning path one off the fence to rein the unheralded 4-year-old to a 40-1 shock victory.
“At the start she had the rug on and her blanket got caught around my foot and pulled it out of the irons. I rode the first half of the race without an iron so it made the win even better,” he said.
The Barry Squair-trained Love You Lucy had won the Listed Silk Stocking S. at the Gold Coast three runs back, but then finished well back in the Listed Helen Coughlan S. before bouncing back on Saturday.
“We got the visitor’s draw and put the veteran on and Barry said to ride her quietly and come wide. The only thing I disagreed with was coming wide,” Colless said.
“She wasn’t travelling that well coming to the corner so I put one around her tail and I thought I would just ride her for luck. Every time I did put one around her tail she found something and we got there.”
“She wasn’t travelling that well coming to the corner so I put one around her tail and I thought I would just ride her for luck.” – Glen Colless
Love You Lucy finished too well for another longshot River Racer (Hidden Dragon) with the favourite Winter Bride (Not A Single Doubt), in her swansong performance, running home generously for third.
“Mark Du Plessis was supposed to ride her, but Tony Gollan offered him the ride on Outback Barbie,” Squair said. “I wanted an experienced jockey and thought Glen Colless will do me, he’s been a great rider over a long period.
“I told him not to go too early because she’s been jumping and really running along. I love her, I think she’s a great filly. She’s done a great job and she might need a break now.”
Glen Colless
Love You Lucy is out of the winning Giant’s Causeway (USA) mare Whitechapel and she is a daughter of Spurn (Flying Spur), a quality performer who won the G2 Sunline S. and the G3 Mannerism S.
The second dam Espiare (NZ) (Licorice Stick) was also a talented mare and her eight victories numbered three at Group 3 level. She also produced the G1 Blue Diamond S. runner-up Danari (Danehill {USA}).
Timely finish
In Good Time (Time Thief) was another mare to add further black type to her record when she triumphed as the outside of the field in the Listed TAB Ascot H.
A previous winner of the Listed Denise’s Joy S., she was sent to Barry Lockwood’s Brisbane stable by Wyong trainer Tracey Bartley to avoid the wet tracks closer to home and it’s proved a masterstroke.
She was settled behind the leaders by rider Dale Smith and burst to the front 200 metres from home to account for Bandipur (Commands) and the well-supported Scallopini (Snitzel).
In Good Time is a daughter of Turbo Rose (Strategic), who was a minor winner and, while black type is scarce in the up-front pedigree, there are some feature names further back.
They include the former champion sire Centaine, the former champion South African sprinter and multiple Group 1 winner Laisserfaire (Danehill {USA}) and the G1 Goodwood H. winner Lone Rock (Fastnet Rock).
Interestingly, it is also the family of In Good Time’s sire Time Thief, who won the Listed Zeditave S. and finished runner-up in the G1 Caulfield Guineas before retirement.
