Jockey Dean Yendell guides home Melete (front) in the 1200-metre feature race yesterday, ahead of Fashion Wah Wah ridden by Jordan Childs.
WARRNAMBOOL trainers scooped the pool at yesterday’s home track race meeting.
Of the nine races, Warrnambool trainers led in four winners.
Veteran galloper Melete won the feature race — a $15,000 restricted race over 1200 metres for local hobby trainer Paul McKenna.
McKenna, 27, said Melete appreciated running on heavy tracks.
“He just loves wet tracks and running at Warrnambool,” he said. “He’s a 10-year-old but is racing in great heart.
“He’s an honest horse who just gives 100 per cent in his races.
“He’s been in work for more than a year and had about 18 starts,” McKenna said.
“I just train him down at the Killarney beach. He seems to thrive on that sort of work.”
Koroit trainer James McNamara also spoke in glowing terms of working horses on the Killarney beach after he led in the outsider Hornet’s Beach which won a 1700-metre maiden.
The lightly raced five-year-old paid over $85 for a win on the TAB.
McNamara revealed he only parted with $2500 for the former Freedman-trained galloper at the March Inglis tried thoroughbred sale in Melbourne.
“He does all his work on the Killarney beach,” he said.
“The horse had a few issues but the beach work seems to have worked wonders for him. He would just rear up and spin around and would not move. It’s taken a lot of work and time to get his head right,” he said.
Former top local jockey-cum-trainer Alan Peterson was not surprised with the win of Am I French in a 1200 metre maiden.
Peterson said the four-year-old was a nervous type of horse which had a lot of improvement in him. “The win over 1200 metres is a bonus,” he said.
“I think he will be better in races up to a mile. He’s a real nervy type of horse.
“He’s still learning. Once the penny drops I reckon he might develop into a handy horse.” Warrnambool businessman George Taylor was delighted with the win of The Four Lads in a 1200-metre maiden.
The win was Taylor’s 97th as an owner after his first win with Fonda Moor in 1969.
The Four Lads is trained by respected Warrnambool trainer Colin Chandler.
