JOHN Meade describes himself as “a dairy farmer who trains a couple of horses”.
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The Cudgee hobby trainer hopes one of those horses, four-year-old bay gelding Sparkling Success, will give him reason to smile during what has been a tough period for his trade’s industry.
Driver Gavin Lang is charged with guiding second favourite Sparkling Success in the $70,000 Vic bred Super Series group one race at Melton on Friday night.
The 2240-metre race has 13 runners.
Meade, who owns the horse in partnership with his wife Mary, is chasing the first group one triumph of his 20-year training career.
“I am hopeful he’ll go well. He won his heat, be it not too convincingly,” he said.
“There are quite a number of good horses in it but he’ll be up there.
“He is a very versatile horse, not a one-dimensional horse. He can do it tough or can sprint.”
Meade said Sparkling Success made his debut in 2015 and had produced strong results this year, winning seven of his 11 races.
“He’s only had 12 starts, he’s very lightly-raced,” he said.
There are 13 races on the card.
He is a very versatile horse, not a one-dimensional horse.
- John Meade on Sparkling Success