Everyone loves a local winner but understands how hard it is to achieve at the popular TAB Warrnambool May Racing Carnival. But to complete the trilogy of local owner, trainer and jockey? A somewhat insurmountable task.
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Exceptional feats do happen, and when the Ken Elford-trained Ashford Street flew down the final straight to pip pacesetter The General and favourite Fiery Red at the post in the BM78 handicap over 1100m, the four-year-old's collective group of connections could barely contain themselves.
Owner Peter McLaren, based at Wangoom, said it was fantastic to get a winner at the carnival, though conceded it wouldn't hit him fully until the early hours of the morning.
"I've been at this club for the best part of my life, and I'm nearly 80," he said.
"I've got all the family involved and it's probably just in the last two or three years the grandchildren have got themselves involved. (Grandson) Will (McKenzie) straps the horses of course."
Elford, a Warrnambool trainer who has been coming to the carnival since he was 15, said it was a "big thrill" to get the win on Thursday.
"Peter just asked me to take (Ashford Street) on and he's out at Tower Hill. We just poke along. Just battlers poking along," he said.
Apprentice jockey Teo Nugent, who grew up in Warrnambool and celebrates his first May carnival winner, said it was "surreal" to get the job done for Elford and McLaren.
"What a trainer Kenny is, I've known him since I started track riding all these years ago at Warrnambool," he said.
"To ride for him in the early days when I was claiming four kilos and for him to still be supporting me now, it's a big rush riding a winner for these small country trainers.
"To reward him on a day like this, it's my first May carnival winner. To get the win is so surreal."
Now in his fourth year as a jockey, Nugent, 23, was suspended throughout two of the past four carnivals.
The former Brauer College student said little compared to getting his first winner "at the 'Bool".
"It's super, it's my hometown, I went to school here, so to finally get a winner here, there is nothing like it," he said.
"You can't compare it to riding a winner in town. Coming back here, it's almost a better feeling riding a winner for a small country trainer."
The winning partnership between Elford and Nugent also brings things full circle.
"My first listed winner was for Kenny," Nugent said. "He sort of kick-started my career 18 months ago. After that I won my first group one and the ball started rolling.
"Kenny is a great trainer, he's only got a small number now but his strike rate is phenomenal."
Meg Saultry
Sports journalist at the Warrnambool Standard, with a strong interest in Australian rules football, basketball and women in sport.
Sports journalist at the Warrnambool Standard, with a strong interest in Australian rules football, basketball and women in sport.
