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WODONGA trainer Sylvia Thompson now has the perfect spring racing record — one starter for one winner.
Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Michael Rodd and Thompson renewed a long-term acquaintance yesterday when Allelu ($18) charged down the outside to win the opening race on Oaks Day.
The four-year-old mare came from near last to win by a short neck from Miss Maggiebeel ($11), with Kansas Sunflower ($7) and half-head away third in the 7news Plate (1700m).
Thompson, who has trained three winners from her past five starters, said she was always confident.
“Everything lined up for her in this race today — it was the right distance, the right age group and Michael on top,” she said.
“I’ve never won a race during the spring carnival before, never had a runner.”
Thompson hasn’t ruled out a start in the Wod-onga Cup for Allelu in a couple of weeks time.
“Look it’s a nice race with good prizemoney but it would be going back in distance,” she said.
“She is looking more and more like a stayer and she is coming to the end of a long preparation.
“She probably deserves a start in the race but we will sit down and talk about it when we get home.”
Thompson and Rodd have had a long association, stretching back to Rodd’s days as an apprentice jockey based at the Gold Coast.
As an assistant to former leading Gold Coast trainer Alan Bailey, Thompson was responsible for supplying Rodd with one of his first race rides.
“I was ecstatic that he took the ride for me today,” she said.
Thompson spent 18 years on the Gold Coast before retiring to Wod-onga four years ago, where she has 14 horses in work.
“I came home to retire and had half a dozen horses in work but it’s got a little bigger than we
expected,” she said.
Rodd said he got a special kick out of riding a winner for Thompson.
“It’s funny to think all these years later that I’d be riding a winner for her at Flemington,” he said.
