YOU start to run out of superlatives when it comes to Chris Alford.
“The Puppet”, as he is affectionately-known, is nearing 50, but is still very much on the rise.
And that’s saying something when you’ve won every race that matters in Australia – most of them many times – and driven such an illustrious list of champions.
Alford’s genius was on full display, in all its glory, at yesterday’s (Sunday) Breeders Crown day.
It was something of a clinic.
His 10 drives, quite of few of them on outsiders, netted three wins, two seconds and a third.
Even the harshest judges would say pretty much every drive was faultless.
To most the two-year-old trotting Crown final for colts and geldings is more a second tier race on Super Sunday, but to Alford it was the first of his wins and the one that meant the most.
That’s because he shared it with wife, Alison, who trains the immensley exciting Wobelee and his two youngest kids, Katie and Sam.
“Yeah, it doesn’t get any better than that,” he said. “It’s been the most special season with this horse, who we train and have had such a great ride with.
“And to get him to the line again today, in his biggest race of the season and when he’s really ready for a spell. We knew he was tired before the race, but he found a way to win again on heart and ability.”
Alford’s other two wins came aboard Emma Stewart’s stars Nostra Villa in the 2YO Fillies’ pacing final and pint-sized Our Little General in the 3YO colts and geldings pacing final.
Both drives were absolute 10 out of 10’s.
Nostra Villa capped a remarkable season (nine starts for eight wins and a close second) with the most powerhouse of wins. It took her earnings to $269,590.
“She’s just got better and better and better. I knew she was as good as any of them, but it was a big ask from the bad draw. What she did was enormous,” Alford said.
Our Little General is just a great story.
There aren’t many smaller horses going around and, knowing that, connections really thought his whippity legs might win her a few nice races as two-year-old, but not a lot more.
Instead, he’s won 13 of his 27 starts (with another 10 placings) across two seasons, including back-to-back Crown titles and a Victoria Derby.
The little dude, who lifted off the canvas late to snatch victory yesterday, has earned a staggering $490,285.
“What can you say about him? It was just a typical Our Little General win. He gave his all and his record tells the story,” Alford said.
Alford’s two seconds were also on Emma Stewart-trained runners and gem of drives aboard Poster Boy in the 2YO colts and geldings and Miss Graceland in the 3YO fillies.
He’s now won a staggering 18 Breeders Crown finals and yesterday’s success caps an incredible season where he became the first driver in this part of the world to top 6000 career wins.
INTERNALLY Mick Stanley knew the pressure was building.
Here he was with the by the far the best horse (or filly in this case) he’s ever trained, but she hadn’t been able to land a feature race scalp this season.
Three Group 1 attempts for three seconds in the NSW Oaks, Victoria Oaks and Vicbred final.
Things had conspired against Petacular, most notably with a horror run of draws.
On paper, luck had turned. She drew gate three in yesterday’s Group 1 Breeders Crown final and main rival Partyon was out the back.
This was the moment. This was the must-win race. Nothing less would suffice or even be fair.
Petacular and Stanley delivered.
The exasperation of a season which could have ended with so many “what ifs” had been resurrected.
Petacular did her share of work early, but calm was restored once Stanley was able to work his way to the front and the lead time went-up at a comfortable 45.5sec.
Luke McCarthy was quickly around to the death to make it a race with Partyon, but the Kiwi never seriously threatened.
Stanley, knowing Partyon isn’t the best around bends, seized the moment and kicked clear on the final turn. He opened-up with a big lead and, although Petacular got tired, she held-off Miss Graceland to win by 1.6m with another metre away to Partyon in third spot.
It was redemption. Miss Graceland beat Petacular in the Victoria Oaks, while Partyon had beaten her in the NSW Oaks and last year’s Crown final.
“I’d be lying if I said you don’t feel the pressure after the season we’d had,” Stanley said. “It’s more about her than me. I just thought she deserved more than what she’d got for how good she is and how hard she tries.
“It was one of those wins where you’re as relieved as you are excited.”
Stanley wouldn’t say it himself, but the drive was a gem.
And it’s important to put that on record as, at times, people have questioned whether he should have kept driving Petacular or enlisted someone like his idol Gavin Lang to try and help arrest the frustrating run of big race near misses.
Staying on was the right call and undoubtedly made yesterday’s win even sweeter.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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