By Adam Hamilton
CHRIS Alford didn’t just win the NSW Trotters’ Derby, but he learnt a lot about his megastar young trotter Wobelee ahead the Harness Jewels raid.
It was a rocky ride for punters who send Wobelee out a $1.60 favourite when he played-up just before the mobile start release point, galloped and lost more than 30m.
He quickly caught the field, weaved through some traffic and landed three back in the running line.
Alford launched Wobelee three-wide rounding the last bend and he zoomed clear to win by 7.7m in a 2min0.2sec mile rate for 2300m, capped by his own last quarter in 27.4sec.
“He’s got some tricks, but he’s never done that before at the start,” Alford said. “It might have been a blessing in disguise. It gave me the chance to follow them and drive him with a sit. That’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.
“That could be the way to drive him going ahead.”
Wobelee certainly showed some sparkling change-up speed when Alford cut him loose on the final bend.
His return to winning form cements the NZ raid and Wobelee will join the other Victorian-based horses on a flight to Auckland the Thursday morning before the Jewels.
Wobelee won 12 races on end before a shock first-up defeat behind former Kiwi trotter Scallywag Sam at Kilmore last Friday week.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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