Water babe wins

By Paul Pickering
A RED-HOT run by Tynong-trained galloper Jeune De Coeur was the fitting highlight on a sweltering afternoon of racing at Pakenham on Saturday.
Tom Scanlon’s five-year-old mare was the talk of the track at the Kids’ Day Out meeting after her four-length victory – a second home win in eight days – in the 1314m Pakenham Fruit Plaza Handicap.
Scanlon – whose British-bred chestnut also won the David Bourke Picnic Plate event at the New Year’s Day meeting – and Officer trainer Greg Hayes led the local charge, taking out the fifth and seventh races in front of a bumper crowd of over 2500.
True to the day’s billing, a fair percentage of the patrons were no older than Scanlon’s charge, which delighted punters by coming from barrier 10 to round the field at the top of the straight and score at the odds of $8.50.
Those who knew the story behind Jeune De Coeur’s form spike had all the more reason to cheer.
As Scanlon later explained, the horse has come full circle since combining with champion jockey Damien Oliver to win at Moonee Valley almost two years ago.
“She’s always had ability, but she lost her way a bit,” Scanlon said.
“Before the (win on New Year’s Day) she’d had 17 runs without a win.”
Jeune De Coeur was originally trained at Caulfield by Brendan McCarthy, who passed the horse on to Scanlon after putting her in for a knee operation last June.
“She has spelled at my place since she was a two-year-old,” Scanlon explained.
“My cousin Terry is one of the owners and she’d always come up to the farm for holidays, so when she had the knee operation he said send her down to the farm and give her a preparation away from the track.”
Scanlon has modified the horse’s work to include more regular sessions in the water and says the benefits are beginning to show.
“That helps to keep her fresh and keep the weight off her legs,” he said.
“It took her a little while (this preparation) to find her form, but now that she’s found it, we hope she can hold it.”
Two key dates Scanlon has circled are the 4 and 11 February meetings at Pakenham, where Jeune De Coeur is sure to have a healthy following.
Meanwhile, Hayes’ triumph came via topweight Beyondagoldendream in the 1770m Cardinia Shire Cup.
The six-year-old gelding ($4.20), who had finished second in two of his last three starts, recorded the fifth victory of its career in edging out Seymour-trained Silesia by the narrowest of margins.
The pick of the other locals were John Gunning’s Nero Macchina, which finished fourth in the 1008m Snowy Pratt Handicap, and Terry Ahern’s Yuka Joy, which was fifth in the1414m Pakenham Gazette Fillies and Mares Maiden Plate.
Pakenham Racing Club events manager Anthony Millican hailed the meeting as a resounding success, with a substantial increase in patrons from last year.
“It was a great atmosphere and a great day for the local trainers,” Millican said.
Racing returns to Pakenham for the Members’ Race Day meeting on Friday, 4 February.