3 minute read
Trainer Steven Lam endured a tough time when he went without a winner for 166 days, not to mention the unkind comments he had overheard, but he could afford a big smile on Friday night.
That was when the aptly-named Bring Money Home brought home more than money can buy – comfort and relief.
The Hong Kong-born conditioner had not tasted success since Know Each Other scored on August 24, 2014, the last of a very lean haul of three wins for the entire season. Granted, Lam was in the midst of a major restructuring with new horses from the Happy Life Stable joining him mid-season, but the lack of results were not helping boost his confidence.
His patience and that of his staff and owners were luckily not worn thin and perseverance finally got its just reward with Bring Money Home ($23), one of Happy Life Stable’s horses, who was himself finally finding the end of a long winless run at his eighth outing in the $60,000 Class 4 race over 1700m.
Ridden by Alan Munro, the Mr Nancho three-year-old ran on from midfield to sweep past fading leader Vitally Secret (Barend Vorster) before knuckling down to the task as the swoopers descended thick and fast at the 300m to prevail by a neck from Serpico (Craig Newitt) with Riedel (Manoel Nunes) third another neck away. The winning time was 1min 45.98secs for the 1700m on the Polytrack.
Lam paid tribute to the team spirit showed by his owners and personnel as well as the jockey behind the long-awaited return to the winner’s circle, but it was clear his mental fortitude had a big place in the equation.
“It’s been a long wait. Finally!” were the first words he breathed out.
“In any competition, there is an underdog. The trick to survival is to keep the crew together, lead the team, keep working together and believe in yourself.
“There is nothing like hard work, and of course a bit of luck, to get the results. We’ve had a few nice seconds in January and I saw that as a very encouraging sign.
“Despite all the negativity and criticism I have heard, what mattered to me was my owners supported me, and I always believed in the pyramid between the trainer, owner and the jockey.
“Alan is one of them, but also Oscar Chavez, S John, Rueven (Ravindra). I’d like to thank them all for their help.”
Lam said Bring Money Home was a horse who had been a little tricky to place in the right race.
“It’s been a dilemma with this horse. Keep him in maiden races and he gets big weights,” he explained.
“I thought why not throw him in a Class 4 race at a nice weight and over longer and roll the dice. It’s paid off.”
Munro, who was incidentally reaping his 200th winner at Kranji, said Bring Money Home was not without ability, but was still not quite switched on.
“There was no pace early until that horse (Vitally Secret) rolled forward. He’s a horse I rode before and I know he has speed, but he soon folded.
“My horse got there but he’s still young and not realising the race was not over. When he did, he got going again. He’s got raw talent and he should be able to win in Class 4 again.”