Double Clutch gets up to beat Pilgovan Star in the final race at Greyville
An emotional feelgood story of perseverance, courage and guts closed an incident filled meeting at Greyville on Friday evening when Paul Lafferty’s Stronghold colt Double Clutch finished like a runaway train in the final race to get up and blow Pick Six punters away. The remarkable tale behind the handsome bay made the prospects of a win seem even more unlikely.
A visibly emotional Paul Lafferty looked like he had stepped off the dance floor and out of the dying throes of a black tie affair when interviewed by Deez Dayanand after the race.
A pale and slightly shocked Lafferty recounted the remarkable tale:
“Three months ago we were were going to shoot this horse. He had contracted West Nile Virus and was at death’s door. He couldn’t put one leg in front of the other. I must give all credit to our workrider, Higgins (Tara Oatley). She didn’t want to know about giving up on him and bizarrely the virus jumped species and she landed up spending a week in hospital herself. That is true dedication and love. I am so thrilled that it has turned out like this. Fit and well, he would have been too good for this field. Yet he overcame the odds and beat them anyway, even after a 28 week rest!” he said.
Uninspiring
Double Clutch had been slow away on an uninspiring Clairwood 1200m debut. He thus had little going for him in this race.
After all, he was drawn widest, outpaced, not racing fit after a long break, returned to action straight into an 1800m and was racing for the first time around the turn and under the lights. Any other reasons not to include him in the Pick Six?
Tara Oatley aka Higgins, with one of Lafferty’s other charges
While Lafferty initially called the illness Blue Nile Virus, he corrected it later.
The West Nile Virus was most notably contracted by the ill fated sire legend Jet Master.
On The Wing
It is a mosquito-transmitted disease that affects humans and animals (mammals). The virus’ natural life cycle involves mosquitoes and birds. The cycle starts with infected birds which can travel long distances in a short amount of time. When a mosquito bites a bird carrying the West Nile virus, the mosquito then becomes infected.
This infected mosquito then feeds on another bird, a horse, human or other mammal, which then becomes infected with WNV. Once a horse has been bitten, it may take only 5 to 15 days for signs of West Nile virus to appear. Horse to horse transmission does not occur. The virus is most prevalent whenever mosquitoes are most abundant
Naming Rights
Paul Lafferty trained the winner
The 3yo Double Clutch was named by his owner Ashley Williams, who is unsurprisingly, in the trucking business.
So no puzzles there and it could have been worse. Imagine Brake Lining, Windscreen Wiper or even Toll Fees? Maybe those will still come.
A somewhat bemused winning jockey Stuart Randolph admitted in the post race interview that he was cursing Lafferty halfway through the race.
“We were behind and I was pushing hard to just keep him in the race. Into the straight we were still not going to win it. But then he turned it on. A very impressive win,” he said.
Derek Martin bred the son of Stronghold from the Northern Guest mare Incremental, who never won a race.
