Wendy’s Friday Big Four!

The Hollywoodbets Greyville night meeting of 2 September will forever be etched in the memory of Wendy Whitehead, for never in her wildest dreams did the Summerveld trainer guess that she would saddle four winners on the card.

“The horses simply ran out of their skins,” commented the likeable trainer before adding, “I had six runners on the night for four wins, a third and a fifth, unbelievable!”
This auspicious first-time quartet was initiated when Giambattista won the 1200m second race by just over a length under Muzi Yeni, much to the delight of part-owner Ian Howard, who found himself back in the number one box barely half an hour later after the Querari filly Quanabi had cracked her maiden by an impressive margin of almost five lengths!

If that double wasn’t enough, Wendy’s dream meeting continued in the seventh race, where Vercingetorix mare Macara drew clear by almost four lengths to notch up her fifth career win, with stable companion Chanty Lane finishing a promising third off a four-month rest.

Finally, six-year-old Teichman set the seal on a momentous four-timer with a hard-fought victory in the last race.

Wendy has certainly come a long way since she became assistant to Tony Furness in August of 2001.

“Six weeks after I started with him, I saddled my first winner, a horse called Big Bay owned by Tony and Margot von Michäelis.”

Her first stakes winner as a fully-fledged trainer was City Edition. Successful in both the Gr3 Byerly Turk Plate and Listed Hyperion Handicap, he raced for the partnership of the late stalwarts Robin Hamilton and Matthew McElligott, who bred the chestnut son of London News. City Edition won them seven races and finished second in both the Gr3 Godolphin Barb Stakes and Gr3 King’s Cup.

Another ‘good un’ Wendy had the pleasure of training was the Caesour filly Chant De Nuit, who matured into a formidable sprinter

Raced by Charles Koster, Ian Longmore and Duncan McKenzie, Wendy remembers her fondly: “She was tiny, so small, she could hardly look over the stable door. We sent her to Charles’s farm, where she spent over a year. She was a difficult filly to train and only started her career at three.”
They say dynamite comes in small packages and by the time her racing career was over, Chant De Nuit took to stud an enviable record of eight wins, amongst which the Gr2 Camellia Stakes and Sycamore Sprint, to go along with earnings of over half-a-million Rand, a right royal return on her bargain R20,000 yearling price tag.

She went on to make her mark at stud as the dam of talented sprinter African Ruler, who likewise won eight races whilst running second in the Gr1 Tsogo Sun Sprint.

Wendy’s most recent stakes winner Keep On Dancing, was also a quirky filly.
“She was quite slight when she arrived in training,” Wendy mused. “Over time, she strengthened up considerably. For the first year, she would stress when stabled and I trained her from an outside lean-to shelter!”

Thankfully, she overcame her claustrophobia and Wendy’s sympathetic handling brought out the best in the daughter of Silvano, who rewarded her with victories in the Gr2 Track And Ball Oaks, the East Coast Cup and Off To Stud Stakes. Owned and bred by Bruce and Anne Nicholas, Keep On Dancing was recently retired and is off to the Western Cape for a liaison with Rafeef.

Wendy also trained the recently retired stakes performer Mount Laurel. Winner of the Gr3 Three Troikas Stakes for Gary and Dean Alexander, the daughter of Ideal World joined the Whitehead stable when they left for Australia. In Wendy’s capable hands, she added another win to her tally, whilst running second in the Flamboyant and fourth in the Gr1 Garden Province.

“She has already been covered by Got The Greenlight,” Wendy commented.

With an eye to the future, Wendy has high hopes of Macara becoming her next black-type winner.

“She was injured early in her three-year-old career but has come back beautifully,” she said of the newly turned five-year-old, who picked up small black type when third in last month’s Listed Off To Stud Handicap. “She’s by Vercingetorix out of a Dubawi mare and her main mission this season will be the Flamboyant Stakes.”

Justifiably proud of her winning quartet, Wendy added: “You know, we bought Quanabi on-line for just R27000. With two seconds and a win from her first four starts for us, she has quickly earned that back and more!”
As for Teichman, Wendy remarked: “He has to have it his own way and it was great that he fought right down to the line.”

When it comes to selecting yearlings at the sales, Wendy admits she has a soft spot for female families she has had success with, Teichman being a prime example.

“I’ve had five of Teichman’s family members in the yard, even cousins! It’s a beautiful family and I’ve done so well with them. His half-sister Lady Carter won on debut and was the first winner for Ian Howard and Geoffrey Perkins, who are also part-owners in Teichman.”

“They are just some of the loyal and wonderful clients I have had over the years, not to mention Nic Labuschagne, who has been with me from day one.”

Wendy’s string currently totals 35 horses, which includes some really exciting newcomers, notably “a beautiful Erupt filly out of a Var mare.”

When asked if she has any hobbies outside of racing, Wendy just laughs and admits: “Sorry, no, my horses come first. I’m at the stables most days.”

This workaholic also believes in giving her equine charges plenty of TLC and says, “they return that by giving it their best shot.”

Wendy’s quartet of wins will not have gone unnoticed and she surely deserves the support from owners who appreciate a caring and hard-working trainer.

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