Sam Mynott woke up to a pleasing result from her hospital bed on Wednesday afternoon, with Electron taking out the Stella Artois 1500 Qualifying Race (1600m) at Ruakaka.
The Cambridge horsewoman was having thumb surgery whilst her Turn Me Loose mare travelled to the far north, aiming to bounce back into the winner’s circle after fading from a tough three-wide trip at Ellerslie last start.
In a compact six-horse field, jockey Joe Doyle allowed Electron to stride forward on to the lead and the race was entirely in his control, stealing cheap sectionals down the back straight before kicking hard on the home corner.
Race favourite Bella Luce had tracked the mare throughout and was on even terms temporarily, but Electron had plenty left to give in the finish and found the line strongly to score by 1-1/2 lengths, with Girls Light Up back in third.
After watching the replay back, Mynott was delighted with the run, particularly after missing a number of starts in the Central Districts of late.
“I missed the race as I was having thumb surgery, so I woke up to the result,” she said. “It’s the same thumb I’ve had a couple of surgeries on, they’ve fused it this time so hopefully that’s the end of it.
“I’ve just watched the race back and Joe got away with it cheaply in front and she looked like she still had a bit left at the line.
“At the end of the day, I just put a line through that run at Ellerslie, she had a little freshen-up and has been working really well. I’ve been nominating her for races and they haven’t really been suitable, she went down to Taranaki and it turned into a Heavy 10 so I late-scratched, then we scratched from the wide draw at Tauherenikau.
“We’ve been waiting for the right race and circumstances, and it was worth the wait today.”
Mynott purchased Electron for $1,000 via gavelhouse.com just over a year ago and had intended to get her in foal this season, but after being served, the scan came back negative.
“She’s hasn’t got the best wind in the world, I think that may hinder her eventually when she steps up the levels a bit more,” Mynott said. “But the way she relaxed and ran on today, she might actually carry on, because she unfortunately scanned negative.
“When I bought her, I loved her type, I had a horse that I pre-trained for another trainer that ended up winning a few races and I thought they were quite similar. She was quite tricky at the start, but she’s a really sweet and kind mare and she tries very hard, which I think goes a long way.”
Bred by Ben Kwok, Electron is out of an unraced Shamardal mare Chemistry, and she has earned her trainer just shy of $30,000 in stakes with two victories and a placing from eight starts.