HEATH Chalmers is hoping for a first when the action gets underway at this year’s bet365 Swan Hill June Racing Carnival.
And he doesn’t care what day it happens – so long as it happens.
This year Chalmers has seven of the 13 horses he has in work going around their local track.
Every one of them a maiden.
So he’s hoping for at least one first – but more would be better.
However, the one on which he is pinning some very high hopes would be Dougie’s Dream – a five-year-old Odyssey Moon mare – who has firmly established herself in his stable as the proverbial bridesmaid.
The Dream’s 10 career starts have been something of a nightmare, yielding five seconds and a third.
“She’s going around on the Sunday and has to be close to landing her maiden win,” Chalmers said.
“Five seconds is a bit much, so a win would be pretty good to go with it,” he added.
“The other one I have which is looking a likely winner is Gamadale Chantelle – a three-year-old filly I have been bringing along and which will be having her first start.
“She has been trialling really well and has won two of her four trials and jump outs, so I have high hopes of her making a good showing on the day.”
Chalmers was still thinking about who he would get to ride for him during the weekend.
He said right now racing for smaller, country stables was becoming a tough industry, so he was “hopefully going to have a good run at the carnival”.
The other horses Chalmers has going around are More Give It, Gamadale Curly, Whatdoya Mean, Eminent Ella and Gamadale Possum.
