Leeston trainer Hayden Galway gave himself a belated birthday present when Classie Margaret won at Oamaru yesterday.
The 5yr-old scored in her first start since May when winning race 4 for driver Blair Orange.
Galway had celebrated his 31st birthday on Monday, so only had to wait a few extra hours for his present.
Much more patience went into getting Classie Margaret to the winner’s circle.
The horse had performed well as a 2 and 3yr-old, but Galway felt she was not living up to her full potential.
So he gave her an extended spell of 16 weeks at the end of her 4yr-old season.
That paid off when the Gotta Go Cullect mare won her second race yesterday over 2000m.
‘‘She placed a couple of times as a 2yr-old and then won first up as a 3yr-old,’’ Galway said.
‘‘As a 4yr-old she was running a lot of fifths and sixths and just going near enough to keep going when I probably turned her out.
‘‘I thought at the end of that season she is better than just being a one-win horse all up, so I gave her 16 weeks out.’’
Galway had extra time to prepare for his win and to celebrate it as he was given the day off yesterday by his employer, trainer Greg Payne.
‘‘It has been a pretty good day really with it being my birthday yesterday and the boss gave me the day off to come down here.’’
Classie Margaret’s victory was Galway’s third career training winner.
Her win came almost two years after providing the trainer with his second, in January of 2017.
‘‘It is definitely good to get one after two years.
‘‘I will be having a rum tonight, that is for sure.’’
A typically smart piece of driving from Blair Orange saw Classie Margaret find the one-one with a lap to go after she was racing three back on the pegs.
The reinsman launched her winning run on the home turn and she held off runner-up, Bettor Trenz, by half a length.
Orange also drove Chatty Man to win race 2.
