Trainer Terry Carson’s unshakeable belief in picnic galloper Affinis has been rewarded with an unlikely win at Sandown.
The seven-year-old daughter of Portland Pirate posted just her fourth win in 57 starts to give Carson his first city success since Wild Trista won a steeplechase at Sandown in April 1999.
Affinis won the Drouin Cup last December when she raced on the picnic circuit over summer and was put back in work because she was getting fat.
“I wasn’t going to bring her back until this picnic season but she started putting on a bit of weight and started to bloom,” Carson said.
Last start Affinis won by six lengths at Pakenham and she was just as impressive at Sandown on Wednesday, starting at $20 and winning by 4-1/2 lengths from Deep Forest and Carnivale.
“It is fantastic to see her win one in town,” Carson said. “It just blows my mind away.”
Affinis is owned by Carson’s wife Kathy and is almost part of the family despite her lack of success.
“We bred her ourselves and she has just been a little Aussie battler,” Carson said.
“Every day she goes around she just tries her heart out for you.
“She really deserves this.”
AAP TURF