Trainer Mick Bell was forced to fork out a $500 late entry fee to have Cyclone Sally run at Sandown on Wednesday, a payment that turned into a $27,500 collect.
Cyclone Sally ploughed through the Sandown heavy track conditions to take out the Ladbrokes Same Race Multi Handicap (1400m).
Carrying the colours made famous by Bell’s former sprinter Jungle Edge, Cyclone Sally ($5), ridden by Aaron Lynch, recorded a 4-½ length win from Meltdown ($8) with Lady D’Oro ($9) a further 2-¾ lengths away third.
Bell explained Cyclone Sally was scheduled to run at Ballarat last Thursday, but when that meeting was transferred to the synthetic track it was decided to bypass the race.
“When they swapped it onto the synthetic, I cracked it, I didn’t want to run her on that,” Bell said.
“But it didn’t matter, because we going to Sandown, but I haven’t been very well, and I woke up on the afternoon entries closed only to find out I hadn’t entered her.
“I had to pay a $500 late fee to get into this race today. I wouldn’t have paid that if I didn’t think she could win.”
Cyclone Sally has won six of her 32 starts and more than $150,000 in prize money after starting her career with fellow Cranbourne trainer Nick Harnett .
The daughter of Puissance De Lune joined Bell’s team last August and Wednesday’s win was the third for the new stable.
Bell said Cyclone Sally may be up to win a stakes race, while the tracks remain wet.
“She seems to be going from strength to strength and has developed her pattern of racing which is to let her get in front and she can be a hard horse to get past,” Bell said.
“Maybe on a wet track she might go alright in a Listed mares’ race or something.
“She’d certainly need things in her favour, but she’s a mare in good form.”
