Most owners employing Melbourne’s leading trainer would be prepared to take his advice.
But the experience and record of Darren Weir meant nothing to Greg Mather when it came to selecting a race for his handy mare Five All.
Weir admitted he didn’t think Five All was up to the class of Saturday’s Group Three Frances Tressady Stakes (1400m) and only ran her at Mather’s insistence.
“I wasn’t that keen at running her, but Greg wanted to have a throw at the stumps,” Weir said.
“I wanted to run her at Moonee Valley last night. I thought she’d be a moral there.”
For Mather, his wife and their five children who between them bred and race Five All, the decision to run in Group company at Flemington means a lot more than the $90,000 winner’s cheque.
“She’s got some black type now, it makes a big difference for a mare,” Mather said.
While Mather chose Five All’s race, he can thank jockey Michelle Payne for getting the mare to the line in front.
After settling at the back of the field, Payne improved from the 600m and had Five All poised behind the leaders at the 250m.
“I knew she would be hard to beat if she got a run in the last bit, she was going so well,” Payne said.
“She really got to the line well.”
Weir leads the Melbourne trainers’ premiership with 44 wins, eight clear of Peter Moody and is second on the national trainers’ table behind Peter Snowden.
