EVERYBODY loves a home town hero and they don’t come much more popular than Great Western gun Kerryn Manning, who again had Stawell trots fans in raptures on Sunday.
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Manning’s name was etched on the Stawell Pacing Cup for a fourth time at the weekend with her talented six-year-old, Ideal Success, taking out the feature race.
“He is a nice horse and the cup suited him down to the ground,” Manning said.
In 2004 Manning drove The Good Guy to victory in the Cup for trainer and father, Peter Manning, and then was both trainer and driver when Henchman won in 2006.
The father-daughter team then broke through again in 2015 when they won by a neck with $17-1 shot Narra Operative.
For Manning, winner of more than 3500 races as a driver and almost 800 as a trainer, any chance to step out at her local track is an occasion to be savoured.
“I just like to have a runner at Stawell and to have one in the cup is just that little bit extra special.”
The Kiwi horse joined her stable in February after 19 runs back home that yielded eight victories, all coming in his first nine races.
In Manning’s hands the American Ideal gelding has again found that winning form, producing six victories from his nine starts on Australian soil, including the Ararat and Ouyen pacing cups.
He returned from a spell at Tabcorp Park Melton on November 18 and, from a difficult second row draw, finished off well to run fourth amid a quality field.
“He probably needed the run a bit and never really got into the race, but his times were about as good as anybody,” Manning said.
After drawing well Manning expected to settle towards the front.
The gelding led at the bell and was able to hold on for a strong finish.
Manning was confident of Ideal Success prior to the race and her optimism was rewarded.
“I’ve won it a couple of times and it was nice to repeat that performance,” Manning said.
Manning also drove Michelle Wight trained Babalaas Jack to victory in the Carey Covers Pace.