3 minute read
A horse named after a form football star has scored at Bendigo.
Named after high flying former VFL and AFL star Warwick Capper, Capper Thirtynine has defied a betting drift to win first-up at Bendigo.
Capper wore number 39 on his jumper during his Australian Rules career where he kicked almost 400 goals in a 124-game career with the Sydney Swans and Brisbane Bears.
He was renowned for his high-flying marks and took out Mark of the Year honours in 1987 while finishing runner-up on two occasions on the goal kicking tally.
Capper has a share in the Nick-Ryan-trained two-year-old that carries his name and number and was on-course at Bendigo on Wednesday to watch gelding win the Bendigo Mazda Plate (1100m).
Despite a betting drift from $4.80 to $13, Capper Thirtynine, ridden by Ben Allen, reeled in the $3.90 favourite Marching to score by a half-head with Reprisal ($17) a half-length away third.
Capper Thirtynine ran last on debut at Moonee Valley in the spring and is going to appreciate stepping out in distance in time.
"Thanks to Nick Ryan, all the staff, all the owners who have come up from Melbourne to Bendigo and it's nice to get a win," Capper told racing.com.
"It was a good striding effort, so it was good to get up, just. It was a great win and hopefully he can keep it going."
Allen said he had been confident of getting the photo over the favourite.
"I did hear someone scream out 'Capper', so I must have got the bob in," Allen said.
Allen said Capper Thirtynine will develop into a 1400m to 1600m as he matures with racing.
"What he did today was a big effort," Allen said.
"He built into it but he's still very raw and has a lot to learn. He doesn't know how to attack the line so what he did today was just on ability.
"I think keeping him on bigger tracks will be his go, just with the way the race panned out.
"He's going to take improvement out of it."
To continue the Australian Rules theme, Jezoulenko took out the Sheahan Plumbing Handicap (1100m).
Jezoulenko is named after former VFL premiership winning player Alex Jezoulenko who played for Carlton and St Kilda along with coaching both teams but is possibly best remembered for his high-flying mark in the 1970 VFL Grand Final between Carlton and Collingwood.
CAAAAPPER
— Racing.com (@Racing) May 17, 2023
Capper Thirtynine gets it done for The Wiz @nryanracing @bennallen44 pic.twitter.com/XR9cyaRqtZ
