FORMER Harden trainer Chris Heywood, now based in Wagga, has the Country Championships in his sights after a winning double at Murrumbidgee Turf Club on Saturday.
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Heywood ended a two-month dry spell with a bang as Dantains Spirit and Mitchell Road both scored impressive first-up victories .
Dantains Spirit ($2.00) backed up a good trial performance to romp in by five lengths in the Country Hope Maiden Plate (1000m), while Mitchell Road ($4.40) proved too good for a smart field in the Riverview Old Boys 1980 Class One Handicap (1000m).
El Pappa ($7.00) almost made it a treble for Heywood, leading all the way and only getting run down in the shadows of the post to finish second behind Flying Lago in the Planet Power Maiden Handicap (1200m).
The fashion in both Dantains Spirit and Mitchell Road’s wins has Heywood considering a tilt at the $100,000 Country Championships heat at Wagga in March.
“He’ll (Mitchell Road) go towards that race,” Heywood said.
“He’ll have two, maybe three, more runs then I’ll give him a nice break and aim for that race.
“Placement will be main thing really. She (Dantains Spirit) might even go that way too if she can get 1400 metres.”
Dantains Spirit was having her first start for Heywood after being purchased by clients from David Vandyke.
The three-year-old filly had only had two starts at the provincial circuit with Vandyke.
Heywood expected a strong first-up performance but admitted he was surprised by the dominance of the win.
“In the end I was, I thought she could win but not the way she did,” he said.
“She broke 58 seconds and Mat (Cahill) only hit her twice.
“She put the writing on the wall with that trial when she was never fully extended.
“She’s got more wins in her.”
Dantains Spirit will head towards a Class One at Wagga on October 18.
It was the race Heywood originally had planned for Mitchell Road, before Saturday’s first up win.
Heywood was rapt to see Mitchell Road return in such good fashion.
“Big time, coming into the race I knew he was a bit underdone because he had no jump out or trial or anything like that,” he said.
“He’s just a class horse.
“I know it was only a Sky 2 meeting but that was a normal TAB field, there were some nice horses in it.
“I thought Cod Rock and Brandy Nan might have been too nippy for him over 1000 but his class prevailed.”
Dantains Spirit was ridden by Mathew Cahill, while apprentice Nick Heywood rode Mitchell Road to victory.
Mitchell Road eventually worked past Border Chic ($7.00) to win by one length, with Tothecoastandback ($5.00) third. Heywood was relieved to get a couple of winners on the board.
“It’s about time,” he said.
“They had been running placings and racing well but it’s good to get the monkey off the back.”
