Cortopassi On Cusp Of Personal Milestone
30 December, 2015
Harness
Aldo Cortopassi can end the year on a spectacular personal high when he attempts to claim a Perth training milestone at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Cortopassi is looking to join a select group and become just the 44th person in Western Australian harness racing history to have trained 200 winners.
Cortopassi, one victory shy of the landmark, will fancy his chances with in-form mares, Sea Cider and Showstopper in races two and nine respectively.
Sea Cider in the Brear & Doonan Westbred Pace (2100m) and Showstopper in the Tabtouch Mares Pace (1730m), are chasing five straight wins after outstanding Kalgoorlie seasons.
Cortopassi received a cruel introduction to training when his mentor, Frank Ellis, collapsed and died in the stable area after competing in a race at Gloucester Park.
Ellis played an instrumental role in Cortopassi’s development when he requested the WA Trotting Association (WATA) lower the age of the Reinsperson’s School.
WATA Racing Manager, Ray Holloway, acceded to Ellis’ request which allowed Cortopassi to move straight from Pony Trots and obtain a licence to drive in races.
Cortopassi’s first win as a trainer occurred in 1995 at Gloucester Park when New Zealand-bred Just Miles Ahead defeated Chickenman and Tourello.
He has prepared 69 individual winners in Perth with the most prolific being the WA Yearling Sales graduate, Artemis Belle (16) and Total Defiance (16).
Artemis Belle gave Cortopassi his biggest success as a trainer when she took out the 2011 WA Oaks and 2010 WA Sales Classic.
Julio Santarelli