Newsletter Takes Top Title in Percy Norrish Memorial at Northam
Sharron Howie with Newsletter after her win in the Percy Norrish Memorial. Photo Credit – Photography by Jodie Hallows
Punters may not have shared the same confidence as trainer Mike Howie on Saturday night, with Newsletter starting at $23 odds in race five, the Percy Norrish Memorial pace over the 2190m, but Howie was sure his mare could lead all the way in the feature.
Starting from barrier three, Trent Wheeler took the drive on the six-year-old and with a little help from Tux And Tails breaking at the start, Newsletter was able to find the front easily and lead all the way in a mile rate of 1:57:8, staving off the short-priced favourite in Spy Major to win by a head on the line.
“The instructions were to go forward and lead,”
“When the favourite was sitting outside of her we got a little worried, but the straight wouldn’t have wanted to be much longer as she was starting to get tired at the finish,”
“She’s a pretty good front runner, she’s won a couple at Northam now, she just need’s a bit of luck, and she got it.” Howie said.
The lightly raced six-year-old was bred by Mike Howie and is owned by his wife Sharron, and since making her debut to racing in November 2018, has had just the 43 starts for five wins and 15 placings, but injuries have plagued the Westbred mare.
“That’s why she doesn’t have a lot of starts per season, she’s broken down about four times,”
“She’s a bit hard to hold together, every run could be her last.”
Newsletters win on Saturday Night. Video- harness.org.au
Howie is hoping to take Newsletter to Gloucester Park this Friday night for the open mares race, where she is expected to draw well.
With just the four horses currently in work, Howie took three to Northam on Saturday night and almost walked away with a training double, with Follow The Dragon coming home quickly at the finish, but going down by just a half head to the Mario Condipodero trained Batavia Storm.
Trent Wheeler is in fine form this week after getting the call up to drive at Gloucester Park on Friday night with quite a few drivers out due to COVID and isolation. Wheeler drove Sports Package to victory in race seven for trainer Nathan Turvey, as well as a couple of runner ups on Saturday night in Northam, before steering home Newsletter in the Percy Norrish Memorial.
Percy Norrish was a stalwart for racing in the Avon Valley, aiding in the formation of the Northam Harness Racing Club as well as holding the position as Club President in 1954-1964. A life member of the Northam Trotting Club, Percy sadly passed away in 1974, at the age of 65.
Ashleigh Paikos