A rogue discard once sold for a token dollar has shown accomplished Riverina horseman Chris
Heywood enough to make the long trek to Royal Randwick for the $60,000 TAB Highway
Handicap (1000m) on Saturday.
Sparingly-raced Lighthouse is now into his third stable change as a seven-year-old, and his first
preparation under Heywood. The gelding has shown glimpses of the talent that saw him win a
spectacular treble when prepared at Moruya by Debbie-Lee Saxton.
Nicknamed “Rocky”, the imposing heavyweight (Hemingway-Wild Point) will carry 54 kilos in a
class three event, having won three races and as many placings from just 12 career starts.
Heywood’s jockey son Nick will be riding him on Saturday following the horse’s photo-finish
second at Wagga when first-up from an eight-month spell. Debbie-Lee Saxton retired this
season due to health issues with jockey husband Roly, and Lighthouse was sold to Heywood.
In 2012 Lighthouse was originally trained by Moruya veteran John Gamble, a close friend of the
Saxtons. When Gamble suffered serious injuries from a fall riding Lighthouse and was
hospitalised for weeks, the gelding was given to the Saxtons on the proviso a dollar would be the
cost if they could win a race.
It took them two long years to get Lighthouse tractable enough to bring to the races and he
proved a revelation. The gelding put together a rapid winning treble and was rated the most
promising sprinter on the far South Coast.
However, Debbie-Lee remained afraid of Rocky’s aggression and power with regular rider Roly
having to stand over him. There were similar problems for Heywood.
“Fair dinkum, he’s a giant and was a real nasty handful when we got him. But we finally sorted
him out,” Chris said. “He needed the run big time first-up and he’s settled down now and come
on a treat. That’s why we’re having a crack at Sydney.
“Its $60,000 prizemoney compared to $12,000 if we stayed in the bush. Down here he’d also get
around 60 kilos and if he won another race he’d no longer be eligible for a Highway. He’s on the
limit and receives a decent weight pull off the top raters.
“Nick and I are mates with Roly, that’s how we got him. Roly said when he gets it right, he’s got
a real big motor.”
