One of the real nice guys of QLD racing is Michael Lakey and he has his team flying at present!
It is not the biggest stable in Brisbane but every time you turn the television or radio on team Lakey have a horse winning or running well. Flinders Command won last Wednesday, Toey won at the Sunshine Coast yesterday and Magic Gonski won a couple of weeks back.
Add to those stats Gypsy Pearl putting a space job on her rivals at the midweeks and narrowly being beaten on Saturday by the very smart I’m Cool. The stable have always had time for her but she has taken a bit of time to fully hit her straps. “She was probably a slow maturer, but we have had an opinion of her. She come back and trialled extra good this time, she used to be a little soft in her joints but has strengthened up with maturity and is stronger.” Lakey said. He also mentioned that she will stay in work for a couple more runs and will probably be kept to 1350m and under this time in work. Her mother was a 1000m horse so you’d expect the sprint trips to be her forte’.
Our Sea made a very nice debut and has made our ‘blackbook’ article this week, and Michael thinks she has some ability “I gave her a really good chance on the day. Glenlogan bought her from England and although she was broken in I don’t think she’d done anything much over there. We taught her to jump out the barriers and gave her one short jump out and a trial, and the trial was really good dead heating with Modern Warfare.” She is a horse that can continue to improve and Lakey said she will probably run exhibition Wednesday.
Risk Aversion is the stable star and she is having a short break and will return soon. Last Thursday on RadioTab with Steve Hewlett I named her as one of the horses to follow out of the Brisbane carnival, but that won’t surprise followers of the site as we have followed her whole career. “She will probably come back in a couple of weeks and have a prep and maybe a couple of runs here and if I could sneak her down to Sydney for a run just to teach her to travel a little bit (would be good). Then come back for a little let up and head back down for the Autumn. “ Lakey said.
The Queen Of The Turf and the Coolmore Classic will be her long range targets.
I keep meaning to catch up with Beau Appo who is apprenticed to the Lakey stable but keep running out of time. Michael is very impressed with Beau and says he has the right attitude to become a good city jockey. He has started his race riding and won a race at Esk. To his credit he backed it up with a winner last Saturday at Gympie. Michael said he has been riding a treat and he is confident that he can continue to improve and keep the winners coming. I don’t think there would be many better bosses to learn the trade from than Mick Lakey and I’m sure Beau will have a very bright future!
For more on the stable, go to our ‘Trainers’ page and click on Michaels link.
