News

Sophie Goes One Better Than Mum

2nd Nov 2011

Virtual Formguide - Bill Saunders - Tuesday, 1 November 2011

Max Hinton had success with his mare Sophie Princess at the 2002 Melbourne Cup Carnival when she took out a $40,000 restricted class race. Today, nearly a decade later he snagged a Group 3 race with her daughter Sophie's Spirit which won the Herald Sun Stakes.

Sophie's Princess is owned by Hinton and his family which made the win even more sweet.

"They will be ecstatic", Hinton said.

"One of my best clients bred her and he was unable to race anymore so I've carried on with her but he will be very happy."

And it was not just the Hinton family pleased with the win.

Standing behind Hinton as he was interviewed after the the race was a beaming David Brideoake, now the proud owner of Sophie Princess and a clutch of closely related fillies.

Ridden a treat by Glyn Schofield, Sophie's Spirit ($26-$31-$26) was hard up on the inside with Jim Cassidy punching Little Surfer Girl home wide out. Despite finishing fast, Little Surfer Girl ($8-$10) had too much ground to make up and Sophie's Spirit held on to win by a short half head on the line.

Divorces ($5.00-$6.00-$5.00), which also made her run on the rails, finished third only a half length away.

Schofield admits being stirred up by a pre-race comment from Hugh Bowman who told him that his son Chad had already won a double at Randwick and asked what he was going to do about it.

"I just want to give thanks to Hughy Bowman", he said.

"He gave me a bit of a stir up in the rooms beforehand."

"He's got nothing to prove, he's got a big one (Victoria Derby) under his belt so he is cock-a-hoop."

As the race was run, Schofield had little option but to stick to the inside after drawing barrier 1 from the Flemington 1400m.

"It wasn't the place to be in front, drawn one but she is a fighter and she has been pretty strong on the line."

"She only just prevailed but she got the prize."

"Where I was (in the run), she responded to me every time I asked her and I couldn't get any indication that there was anything coming after me so I was happy where I was."

Schofield was always worried about swoopers, especially when Sophie's Spirit got to the front too early but the ground she saved by being on the inside won her the race.

Today's win was the culmination of a long term plan which saw Hinton take Sophie's Spirit to Queensland during the winter.

"We took her up there to grow her up and make her a racehorse", Hinton said.

"She has always been talented but she didn't really know the game and it certainly worked well for her."