It might seem slightly odd that Brooke Wilkins will make her debut as a junior driver in New Zealand at Alexandra Park on Friday-more than eight years after her first winning drive in Sydney.
Among the elite stable assistants in Australasia, Brooke’s driving career in New Zealand could be brief.She is off soon to Queensland to supervise the Purdon racing team through their preparations for the Carnival there, Rubira and Oscar Bonavena being her charges. However she will be at Alex.Park again next Friday to drive two year old Katama whom she handled for a debut trials win drive on Tuesday.
Brooke in an Australian interview after another Purdon stable triumph across the Tasman in which she played a major role
Brooke, who has been with the stable for about two years, was due to return to Australia soon to join up with the Jess Tubbs/Greg Sugars stable but that is on hold while Jess adjusts to the tragic loss of Greg both on a personal and professional level. Two years has often been a yardstick for Brooke during her resume buildup of working wth the best stables on either side of the Tasman.
Beginning with John McCarthy for that period she later worked with Amanda Turnbull, David Aiken and Jason Grimson whose charge Hezbuyindiamonds was her first winner at Penrith in January 2017 and who gave her four wins in all..Moving to Victoria she linked up with ace trainer Emma Stewart for two years winning her first drive in that state for Emma behind Somewhere Secret.
Brooke has also had training success.She was nominated for an NSW statewide Junior Trainer Encouragement Award before being sidelined for more than six months after a freak training accident (Amanda Turnbull is on the comeback trail after a similar occurrence).Then it was to the Purdon stable adding to her list of exclusive stable “scalps” and will have no lack of support if the Jess Tubbs opportunity does not come about.
“I’m just a wee bit up in the air about the next move now but the Queensland trip will take care of the immediate future” Brooke said.
And the belated start to a Kiwi driving career?
“Its been quite a process getting licenced here but I was eligible for an Overseas Junior Driver category which I have got recently.”
Brooke doesn’t have an easy assignment for her debut with Treacherous Baby her only drive for the night.The filly good enough to master Duchess Megzit in the Nevele R Final last November has turned into an enigmatic mare whose race career could be up for discussion even while her breeding potential is so great. In a small field her best could be enough to topple Mantra Blue.Whether her best will be on display is the question.
“I feel she hasn’t had the best of luck in her two races back this time but you would have to say she has been disappointing. Her work this week has been good though and I am hopeful that she will be at her best with the smaller numbers.It would be a thrill to win the first one”
The other Friday candidate for the stable is Look To Da Stars to be handled by Zachary Butcher. Talk about enigmas !
Always held in high regard from a potential point of view, Look To Da Stars has frustrated punters and the stable more than once with a break at the wrong time or a lack of focus at the most important part of a race-the finish.
“He’s had every opportunity. He was up at Matamata last year being ridden and given special attention. I drove him ina Workout recently and I think he is stronger and easier to handle.He had a little gallop early but made up the ground and won well even though there were only two horses in it. Maybe he has too much attention and doesn’t know what to do when you want him to really put in”
Considering he was Group 1 placed as recently as December Look To Da Stars might be a value bet tomorrow,especially with a woman’s touch and his ability to catch punters napping.
However Brooke won’t be driving perhaps the best stable runner of the weekend in the north in Fitzroy, the obvious hope in a small field at Cambridge tonight after placing in the Young Guns Final. Andre Poutaima takes the drive.
“He’s had that race experience and that should count for a lot in that field”
PIC Treacherous Love returns to scale on one of her best days (Bruce Stewart)