Today the Henry Dwyer Racing team chalked up a significant milestone at Sandown when Mister Mogul stretched his neck out on the line to secure the 300th career win for the stable.
The significance of this gutsy six-year-old chestnut winning the Ladbrokes Odds Boost Handicap was not lost on Henry, who sees the son of Written Tycoon as a stable favourite because of his never say die attitude.
“It is fitting for sure, he’s a horse that has had plenty of issues and we manage them as best we can, he just gives his all and he continues to repay us time after time,” said Henry.
It was Mister Mogul’s seventh career win from just 23 starts and his success on the racetrack is an example of Henry’s ability to train a horse that is anything but straightforward.
“He has been in work for well over a year, we space his runs out and he spends most of his time at St. Leonards visiting the beach, rarely galloping on the track between runs,” said Henry.
After 7 years since the HDR stable was born, it has seen Group 1 stars in Sonntag and Precious Gem come and go, along with stars in Snitty Kitty and Lucky Liberty, and while Mister Mogul hasn’t reached the heights of those mentioned, he fronts up each and every time and tries his heart out.
“Wonders will never cease, this horse continues to amaze me,” said Henry after today’s win.
“I was expecting us to be last, or at least second last today (with the change of tactics), but he began too well and the outside barrier really suited him to get away quickly”
“He trucked up on the corner and layed in for a couple of hundred metres, but he still managed to run them down even though he looked like he might not get there”
“It was a terrific effort from a highly talented horse that is still pretty wayward and has lots of issues.”
Young apprentice Will Price, who was claiming three kilograms, gave Mister Mogul a perfect ride in running.
“Getting back today I think just helped him finish off that bit better, he settled nicely with cover and then booted out at the top of the straight and really let down,” said Price.
“He’s back to his best and he was really good today.”
The shoes will come off and it will be back to St. Leonards beach for Mister Mogul for now, but the bright lights of The Valley are calling him with the Friday Night Lights season nearly upon us, so that green Ballarat paddock might be a little way off just yet.