Two years ago, well known horse owner and punter Richard Pegum fulfilled a lifetime dream of winning his hometown cup of Wagga Wagga when Trade Commissioner saluted on the town’s biggest day.
“That was incredible as it was with my long-time friend Gary Towzell and it was something we had been chasing for decades and look if I could win another this year, I’d be lost for words” Pegum told Justracing.com.au as he was preparing to head south this week from his Sydney home.
Pegum speaks from the heart when he talks about Wagga and winning the cup considering he’s owned a Melbourne Cup winner in Brew and the hometown cup sits above it in priority.
Pegum’s famous colours of white, green sleeves and red cap have been seen to advantage in many of the country’s biggest races but with Trade Commissioner saluting in the colours of the Towzell family this year would mean that little extra as Life Less Ordinary will carry his coloured silks.
Life Less Ordinary arrived on our shores just prior to Christmas from England and in his two starts here looks destined to win his share of races with all connected with the 5yo gelding hoping the feature race wins start today.
“We are still learning about him (Life Less Ordinary) but he looks to have a good future here and the Wagga cup looks ideal for him. A big track is what he needs so that box is ticked at wagga and from all reports a dry track and look I’m not saying he doesn’t handle the soft track which he raced on last start in the Anzac Cup at Randwick but he unlike many European gallopers has a turn of foot but he needs a firm surface to show it” champion trainer Chris Waller said as he boarded a flight to the US on Wednesday to attend the Kentucky Derby Sunday morning our time.
SELECTIONS: WAGGA CUP Race 7
No.6 LIFE LESS ORDINARY Kerrin McEvoy Chris Waller
No.8 STAMPEDE Rachel King (a) Gai Waterhouse
No.3 COOL CHAP Tommy Berry Lee Freedman
No.7 MONTAUK Tim Clark Chris Waller
LIFE LESS ORDINARY debuted in Australia with a strong win at Caulfield before more of battling second at Randwick on a soft surface in the ANZAC Cup. The dry track will aid his chances and with me believing his biggest danger is Stampede he meets that galloper two kilos better for finishing in front of him last start. That said I think the Waterhouse trained runner Stampede is a far better horse let roll which he wasn’t last start. I expect with the change of jockeys that Stampede will be marked urgent and he could take some running down. I am hoping Life Less Ordinary gets a backside to track up and if that happens I think he is capable of charging over the top and giving Waller another Wagga feature. Cool Chap is the one who should get the best run from a perfect barrier and although he has loomed of late and failed to find the line I think with the blinkers coming off it may help him. Waller’s other runner Montauk is a tricky galloper to catch but certainly must be given his chance as the past six months he has turned into a consistent galloper in this grade.