Wairarapa trainer Aaron Bidlake was in a buoyant mood at Hawera on Sunday after Invisible Spirit (NZ) (Charm Spirit) scored his maiden hurdle victory in the Taranaki/Whanganui Breeders’ Hurdle (3100m).
The six-year-old gelding joined Bidlake’s care earlier this year to see if jumping would revive his career and his connections have been pleased with the outcome.
The son of Charm Spirit had five previous hurdle outings, finishing runner-up in his last two, and was duly backed into a $3 favourite by punters for his Sunday assignment.
Jockey Emily Farr was positive from the jump and took Invisible Spirit straight to the lead where the pair remained throughout, eventually running out 1-1/4 length victors over Prince Turbo.
“We were pretty happy with him, he came through last week’s run well and we were pretty confident going into today,” Bidlake said.
“The only query was going to be the good track as he is a genuine wet track horse. To be fair to the others, he is probably the best flat horse in there, so his flat ability was going to go a long way on the better track than a few of them.”
Commencing his career under the care of Johno Benner and Hollie Wynyard, Invisible Spirit won three races for the Otaki trainers as a three-year-old and finished fifth in the Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m) behind stablemate Bonham.
He subsequently passed through the care of a few trainers before entering Bidlake’s stable and he has been rapt with the gelding’s rejuvenation as a jumper.
“He was pretty smart as a young horse and for whatever reason he trained off. This jumping has turned him around, that is for sure,” Bidlake said.
“I think I am his fifth trainer now and people just didn’t think he wanted to be a racehorse anymore. The owners are based in Masterton as well and rang me up and asked if I was interested in trying him as a jumper.
“I knew the horse because a couple of trainers have had him at our track. I thought he was a nice jumping type so I thought I would give him a go and he is certainly going the right way.”
Bidlake said Invisible Spirit will likely have one more run before heading for a spell.
“We are getting close to the end of the season. We will just tick him over now and we might go to Woodville at the start of next month and then he can go and have a well-earned break, he has been up a long time,” he said.
“Once you have won your maiden hurdle you are straight into Opens, and by default you find yourself in the better grade.
“The fact that he won on a better track today, we might get him up a bit earlier next year and look at something like the Waikato early on.”
