Master horseman Les Bridge heads to Eagle Farm for the final Group 1 of the season knowing his mother is at peace.
Bridge will saddle up winter find Avoid Lightning in the Tattersall’s Tiara days after his mother Lena passed away at age 95.
The son kept a bedside vigil for “it was awful in the end” but he was thankful for “I was able to be there on Wednesday, held her hand”.
Having banked a Melbourne Cup, a Golden Slipper and a host of other majors Bridge has followed a successful formula in making sure Avoid Lightning arrived in Brisbane safe and sound.
“She arrived in Brisbane yesterday,” Bridge said on Friday.
“She went up on Randwick Livestock’s express float. She left at 6pm and they travel through the night.
“In the old days they used to stop everywhere but now with these new floats, bingo, you are there.”
Bridge made mention of his multiple group 1 winning mare Hot Danish which was the punters favourite.
“We took Hot Danish up there on the Thursday, she won the 10000 and was back home in her box at Randwick on the Tuesday,” Bridge said.
“The guy that took up this mare said she travelled good. She got off the float, was straight into her feed and then had a good walk.”
Avoid Lightning did her early racing in South Australia where the now five-year-old won six races from 16 outings.
“The owners decided to bring her over here,” Bridge said.
“I think they were finding it hard to find suitable races for her and they had been through a bit of dry spell.
“They [owners] were friends of people I’ve trained for and they recommend me.”
Avoid Lightning has had five starts for Bridge and has netted three wins. None better than a last start triumph in the June Stakes at Randwick.
“She is going terrific,” Bridge said.
“The run the other day, she won with 59kg, the most a mare has carried and she shit in.”
When Avoid Lightning first arrived at the stable Bridge was left to ponder what lay ahead.
“A plain sought of mare, she has a swampy back but when you have a good look at her she has a beautiful head,” Bridge said.
“People say she is small but she is not, she has a big hindquarter on her and that’s why she can carry weight.
“Her main attribute is she can relax in a race, she is a real calm mare, she is real good around the stable.”
The decision to head north was rather simple.
“It is the last group 1 for the season for the fillies and mares,” Bridge said.
“Having won with 59kg the other day she was going to be weighted out of the winter races.
“It was either take her up there for tomorrow’s race or have a short break.”
Many believe Avoid Lightning is a “wet-tracker” but Bridge reckons “she just needs the edge off the track”.
“Apparently they had a few showers up there, that will help,” Bridge said.
“Looking at the race, I haven’t seen a better one than this, they’ve got some handy horses in it.
“Red Tracer, Steps In Time, she’ll go fast up front, that’s what my mare wants, a fast pace and a soft track.”
In each of the three wins for Bridge Avoid Lightning has been ridden by Tim Clark who of course was the regular rider of Hot Danish.
“He has always been a good kid and that trip he had to Hong Kong has taken him to another level,” Bridge said.
By Craig Young
