Manners key with Uncle Louis

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk

Auckland trainer Cheree Wigg has her fingers crossed that Uncle Louis will bring his manners to Otaki on Wednesday when he contests the Grant Plumbing Wellington Trotting Cup (2700m).

The seven-year-old gelding was stood down from standing starts after pacing away at Alexandra Park last month. He subsequently ran fourth from behind the mobile at the Auckland venue before Wigg elected to head south with her charge in pursuit of suitable races.

She landed on the grass track meetings at Tauherenikau last Sunday and Otaki on Wednesday.

“The reason we came away is because of the mobile, he has been stood down from the (stand) at Auckland so we couldn’t race on the 31st (December) when we wanted to, so we decided to come down to the grass, and we are happy to be there,” Wigg said.

He once again failed to bring his manners to Sunday’s Wairarapa meeting, breaking at the start and losing significant ground, however, he put in a mammoth performance to recapture the field and come from out wide to run third.

Wigg was pleased with his effort and said he has thrived on the trip.

“I was really pleased with him. It was a good run seeming as he lost so much ground,” she said.

“It is his first trip away on a circuit like this. He is taking it in his stride, he has settled in well and it hasn’t bothered him at all.”

The Majestic Son gelding will back-up on Wednesday in the Wellington Trotting Cup at Otaki and Wigg believes the only thing that can beat him is his manners.

“I know he is capable and he has to step,” she said. “If he does I would say he would be hard to beat.”

Uncle Louis will wear the addition of half hopples, which Wigg believes will help her gelding.

“I have put the half hopples on him. He has been good at the trials with them on,” she said.

It will be Uncle Louis’ second start on the grass and Wigg said he is enjoying being back on the surface.

“When Neil (Munro, part-owner) had him as a young horse he was trained on the grass so he is enjoying being back on it,” Wigg said.

Wigg is enjoying seeing plenty of the country over the past week, driving at Roxburgh’s Tuesday meeting before heading back to Otaki on Wednesday.

“It is great,” she said. “It is that time of year where you can get away and have a bit of a holiday as well.”