Mazeppa powers to fourth victory for Wallis-Hackett team

By Jordyn Bublitz 

A dominant win at last night’s meeting at Cambridge has proven again that Mazeppa just keeps getting better. 

With Crystal Hackett in the bike, the big chestnut started off 25 metres in the Betavet Buildagut Handicap Trot. They were last at one stage before making a mid-race move. They then sat parked for the last lap before tearing away to a commanding 4 length victory

Formerly trained by Dr Luk Chin and now with Waiuku trainers Michelle Wallis and Bernie Hackett, the 7-year-old son of Love You seems to have found a new lease on life.

“With an older horse sometimes a change is as good as a holiday,” says co-trainer Michelle Wallis.

He was purchased earlier this year by prominent Australian trainer Brent Lilley.

“The intention was to go to Australia with him, but Brent wanted to give him a couple of starts here and see if he’d earn his airfare.”

Wallis credits the ease of transition to racing with their team to the preparation he received with Dr Chin.

“Luk and the team there have done a super job with him and it’s a privilege to get a horse from them,” she said.

“He was up and running, we hadn’t done anything. It was probably just the change of scenery. We swim him and go to the beach. It’s just something different for him and it’s changed his mindset.”

The Cambridge way of racing seems to be his go, with 10 of his 11 career wins coming left-handed, and four of those since joining the Pinebrook team in March from just six starts.

“We were very lucky he was down in the grade,” said Wallis, “he got a cheap win on a Tuesday and then he got a penalty free win with a junior, so he got three wins before he went up a grade. It’s just lucky the races were there at the right time for him.”

As for the future plans of Mazeppa?

“At this stage I don’t think Brent is that keen to take him to Australia so we'll just have to keep looking to see where there’s suitable races for him and he’ll just keep ticking over throughout the winter.”