McIlwrick magic aids Peroni

By Jonny Turner 

Some Rory McIlwrick magic and gear changes from trainer Wayne Adams combined to help Peroni win the Winton Cup on Saturday.

McIlwrick expertly extricated the pacer from four back on the fence and he let down with a winning run among a wave of finishers in a highly exciting home straight battle.

Peroni was able to produce his winning burst after Adams made crucial gear adjustments.

After he felt his pacer wasn’t quite striding out at his best three starts ago, the trainer tinkered with the horse’s hopples and that move produced the ultimate results on Saturday.

“About three starts ago I thought he just wasn’t quite striding out, so before the Wyndham Cup I let his hopples out six holes.”

“We put shorteners in him to help get him away and he has been as good as gold.”

“He is a lovely pacer and a lovely horse to do anything with, nothing is a worry to him.”

“He is a real Bettor’s Delight.”

McIlwrick and Adams have struck up a great combination since the reinsman started working for the trainer.

Adams’ stable is McIlwrick’s first stop each morning before he continues on to lend a hand at several other barns amid his busy weekly routine.

“I love working at Wayne’s, it is my first stop in the mornings and it always puts a smile on my face,” the reinsman said.

“Peroni has come a long way in a short time and he is really good from a stand which is a big help.”

“Wayne has done a great job with him.”

“He is a lovely wee horse and he does everything right.”

McIlwrick eased Peroni out of an early battle for the lead before the pacer was shuffled back to four back on the fence.

Some masterful manoeuvring between the 400m and the home turn, which had some of his fellow drivers calling McIlwrick ‘The Gifted One’, got Peroni into the clear to launch his winning run.

After hitting the lead, the pacer held out a huge line up of finishers, with just two and a half lengths covering the first eight horses home.

The Stonewall Stud team enjoyed an outstanding day at Winton on Saturday.

Trainers Steve and Amanda Telfer and driver Tim Williams notched a winning treble which included Darling Me’s victory in the Southern Belle Speed Series Final.

The Telfer-Williams combination also scored with three-year-old S Matt Major and Ardie’s Express.