Wish Me Luck making up for lost time

By Jonny Turner

Comebacks don’t come much better than Wish Me Luck’s impressive return to racing at Addington on Friday night.

After a massive break away from the track of more than 15 months, the pacer burst back into the winner’s circle by more than 10 lengths for trainer Hayden Cullen.

While similar periods away from racing are usually the result of injury, that hasn’t necessarily been the case for the talented pacer.

“It was around the time I was leaving Mark’s (Purdon) he came back in and he just wasn’t quite right,” Cullen said.

“The vets went over him and he had bone scans but they couldn’t put their finger on exactly what was wrong.”

“So he had six months out and he has been great ever since he has come back in.”

With such a long break away from the track, Cullen gave Wish Me Luck a good build-up before stepping the horse out at the trials and then at the races.

“He’s got a great bunch of owners who have been patient and let me give him a good grounding before going to the races.”

With his outstanding fresh up win and having previously performed in age-group company, Wish Me Luck looks destined for bigger targets.

But Cullen will see how the horse gets through his next couple of starts before aiming too high.

“We will get them out of the way and take it from there.”

“You would expect him to improve with that first run back.”

“Time has been his friend and he is a pretty nice horse.”

Cullen was active at the first day of the National Yearling Sales at Karaka on Sunday.

The trainer purchased a full brother to the smart performer Bollinger for just $11,000.

With the colt’s new owners already lined up, Cullen is hoping to secure more stock when the National Yearling Sales continue in Christchurch today.

Wish Me Luck is one of 12 horses the trainer has in work at his West Melton base.

The pacer was perfectly driven in his returning win by Cullen’s good friend Bob Butt.