Honest Joe Gives Jo and Jenny the Last Laugh

Honest galloper Joe’s Giggle might not be the quickest horse in training, but he’s the apple of the eye of sisters Joanna Hassett and Jenny Felix.

The consistent gelding ended a two-year wait for trainer Joanna (Jo) and co-owner Jenny when he scored his first Cluden win on Friday.

Old Joe, a gentleman around the stables, had been winless at Cluden in 28 starts before his $15 upset victory in the Hygain BM70 Hcp (1609m) in a race that was run at a brutally fast pace.

Ridden positively by Jackson Murphy, the seven-year-old gelding was the only chaser behind tearaway leader Sir Rocket and stole a break in the straight on his more favoured rivals to win.

The sisters were stunned. 

“He’s had plenty of chances but all I ever wanted was to win one with him here,” Jo Hassett said.

“He’s definitely come close a few times with a fair few placings but he’s a horse that you run way out of his grade and he steps up.

“Today it was a benchmark 70 but it was a much smaller field so I thought there was less chance of getting into trouble.

“But I couldn’t believe what was happening. The pace was ridiculous, I didn’t give Jackson too many instructions but he knows the horse and he read it early to tack onto the other fella.

“We were amazed he won.”

Joe’s Giggle started his career in Victoria, and had six starts in Townsville before trainer Michael Geaney offered him to Jo and Jenny.

“I loved his name and when Michael wanted to move him on he asked me if we wanted him and of course I said yes,” Jo said.

“We got him for $2000 and he paid for himself in his first two starts with prizemoney cheques.

“He’s won four for us now including the Home Hill Cup two years ago but he’s run quite a few placings.

“Joe’s a grinder. I’ve always said I’d like to get him into some country cups but it’s never panned out that way.

“There’s a 2000m race here next week so if he pulls up fine he can have a crack at that.

“We’ll keep him going. He’s a very sound horse and he’s easy to do anything with. He’s a gentleman.”

Joe’s Giggle’s win continued a good run for Hassett who normally has around four horses in  work.

Recent wins with Better Breakout and Hand Grenade have capped a strong 12 months of results with her strong team.

Bowen trainer Tom Button’s decision to stay closer to home and miss the rich Magic Millions day with Northern Pride was validated when the classy galloper scored a stunning win in the WRC Tickets on Sale Open Hcp (1400m).

Northern Pride lumped 63kg and rallied late under a skilful Aidan Holt ride to nab favourite Tambo’s Justice on the line.

Button said recent rain and searing humidity foiled plans to send Northern Pride to the Gold Coast for the MM Country Cup on Saturday.

“He just didn’t do well enough in the days that I would have had to travel. I was going to get to the Gold Coast with no horse so I decided to stay home and get him over it,” Button said.

“He’s a real routine horse and his routine was thrown out with the weather. He was a bit dull for a few days.

“Just staying home and trying to pick him back up again I think it just helped him, whereas taking him away to a new place and new surroundings was an ask and he just wasn’t right.

“It’s a $300,000 to winner race (Country Cup) so there’s no doubt I wanted to go but the right thing for the horse was staying home.

“We got the win today, it was a good effort and the owners are happy. I think it was the right call.

“Certainly I’ll be watching the race tomorrow.”

Button said the gelding would be spelled soon for the winter carnival but also a possible shot at the Country Cup Challenge in Brisbane.

“Obviously the carnival this year will be on the cards but I’ve got a little long range plan to give him a go at the Country Cup in Brisbane over the mile,” Button said.

“He won over 1550m in Mackay the other day. As he‘s got older 1400m to mile seems to suit him.

“The hard thing is going to the country and carrying the big weights at the non-TABs. He needs to have five runs there so it takes a lot of planning and work.

“There’s a set weights open race at Home Hill we might have a run there and try to set it up but if it doesn’t happen well it doesn’t happen. He’ll still be here at carnival time.”

Button again praised Aidan Holt’s ride. It was his fourth win on the gelding from seven rides.

George Holt and Terry McGovern took training honours on the day with a winning double.

Holt increased her lead in the Cluden trainers’ premiership with wins with two-year-old Gone Country and good mare Time To Prophet.

McGovern scored wins with She’s A Sweet Star and the consistent Keep On Running.

He went close to a first winning treble when Belmont Park was run down on the line by the Darby Amos-trained Chance.