Ice Man Cracks a Grin After First Training Win

Man of few words jockey Wanderson D’Avila is the master of the poker face.

But even he couldn’t help but break into a smile when he landed his first winner as a trainer at Cluden Park on Tuesday.

The freshly minted dual licensee gave his mare Princess Shanghai the perfect run before dashing home to a convincing win in the Great Northern Brewing Co. Mdn Hcp (1200m).

To cap a big day, he saluted later on the Darby Amos-trained Outsmarted in the Ladbrokes Bm70 Hcp (1200m).

Brazilian-born D’Avila, 50, said he took out a trainer’s brief with one eye on a future role in racing when he finally retires from race riding.

“I’ve been thinking about it for the past couple of years. I’m not getting any younger. So I’ve been riding for 38 years and I’ve been to five different countries. 

“I’m not saying I’m going to retire soon but it’s coming in another couple of years and I just wanted to have a go and see what happens.

“I started in Brazil, went to America, the UK, Dubai and here so I’ve taken in a fair bit over the years.

“I thought the mare could win a couple of starts ago but she got held up, and when the gap came she got smashed.

“I then made a bit of a mistake. There was a race in Cairns four days later in a small field and she didn’t appreciate the quick back-up and the heavy track.

“Today she got back to the good track and I rode her a little bit quiet and peeled her out and she did her job.

“A win is a win, but my first win as a trainer is good. I don’t get very  excited. 

“People say you never get excited. It’s just the way I am, but inside I am. I just don’t show it much.”

D’Avila trains Princess Shanghai for Jenny Felix, fellow trainer Rachel Singleton and his mate Donny Martin in Cairns.

His other horse in work is Wicked Games, a stayer who is nominated for Home Hill on Saturday.

He’s happy to stick to a small team at this stage so he can continue to concentrate on his riding career.

“Jenny was looking around for one and between her and Rachel they found this horse (Princess Shanghai) on an auction. She didn’t cost much money. We’ll see how far she can get - we might have some fun,” D’Avila said.

“I’m really grateful to them both. Rachel is a huge help with the horses and Jenny keeps things organised for me with the paper work.

“At the moment I’m happy to be small but if someone offered me a horse I’d say yeah.”

Top trainer Georgie Holt and Cairns rival Stephen Massingham both landed winning doubles on the eight-event card.

Holt scored first when Hot Cocoa impressed with an easy win in the Chrysalis Medispa 3YO Mdn (1000m) and made it two for the day with Ellis Beach in the Ladbrokes BM 60 Hcp (1609m). Both were ridden by husband Aidan.

Massingham scored with Hong Kong flop Line ‘Em Up Loui in the Hygain BM55 Hcp (1200m) and the in-form Lowlands in the Ladbrokes BM65 Hcp (1000m).

Jockey Ryan Wiggins, who landed a five win haul at Cluden on March 31, was victorious on both and landed a third win on Sheza Beauty in Mitavite C1 Hcp (1000m).

Line ‘Em Up Loui’s impressive performance ended a 34 month winning drought, and Massingham thinks he may be a real find for the stable.

The former Victorian galloper was sold to Hong Kong after winning the Elvstroem Classic at Swan Hill and running a nose second in the Listed Taj Rossi Series Final at Flemington in 2023.

But he failed to place in 14 Hong Kong starts before being shipped back to Australia and sold.

“A fellow who has sold Tom (Hedley) a few horses, including Almighty Jab, phoned him and said he was for sale. They’d retired him out of Hong Kong and he was on his way back and was in New Zealand when we bought him,” Massingham said.

“He went up to the farm on the Tablelands around July last year and we gave him a really good break. There’s nothing wrong with him, I just don’t think he liked the Hong Kong system.

“But he showed a lot of ability as a younger horse in Victoria with Peter Moody.

“He left Australia with a Victoria rating of 70 and came back as a 54 rater so we only had to get him half right to win.

“I think he’s a nice horse that’ll win races for us. I rang Peter Moody and he said he was a nice 1400m/mile horse so he’s got a fair bit of scope.”

He said Lowlands could again be aimed at the rich Belle fillies and mares series during the carnival after she posted her second successive Cluden win.

Meanwhile Russian Mint produced a strong performance to beat a brave Roweiner’s Dance in the LOLS Comedy Festival 30th May Open Hcp (1000m).