Fiancee Rachel lifts winning Wilo to rare treble

Atherton jockey Stephen Wilson had double reason to celebrate with a winning double and a winner as a trainer at Cluden Park yesterday.

 Wilson landed two big wins on the classy Higher Realm and smart filly Husette for trainer Roy Chillemi.

 But better was to come when he watched on from the jockeys’ room as his fiancé Rachel Shred turned in a gun ride to win on his cup hopeful Tunero.

 Wilson said a bit of advice from Chillemi persuaded him to back-up last year’s Townsville runner-up Tunero in the TAB Class 3 Plate (1609m) just three days after running second at Mareeba.

 “I’ve been spacing his runs. But sometimes you have to back them up when the right race is there. Roy’s been very good to me and said I’d be mad if I didn’t run him,” Wilson said.

 “There’s a long way to go with him and obviously the Cup is his main target.

 “He’s come back a lot better horse and he loves this track.

 “Back in a Class 3 Plate with Rachel’s claim he was always going to be hard to beat and she gave him a great run.”

 Wilson will now turn his attention to the Mt Garnet Cup with Turnero, who is owned by Shred’s dad Chris, as he continues a steady build up the winter carnival.

 Wilson’s double on Husette and Higher Realm capped a big day for Chillemi who later clinched the third leg of a winning treble with Willygood.

 He also went down narrowly with Robig, beaten by the smart Cracker Essgee in a photo and Bet on Love, which was cut down on the line by Matthew McGuire trained Chevaux.

 The McGuire stable continues to fly with Chevaux landing his third straight win for jockey Scott Sheargold and Pantone bringing up a stable double with a copybook Graham Kliese ride in the last.

 “Fantastic result. We’ve got a big group of owners who have stuck with us and I couldn’t be happier for them,” McGuire said.

 “Chevaux is a much happier horse this prep and he’s really hitting the line. Dad (Pat) helps out with Pantone and I just new when he got to the track today looking a picture he’d be right in it.

 “We’ve taken a while to get things right but the real difference is that we’ve got better quality in the stable.”

 Meantime, Wulguru trainer Michael McLellan is growing in confidence for the rich three-year-old races ahead after Cracker Essgee defeated rising star Robig.

 What Cracker Essgee lacks in size he more than makes up for with true grit and repelled a serious challenge from Robig to win and give jockey Ryan Wiggins the first leg of a winning double.

Pictured: Job done! Rachel Shred lands the money on Tunero for fiancé Stephen Wilson Photo courtesy of Mike Mills Photography.