Rowe Duo on Express to Success with New Partnership

Father and son combination Trevor and Peter Rowe enjoyed the perfect start to their new training partnership with a big win with Love Express at Cluden Park yesterday.

Love Express stormed home with Ryan Wiggins in the saddle to claim the Mitavite Open Hcp (1400m) and provide the new Cairns venture with a winner on their first day at the races.

“First day today as a partnership so it’s a great start,” Trevor said.

“He’s a very good horse and has been a bit unlucky not to have won two or three more. Krysten (Swaffer) was just beaten on him in the Amateur Cup last year and was pipped on another occasion here. She rode him a treat but he’s a cunning old fella.

“I said to Ryan today, if he’s finishing the race off try not to get to the lead too soon because he runs up beside them and stops.

“It was a 10 out of 10 ride. He’s a very good heavyweight rider but I can’t always get him. I’ve asked him to keep Love Express in mind for the amateur mile but he’s always in demand and we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.”

Trevor said he and his son had agreed it was the right time to merge their training efforts with a team of 25 in work and 40 horses all told on the books.

“Pete’s been by my side since he was three-years old. We weren’t into these partnerships initially and he wanted to do his own thing, and I just tried to help him and encourage him.

“But he said ‘it’s a tough gig dad isn’t it’ and I said yeh mate why don’t we put our heads together and do it as a team.

“We think it’s a good thing, particularly for me. I’m getting older and I can’t do it without him especially in the mornings and Pete struggles to get to the stables in the afternoon .

“I don’t think what we do will change too much, except it will give Pete a bit more encouragement because, even though we have good quality owners and runners now, he struggled to get those sorts of horses and he’ll be now working with better horses and hopefully learn more.”

The Rowe partnership is also set to benefit from the return of stable apprentice Krysten Swaffer who has been sidelined for more than six months through injuries suffered in a fall at Cluden.

Swaffer is back riding work and Rowe expects her to be cleared to ride in races in four to five weeks.

Love Express’ win capped a successful day for Wiggins who also claimed the Hygain QTIS 3YO Mdn Hcp (1200m) with the Jared Wehlow-trained Soaring Spirit.

Townsville jockey Bonnie Thomson was in a perfect touch with a winning double of her own aboard the Bill Kenning-trained Beau Rain in the QIS 2YO Mdn Hcp (1000m) and the flying Dusky Damsel in the TAB BM 65 Hcp (1200m).

Debutante Beau Rain was impressive in a two-length win from Jazz Worthy and The Wallet in a slick 57.17 secs for the 1000m.

Dusky Damsel made it back-to-back Cluden wins for trainer Steven Royes after leading throughout to beat the fast-finishing Miss Seattle and Bonython.

Last season’s premiership winner Lacey Morrison also landed a winning double with the heavily backed Allied Command in the Mdn Hcp (1000m) and Pluckercarn in BM 55 Hcp (1400m).

Morrison produced the ride of the day to come from well back on Pluckercarn through inside runs to win narrowly over Forsetti.

Pictured: Love Express with trainer, Trevor Rowe, and jockey, Ryan Wiggins, after winning the Mitavite Open Handicap (1400m) at Cluden Park yesterday.

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