“It was quite cool because you put a lot of work into the horses. I’ve had a few and it didn’t work out for whatever reason, so it was nice to get a training winner,” Sarah said.
O’Reilly, who now rides in the senior ranks, put the four-year-old three back on the inside line, while favorite Ridge played the leading role. Before the straight started to bring Ridge back into the field, O’Reilly opted for the inside option, with Zhutee running wide into the race.
Bizza To’o hit the front halfway down the straight, but then had to withstand a late run from Zhutee. At the line, Bizza To’o was half a neck ahead of Zhutee with the favored Ridge four lengths back in third.
BIZZA TO’O REPEAT
“Coming up the straight was the best he’s trotted this time, which was nice. He went into the fight, which was a good feeling, but I wasn’t sure if the Tomlinson would rush past or not.”
The gelding is raced by Sarah, Kayla Marshall and Vinny Neumann.
“I was offered it by Vinny Neumann. He had been with the Dunns, but it would probably take some time.”
Bizza To’o is out of the Love You mare Loveyoutodoit, the full sister of the nine winner Outofmyway.
The family dating back to Princess Way has left behind a host of winners raced successfully by the late Maurice Skinner and his family and the late Peter Williams.
“The more he worked and the longer the preparation, the better his gait became. He was a little fast and got a little rough in the back.”
Sarah continues O’Reilly’s great training legacy. Her father Gerard has trained 209 winners, while her uncles Patrick (482), Leo (195) and Kerry (25) have all been successful.
Her grandfather Pat O’Reilly trained 339 winners, while Hubert Christey, her maternal grandfather, trained 28 winners.
“They were all good riders, so it was nice to continue that. It was nice to get a win on my mother’s side in my grandfather’s colors.”
The Christey colors were successfully worn by Bomber Bill and Master Bomber, who won ten races each.
Sarah says she doesn’t have time to expand her team as she works full-time for Brent and Tim White.
“I work it (Bizza To’o) before I go to work in the morning and it works quite well, but I can only have a few.”
It was a good day for O’Reilly. Later in the program, she restrained Bizza To’o’s half-brother Moses (Father Patrick) to win for her father Gerard. The gelding defeated Nellie Doyle by a neck.
At the main pace of the day it is tough (Bettor’s joy) defeat Hadron Collider and Vessem. Trained by Robert and Jenna Dunn, the win was It’s Tough’s third in a row and eleventh in a twenty-six start career.
His time for the mile was 1-51.5.
For full race results, click here.
Through Bruce Stewartfor Harnesslink
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