Story by Thoroughbred Express 27.11.18
Ballarat trainer Dan O’Sullivan has plenty of time for his last-start King of Prussia winner Valse and for the team and Sylvan Lodge Equine Centre.
O’Sullivan is trying not to get too far ahead of himself even though Valse wasn’t in the call of a 3YO Fillies Maiden at Terang on Friday. Front-runner She’s Our Reward was being hailed the winner but suffered a bad case of windburn when she was blown away close to the post.
Sylvan Lodge is owned by Anita Frawley and Kelly Higgins (pictured with O’Sullivan) on the former training base of their father Barry James. It sits on 16 hectares at Miners Rest in Ballarat.
“Congratulations to Anita and Kelly on their first official winner,” O’Sullivan said. “Kelly did a perfect job pre-training Valse prior to arriving at our stables.”
“She’s a lovely horse and was relaxed at back until we angled off the fence,” apprentice Lucinda Doodt said. “The leader skipped but she had the turn of foot when it counted.”
Doodt returned to scale with a bleeding bottom-lip courtesy of a head knock pre-race. “That was a beautiful ride from our Lucy who is sporting a fair old war wound,” O’Sullivan added. “She’s little and pretty but she’s also tough!”
Valse was bred by Anita and her husband, former St Kilda AFL legend Danny Frawley. The family race her in the cerise and blue colours of their father’s major winners Sylvan Heights (Warrnambool Galleywood Hurdle) and Sylvaner (G2 MVRC Sunline Stakes).