Following in the footsteps of father Vince, Benalla trainer Shaun Nolen watched on as Turoar saluted in the John Wohlers Jewellers Maiden Plate at Wangaratta for his first win in the profession.
And you can bet it was a family affair in the truest sense of the phrase.
Steering the five-year-old gelding home by half of a length was none other than Shaun’s brother Luke, and who else to have strapped Turoar but Shaun’s wife Sam.
There was only one emotion Shaun could describe when seeing his first winner cross the line — relief.
“It jumped well and got into the right spot early,” he said.
“Once it got in front it kept improving — and there was a big sigh of relief once it held on.”
The result was far and away Turoar best run of its career in Thursday’s 1170m sprint.
If not for Sam Nolen, the five-year-old would not have been there to salute in the first place.
Turoar battled with two bouts of colic and, thanks to Sam — who co-owns JCS Thoroughbreds alongside her husband — was “brought back from the dead” according to Shaun.
The pair tried to sell the horse, and when no-one bit, they held on to Turoar.
Which explains all that relief on Thursday.
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