Hooper's Diamond In The Rough

HARRINGTON Park trainer Mick Hooper believes he's uncovered a real "diamond in the rough" in the shape of Wednesday's hugely impressive Richmond winner Fever Fury … and from what we've seen the past fortnight, who could argue?

Taking out the Vision Painting & Decorating Maiden Final (330m) in a blistering 18.62 on Wednesday afternoon, a week on from landing her heat in a stylish 18.69, Fever Fury's impressive rise has been anything but conventional, as Hooper details.

"I saw her (Fever Fury) trial at Appin one morning and she went 16.21, Nangar Jack went up the same morning and went 16.15 and I thought to myself that's not bad at all for a maiden," Hooper reflected.

"Wayner Sugars is a good mate of mine and he was having trouble with her easing in trials and doing a lot wrong … every time I saw the bitch she looked an absolute picture, just a ball of muscle, a real credit to Wayne, but she just wasn't putting it together on the track.

"Wayne gave her a start at Potts Park in April over 320m … she trialled 18.56 going into the race but got beat 20 lengths in 19.15 … she eased that day too, she just wasn't switching on at all.

"I'd said to Wayne a few times that if he ever wanted me to have a go with her I would as I've had success over the years taking on some troubled ones … I had Allen Barnett and got 30 starts out of him, most wouldn't have got two.

“Between the two of us we worked something out and touch wood it's so far so good … you wouldn't meet a better bloke than Wayne and he couldn't be happier with how she's going now."

After a month of intense work and jump-outs at Stuart Dickinson's straight track, and seemingly happy with roaming around free at home, Hooper headed to Richmond with the daughter of Buck Fever and Sweet Pose in late May, her first look at the circuit.

"I've only got the two in work, her and Dyna Nana, so I trialled them together over the 330m at Richmond and Fever Fury was all over the place but only got beat a few lengths by Dyna Nana in 18.91, I thought that's alright first go," said Hooper.

"I took them back the week after and Fever Frenzy beat her in 18.82 … I could tell the penny was beginning to drop with her … she was a lot more confident in everything she was doing.

"The week before her heat she went around in a field trial after the last at Richmond and went 4.50 early and 18.70 odd so I knew she'd be hard to beat in that series … she's definitely heading in the right direction. She's mad now."

While understandably ecstatic with Wednesday's sublime 18.62 winning performance, Hooper was equally pleased with the 14.07 run home, the best indication yet that 520 metres won't pose too many concerns down the track.

"It's funny, I was more confident in the final than I was in the heat and she was a better price in the final," added Hooper.

"All her trials there had been out of three and five so I expected she'd be better suited from the four if she held her line … she really powered away late.

"The plan is to take baby steps with her given where she's come from. I'll let her win her grades and then look to get down to Wenty … if the two places she ever races is Richmond and Wentworth Park that wouldn't worry me.

"I haven't reached the bottom of her yet and she's definitely a diamond in the rough story. We've had some offers for her but we'll hold onto her … why would we sell?

"Big thanks to Wayne for giving me the chance to have a go with her and Stu Dickinson for letting me use his track … my daughter Clare's boyfriend Hayden does a lot of work with her as well with feeding and trialling plus he owns a small share in her, he deserves a mention also."

PAWNOTE: It's been a big week for the Wayne Sugars' bred litter last week, with Fever Frenzy winning smartly at Richmond last Friday in 31.03. Overall the litter have won 11 of their 43 starts.