MONDAY: January 17, 2022: HAWKESBURY boasts the only three husband and wife training partnerships in the NSW Provincial Association – and all are winners this month.
Philippe and Tara Vigouroux’s victory at Queanbeyan today with Black Banjo – their first this season - followed on from Mitch and Desiree Kearney and Jason and Lucy Attard winning races on the Beaumont track at Newcastle a week ago.
Team Vigouroux, understandably, was thrilled to get back into the winning list after eight successes last season; Lemaire their latest at Goulburn on July 9 last year.
“It’s been frustrating because our horses have been racing well, but without luck,” Tara Vigouroux said this evening.
“We’ve had a number of placings, including At Midnight, who ran second to the odds-on favorite at Cowra yesterday after also finishing second to another odds-on favorite at Nowra a week earlier.
“And Lettre D’Amour ran a terrific race when fifth in the Cowra Japan Cup after racing wide all the way.”
Black Banjo is Lettre D’Amour’s younger half-brother, and as a five-year-old, was having only his fourth start when he broke through at Queanbeyan.
Ridden by Billy Owen – the first time he has ridden for the Hawkesbury couple - $17 chance Black Banjo jumped well in the Maiden Plate (1600m) and, after taking up the running on settling down, was never headed.
He beat the late finishing All About Ollie ($7), with $3.20 favorite Commands Respect third.
“Black Banjo didn’t race earlier because he suffered from chronic back pain,” Tara Vigouroux explained.
“We had chiropractic work done on him, and he was close to trialling a few times but just wasn’t comfortable.
“We were surprised he didn’t finish in the first three on debut at Hawkesbury, but no surprise to see him win today getting up in distance as he is a good trackworker.
“Black Banjo has a lot to offer, but he’s still not the finished package, having started his career only this season.
“He has a lot to offer, and hopefully that win will give him plenty of confidence.”
. Enigami, Team Vigouroux’s little mare nicknamed “Kylie” after Aussie pop songstress Kylie Minogue because she is “little and cute”, has been retired and is in foal to Bon Hoffa.
Enigami (imagine spelt backwards) started 94 times for 10 wins and 28 placings. Now 11 years of age, she raced until the end of her 10-year-old season and won at that age at Port Macquarie in November, 2020.