Written by Darcy Cosgriff for racing.com
Oliveanotherday became the first three-year-old Listed Wangoom Handicap winner in nearly three decades on Wednesday, as Tom Dabernig’s lightning galloper continues to repay owner and breeder Andrew Harrison.
Now a winner of five races from seven starts, the son of Nicconi was allotted just 54kg and always travelled best under Harry Coffey, absorbing early pressure and still holding more than two lengths on Immortal Star late.
Image Courtesy of Racing Photos
For Harrison, it means a great deal to have a horse of Oliveanotherday’s calibre, especially with the turbulent ride his dam, Olive, had taken him on to that point.
A city placegetter, but unable to break her maiden through an injury-plagued career, Harrison took another chance on her when paying $22,500 for her on Inglis Digital in 2020.
More heartache followed in the early years of Olive’s broodmare career, but her first runner to hit the track looks to be something very special.
“We raced the mare, and she really didn’t do much good – she was always injured, but she was fast,” he said.
“I bought her at the end of the sale… the mare has been problematic, we’ve lost a couple of horses out of her, but this is the first one (on the racetrack). Tom Dabernig’s done an amazing job with him.
“Very excited. We were going to go to Adelaide, but Tom wanted to come here, and I said, ‘no drama.’”
Dabernig has always been confident Oliveanotherday possessed above average ability, but those expectations have been continually blown away.
The adopted local, who made it back-to-back winners on Wednesday after Dantooine won the previous race, was delighted to win a race he had been very keen to contest this year.
“We’ve actually known from early days that he’s had a stack of ability, but he just keeps on improving,” he said.
“The main sprint of the carnival, I really wanted to be part of it. I’ve been lucky enough to train a lot of decent horses and win some good races, but that one…
“I was feeling the pressure coming into it, with the three-year-old in the race, but that’s what good horses do – just better than the opposition.
“I’d say there’s another couple of decent wins in him for sure.”