Unwanted Lady gave great friends Brooke Berry and Mandy Shaw a moment to remember when winning the Judy Hayley Memorial yesterday.
Unwanted Lady was last at the first turn before she unleashed her strength and barged through the field to narrowly win the lady-trainer only event.
“It’s a huge honour to win this race. For us personally, this was our group one,” said Berry post-win.
Owner Mandy Shaw was just as emotional after the win.
“It sure is an honour, personally I’m going through a huge battle (with cancer) myself, like Judy, so it was extra, extra special,” she said.
The loving friendship between Berry and Shaw is clear. It was struck up following an unfortunate racing incident.
“I was at Bendigo one day and this lady (Brooke) was having a teary moment. Brooke’s dog had just been done for failing to pursue the lure with due commitment and she was very upset about it. I said ‘ah don’t worry about it, it happens to us all!’
“Brooke and I have just built this most magnificent friendship since. I couldn’t have thought of anybody better to share this moment with.”
The win is not only special because of the race’s history and their story but it is one of the great successes of Berry’s training career.
“I’ve never won a heat before, so to win the heat last week we were absolutely chuffed. We thought that was it, then to come out and win the final, I’m just speechless. We’re so proud.”
The Judy Hayley Memorial is a unique event on the feature race calendar and there is a special feeling amongst the ladies when donning the pink bib.
“As much as we are competitors, at the end of the day we’re still friends. Everyone’s really supportive and helpful towards everybody else. We can have a joke and a little bit of a jibe at each other, but there’s no malice.”
Unwanted Lady was handled by Brooke’s daughter Paige in the heat and final. Her nerves turned into adrenaline when Unwanted Lady crossed the line.
“Paige got her license not long ago, so it was her big thing to do. I brought my black and whites just in case the nerves got the better of her. She’s done a super job.
“She plays a huge role along with my other daughter, Talia – she’s at home with some homework to do – so we’re actually pretty much an all-girl team.”
The Judy Hayley Memorial for Lady Trainers only, is named in honour of the 2001 Melbourne Cup winning trainer who lost her brave battle with cancer in 2012.
