Winning trainer of the 2015 Boggabri Memorial RSL Club Cup, Michelle Fleming, couldn't hold back the tears as her "little mate", Slippery Eel, raced home to win by almost five lengths at Gunnedah's Riverside Racecourse on Saturday.
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"There was a tear in my eye after his win today," an emotional Fleming said, who watched the race from the comfort of her lounge room after a bad fall during trackwork, coincidentally on the same horse.
"I'm out of hospital and I've got a brace on, but it will be another eight weeks before I'm back riding," she added.
For this weekend at least, the injury mattered little as her seven-year-old Slippery Eel powered home in the 1600-metre, Benchmark 55.
Sticking close to the rail, the $3.50 favourite easily eclipsed second-placed Moss Garden and Suyama in third.
"He's a special little horse; I call him my lil' mate," Fleming said.
The Tamworth trainer described their almost inseparable bond forged since taking him on from a syndicate in Sydney.
Fleming won over his heart and he in turn won hers.
"When I got him, he hadn't done a lot," she said.
"He didn't have a real character.
"But gradually I started to win him over.
"Eventually I won his heart."
She gave him a kiss good luck before he left and said he'll be receiving plenty more on his return.
"I'l be waiting for him," Fleming said.
Next up for the Cup winner is likely a start in Tamworth next fortnight over a similar distance.
Also to scoop wins on Saturday at Riverside was Gunnedah trainer Sally Torrens with Yarrandi in the 1300m Whitehaven Coal (Bm50) and Todd Howlett-trained Minute Silence in the 1600m Gillwest Service Station (C1).