Mathew Ellerton stable has spirits lifted with dead heat at Sandown

Trainer Mathew Ellerton, recovering from a recent stroke, received a welcome boost with a winner at Sandown on Wednesday.

Nodachi (inside) finished in a dead-heat with Lake Vostock, which gave recovering trainer Mathew Ellerton his first metro win since suffering a stroke in Bali. Picture: Pat/Racing Photos via Getty Images

Nodachi gave Flemington trainer Mathew Ellerton – making good progress in rehabilitation after a recent stroke – a welcome boost on Wednesday with a special victory at Sandown.

Nodachi shared the win with Lake Vostock, trained by Luke Oliver, who arrived on the post to force a tight finish, which took the judge several minutes to confirm joint winners.

Nodachi is the fourth winner for the stable, first at metropolitan level, since Ellerton had a stroke while on holiday in Bali late last month.

Ellerton’s wife Leah saddled Nodachi, ridden by Damian Lane, on Wednesday.

“It means a lot, the team at home has been amazing, stepped up, for us to keep going,” Ellerton said.

“He’s in rehab, he’s doing really well, having lots of physio.

“He’s walking, talking, his face is back to normal, he’s trying to interfere a little bit, not that we need him doing that, it’s a good sign he is trying to get back into what he loves to do.”

It's a dead heat! 😮

The judge couldn't split Nodachi & Lake Vostok in R3 at Sandown.@LaneDamian@[e-mail]/R3hS3U4miR

— Racing.com (@Racing) July 17, 2024

Ellerton again praised and thanked the racing industry for its continued support.

More than $90,000 was raised to help cover Ellerton’s medical costs and rehabilitation.

“He’s very emotional, when we talk about the support from every racing person in the industry,” Ellerton said.

“He doesn’t say much but you can tell it means a lot.”

Ellerton’s medical episode started with a common bout of “Bali belly”, which led to a blood clot and then triggered the stroke.

He returned to Melbourne by air ambulance a fortnight ago after more than a week in a Bali hospital and multiple surgeries.

Nodachi was the second leg of a Lane riding treble at Sandown, including Lovelycut (race 1) and Justdoit (race 6).

Lane thought he got beaten initially, weighed out and returned to the jockeys’ room before the winning numbers went into the frame.

“Tiptoed late and I thought we got beat, to be truthful,” Lane said.

“It’s great for everyone involved, the stable has been going really well and a couple of winners recently is a bit of reward.

“We had a couple of close seconds, nice to get a couple of winners … the other horse had so much momentum up I thought she got done.”

Damian Lane thought he was beaten as he returns to the mounting yard. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

Lane was touched off on an Ellerton runner at Flemington a fortnight ago.

He made up for the defeat with a win at Bendigo a few days later.

Lane, who spoke to Ellerton briefly on the phone after the race on Wednesday, lauded Leah as an “integral part of the team”.

“Matty’s obviously rapt and good to have Leah out here today,” Lane said.

“Leah’s an integral part of the team, anytime, she does a lot of work behind the scenes, it’s good she can show her face and be recognised as she’s as big a part of the team as anyone.”

With the treble, Lane all but put the Melbourne jockey’s premiership race beyond doubt.

Champion jockey Blake Shinn had clawed the margin back to 10, going into the midweek card, but a quick fire Lane triple, three of the first six winners at Sandown, would make already unlikely premiership upset next to impossible four metro cards to run.

Originally published as Mathew Ellerton stable has spirits lifted with dead heat at Sandown