Happy Event secures ticket to Melbourne after impressive win in Bruce McLachlan Memorial

HAPPY Event booked herself a trip to Melbourne for the spring when the young sprinter did it at both ends to score impressively in the Bruce McLachlan Memorial on Saturday.

John Zielke will send Happy Event to Melbourne for the spring. Picture: Mark Cranitch

HAPPY Event booked herself a trip to Melbourne for the Spring when the juvenile sprinter did it at both ends to score impressively in the Bruce McLachlan Memorial.

Trainer John Zielke believes his filly will be even better in straight races and is looking forward to getting her on the float to Melbourne.

Zielke, who has enjoyed a fabulous season with his two-year-olds, told apprentice jockey Josh Oliver to make a quick decision at the start at the Sunshine Coast.

Happy Event jumped from the second widest barrier and Oliver strode her forward with intent.

“I said to the jockey that we had drawn a bad alley, and I didn’t want to be butchering her early,” Zielke said. “I told him if he could go forward without using too much energy he should, otherwise he should take a sit.

“He had plan A and plan B and he went with plan A because they let her come across.

“She is a very tough filly who worked hard early and she worked hard at the end.”

Oliver’s three-kilogram claim was a big bonus for Happy Event as she strode clear in the straight, with second-placed Rare Occurrence looking to have the last shot at her.

“There are times and places when you want to claim, and I thought today was one of those days,” Zielke said. “Luke Dittman (who has previously ridden Happy Event) will ride more for me in the future but he is out of his apprenticeship now and I thought this filly needed some weight off her back.”

Happy Event won comfortably by more than a length, even though Victorian jockey Kerrin McEvoy insisted Rare Occurrence “tried her guts out.”

Happy Event had to work hard at both ends of the race on Saturday.

“She put in 100 per cent and that is all you can ask,” McEvoy told connections. “She is going to be a nice money-spinner in the future.”

Zielke, who had success in Melbourne last year when Worthy Cause won at Flemington, is excited he has another Victorian-bound horse.

“She is going to go down for the spring for some straight six races,” he said. “She will go a lot better down there when she can go in a straight line.”

Originally published as Happy Event secures ticket to Melbourne after impressive win in Bruce McLachlan Memorial