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Taranaki horseman Aidan Schumacher has put his faith in the family of his foundation broodmare Mini Manday over the last few decades, and his loyalty paid off in a big way on Saturday when Spencer took out the Gr.3 Valley D’Vine Restaurant Spring Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa.
The Derryn gelding had been a revelation over winter, posting three wins and a runner-up result in the Listed Opunake Cup (1400m), and went one better on Saturday, scoring by 1-1/4 lengths over Geriatrix in the feature sprint.
Schumacher, who bred and owns the gelding, was rapt to get the win, but was even more excited to see his former pupil Erin Hocquard score her first Group win as a trainer.
"It was a great thrill to get that win," he said.
"He has been in work for a fair while, but Erin has done a great job and he has been racing well. It is very pleasing that she got the Group win.
"Erin came and worked for me and I think she stayed here for about four or five years, and she learned to ride with me. I was just an owner-trainer and the first year she started we won five races and it progressed from there.
"She moved down to John Boon's at Waverley because she wanted to get a bit closer to home, she's from Palmerston North. When John Boon pulled out of training, she took over his property and I have been supporting her since then.
"She helps me out at times when I have had some work to do here. She comes and does the foals, she has been a great helper."
Spencer is a rising star, and Schumacher is hopeful he can reach the same lofty heights as his predecessor Aimee Jay, who Schumacher trained to Group One success in the Easter Handicap.
"We started off with two broodmares. One was Mini Manday, who is a mare we got off Maurice Campbell," Schumacher said.
"We have stuck with the two families, and they are both going well. Aimee Jay has been the best one so far, and this one (Spencer) has come along now.
"Aimee Jay was a tough horse. She had six races in 42 days and she won four of them. One of them was a Group One and another was a Group Two."
Schumacher said Spencer has inherited that toughness, which has been shown by his success over a long preparation.
"Darcistar (dam) was a tough horse and I think it is coming out in Spencer now, it is a tough breed."
Spencer is the first foal out of the unraced Darci Brahma mare Darcistar, who has subsequently left a three-year-old filly and yearling colt by former Grangewilliam Stud stallion Wyndspelle.
"Erin has got the filly, and the colt is still at home," Schumacher said. "The filly will come back into work shortly and hopefully she can be just as good (as Spencer)."
Darcistar wasn't served last year but has returned to Derryn off the back of Spencer's success.
"She was served about 10 days ago and hopefully we can get another colt," Schumacher said.
While Spencer has been up for a long time, Schumacher said he may have one more run this preparation in the Gr.3 Gee & Hicton Funeral Directors Thompson Handicap (1600m) at Trentham later this month.
"There is the Thompson down at Trentham," Schumacher said. "I ran that past Erin last night and she said the horse has come through the race well, but there is no guarantee yet, it is up to her."