Dillon run continues

Bruce Stewart Contributor

The golden run of Ardlussa owner Judy Dillon continued today at the Gore Harness Racing meeting, when veteran pacing mare Sherwood Maggie (Live Or Die) won her sixth race at start number 104.

Driver Jonny Cox used her gate speed to take her straight to the top and the eight year old won easily by a length and a quarter from Robyns Art trained by Dillon’s good friends Ross and Chris Wilson.

Sherwood Maggie winning for Jonny Cox at Gore (Bruce Stewart Photo)

“She’s good out of the gate and gives herself every show. She’s a big fat mare who can line up every week. It doesn’t worry her,” trainer Brian Norman said.

Sherwood Maggie started her career with Wyndham trainer Craig Ferguson but all her wins have been for Norman.

“She’s different. She hangs in when you go out and she hangs out when you go in. You just ignore her and let her do her own thing. She can’t do any work but if she gets a front line draw she is always a show. She’s not good enough to take on the Southern Belle Speed Series but when she gets down in the grades like today she does the job.”

Cox has now driven her in two of her wins with Sarah O’Reilly and Brent Barclay also recording two wins on the mare. Outside of her victories she’s also posted twenty seconds and fifteen thirds, earning stakes of more than $80,000.

Her pedigree goes back to Mary Bank. She left Mister Majestic who won his first race at Roxburgh in April 1980, giving Ross Wilson his first training success.

The family has been a great source of winners for Dillon, producing horses like Jimbob Jac (9) Archman (7) and more recently Judaque and Rylan Charlie.

Judaque and Rylan Charlie trained by Shane Matheson, both won for Dillon at Gore in August, then Rylan Charlie won again at Winton whilst Judaque won her fourth race at Invercargill.

It was also a good day for Norman who also trained Gem’s Delight to win Race Four. And he bred Foxing Easton, which took out Race Three.