Niwot now going places after Andrew Ramsden Stakes win

Former Victoria Racing Club chairman Andrew Ramsden has seen just about all there is to see in racing, but not even he thought he would see his horse, Niwot, win a race named in his honour.

Especially when Ramsden and the other part-owners in Niwot were told nearly two years ago that the horse would never race again, let alone come first in a $200,000 listed race.

After all, Niwot had smashed a fetlock joint so badly in winning the 2009 Winter Cup at Rosehill that John Hawkes and his sons, Michael and Wayne, advised the owners to retire the horse.

It appeared the promising career of Niwot would not reach its potential.

Fast forward to Flemington yesterday and there was Ramsden to see Niwot run away with the Andrew Ramsden Stakes in a manner that had jockey Dean Yendall declaring the six-year-old was "going places".

Yendall, who later completed a double on the Russell Cameron-trained I'm Discreet, said he continually had to keep Niwot's mind on the job. "It was a tough effort. I look forward to the spring with him," Yendall said.

While Niwot proved he can run out 3200m much stronger than a bunch of moderately performed lower-tier stayers, Wayne Hawkes is unsure if the horse can measure up to the likes of reigning Melbourne Cup winner Americain or stablemate Maluckyday or So You Think come spring time.

It seemed to matter little as all concerned soaked up the moment of a most unlikely comeback story.

So badly did Niwot smash his near front joint at Rosehill that Hawkes said the only course of action at the time was to retire the horse.

Hawkes said that when the veterinary surgeon looked at the X-rays, he was aghast.

"The vet said the horse's leg had been smashed with a meat grinder," he said.

"He said the horse would never race again so we told the owners it would be best to retire him to a paddock. No one ever thought he would never ever race again, but to come back and win a race like this is a fantastic effort."

Hawkes said Niwot spent a year at Peter Morgan's Talwood Stud and when he started to move around freely, it was decided to progress his comeback to a water-walker.

Niwot would spend three weeks working in the water-walker before having a three-month spell and then back to the water-walker before beginning the campaign that saw him win.

Story: Adrian Dunn Herald Sun

Photo: www.racepixvic.com.au