Wind breathes life into long-standing family in the Pertemps

Former trainer Mouse Hamilton-Fairley was claiming by far her biggest racing success in the guise of a breeder instead as the gallant Third Wind brought home the Pertemps Network Final.

Until 2011 Hamilton-Fairley had around a dozen horses in her care at her Hampshire stable, but found it difficult to sustain the business. Third Wind’s dam, Act Three, had been one of the residents in the yard and had been placed three times in the colours of her mother, Ann Plummer.

She had turned to Hughie Morrison to guide the career of the eight-year-old son of Shirocco, who produced an effort of great pluck to respond to pressure from jockey Tom O’Brien from some way out and get the better of Alaphilippe by a neck in a dazzling finish which required a reasonably lengthy stewards' inquiry.

View result and watch the replay here

What had made it particularly special was that her mother was able to attend after missing Third Wind finishing fourth in the same race two years ago.

Plummer and her late partner, Tony Wechsler, had also owned 2019 Irish 2,000 Guineas winner-turned Irish National Stud stallion Phoenix Of Spain.

Third Wind, a winner of two other Graded races including last year's Rendlesham Hurdle, traces back four generations to Plummer's foundation mare, Drama School. His granddam, Rada's Daughter, was second in the Park Hill at Doncaster.

Third Wind and Tom O'Brien (right) gained the narrow verdictCredit: Edward Whitaker

Hamilton-Fairley said: "My mum bred the dam and the granddam, the horse is part of the family. I can’t tell you what he means to me, he’s like my fourth child. I just love him to bits.

"He’s taken us to so many special places and Hughie is so cool, he’s done such a great job with him. We were a bit worried that he didn’t really perform at Haydock last time [when a distant third to Wholestone in the Rendlesham], we weren’t quite sure what went wrong that day. What a ride Tom has given him."

Asked if she had experienced any similar kind of thrill as a trainer, Hamilton-Fairley responded: "Don’t be silly… I was Wolverhampton and Kempton on a Friday night!"

She added that Act Three is no longer around and that there are no other fillies to continue the legacy. Her fourth and last foal, the five-year-old Dunaden gelding with the appropriate name Final Encore, made his debut for the same connections at Wincanton on Boxing Day and is expected to need more time.

That was not a part of the story that diminished the occasion for the family in the slightest, while the result also continued what has been a particularly bright week for British National Hunt breeding following the Grade 1 treble by Honeysuckle, Constitution Hill and Edwardstone on Tuesday.

"My mum is going to be 92 next week, she’s a legend, and my stepfather Tony Wechsler, who sadly died last year...if it hadn’t been for him I wouldn’t have been able to keep the horse in training," said Hamilton-Fairley, whose eldest daughter Izzy also takes an interest.

"The horse came into my life at a difficult time and has just delivered every time."

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