What a comeback! Patience and persistence at its best

4 years on from his final race begin – and almost a decade since his coach final harnessed up a runner – Santa Casa Seaside (Somebeachsomewhere) stormed again into the winner’s listing at Horsham yesterday (Oct 6).
It was an emotional comeback at Horsham for eight yr previous pacer Santa Casa Seaside and owner-trainer David Wills (proper), pictured with steady supporter Roy Jones (Claire Weston images)
The eight-year-old gelding, educated at Swan Hill by David Wills, was first-up since 2021 and produced a gritty front-running efficiency within the Gold Central Victorian Tempo, pushed to perfection by younger western district reinsman Lochie Cooke.
“It was simply implausible – I’m simply so happy for the horse greater than something. He’s pulled up terrific, even higher than I believed,” Wills mentioned.
As he made the journey to Horsham, Wills wouldn’t have recognized whether or not to really feel elation, reduction or deep nervousness that, after a rehabilitation program of greater than 12 months, he was lastly heading down the freeway to the races with the previous Metropolitan-class performer.
In his four-year-old season in 2021, Santa Casa Seaside strung collectively 4 Melton wins on finish, accounting for useful Gr 1 performers together with Bulletproof Boy, At all times Quick, Shadow Sax, Boncel Benjamin, Rackemup Tigerpie and Majestic Cruiser.
Nevertheless it was after that run of career-best type that Santa Casa Seaside went amiss, later discovered to be struggling a pedal bone harm.
Bred and owned by former Swan Hill couple Todd and Wendy Rivett, Santa Casa Seaside was taken house to their property and retired.
“He might have been handled and maybe stored racing for a bit longer, however Todd and Wendy are the type of people that wish to take care of the horse and didn’t need him to interrupt down utterly.  So they only put him out within the paddock,” Wills mentioned.
“Someday I used to be out at Todd’s serving to him with a younger one, and he instructed me he had a few horses for me to have a look at. I requested him who the massive one was – it was Santa Casa Seaside and he supplied him to me if I wished to have a go along with him.”
David and his spouse Sara adopted by and purchased the horse.
“Proper from the phrase go I believed ‘do it proper or in no way’, to offer him a protracted rehab and provides him one of the best likelihood to come back good.  It was a protracted rehab alright – over 12 months!” Wills mentioned.
“Each morning I’d rise up at 4 am to work him earlier than I went to work.  I began lunging him in my spherical onerous in heavy sand. He’d work each methods and I constructed that as much as 20 minutes, then half-hour, then 40 and I did that for seven or eight months.  I didn’t even put him within the cart in all that point,” he mentioned.
“I spoke to (main equine vet) Jim Vasey, who’d seen the horse’s harm initially, to get a bit of recommendation from him.  I instructed him what I used to be doing, and he requested me if he’d ever taken a lame step with me.  I mentioned no – and his recommendation was ‘shut your eyes and carry on going’!  Effectively, what are you able to do? He’s one of the best there’s, so we pressed on!”
Santa Casa Seaside progressed to jogwork within the cart, then sand galloping to construct the miles into his legs, earlier than lastly being given comfy solo hopple work on the Swan Hill observe.
“And only for the previous six weeks, I’ve been considering all the pieces appears good – so we are going to give it a go and see what occurs,” Wills mentioned.
The pair gained a trial at Echuca of their solely official outing earlier than Monday’s race.
“He gained the trial fairly simply, however it was a little bit of the unknown, coming to the races, although.  He was fairly match, however it’s like footy, ‘match’ isn’t at all times the identical as ‘match match’.  However I did suppose if he might discover the entrance at Horsham that may be his greatest likelihood.”
Watch the replay right here:
Wills mentioned Swan Hill farrier Steven Jenvey had been an unlimited assist, and Sara and their son Matthew had additionally supported him on the lengthy journey with the horse.
“I began off within the gallops eager to be a jockey and had some good occasions there – I strapped Sobar when he gained the Caulfield Cup and I cherished it.  However I received too heavy, so I began junior driving in harness racing, working with Trevor Spry at Yarra Glen.
“I got here to Swan Hill to play footy for Woorinen, met Sara, and I stayed!”
Fittingly, Santa Casa Seaside’s former proprietor Rivett was additionally trackside to look at the horse’s profitable comeback.
“He was simply completely rapt for the horse and for us.  Santa Casa Seaside was good to Todd and to see his win as we speak was fairly particular for all of us.”
From Terry Gange for Harnesslink

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