A Lot To Like As Mal And Mates Back A Winner

Sun Herald

Sunday November 2, 2008

By JAMES GARDINER

A BIT of fun for a group of former footballers and workmates paid dividends yesterday when Lotseventy broke through for an impressive win at Broadmeadow.

Former South Newcastle fullback Mal Eveleigh formed the syndicate Twentyofus and bought Lotseventy for $28,000 at the 2006 Scone sales.

Keeping the football theme going, he entrusted the Choisir gelding to leading Newcastle trainer and former Lions lower-grader Kris Lees.

"A few of us had a horse with Tim Martin called Rock Cafe, which had a bit of success," Eveleigh said.

"Everyone kept saying, 'When you get another one let me know'.

"I got sick of them asking me. After Rock Cafe got injured and had to be put down, I got few footballers from Souths, a few blokes I used to work with and a few others together. There were 20 of us so that's what we named the syndicate.

"[Lees stable foreman] Mal Ollerton and I went up to the Scone sales and picked him out.

"He was a nice Choisir type out of a Rory's Jester mare. He was lot number 70 so that's what we named him. Tim Martin has his three-quarter brother, and when we bought him he said, 'You have got a cheap horse there'."

Lotseventy showed immediate potential and finished second in the two-year-old feature at Scone at his second start last May.

He was sent out for a lengthy spell and returned at Gosford on October 19, where he was an unlucky fifth.

Ridden by Dale Spriggs yesterday, Lotseventy ($3) was caught three-wide for most of the 1300 metres but powered away to win the maiden handicap in style.

Jockey Darryl McLellan, who has not ridden full-time for nearly two years, made a successful return to riding when he scored aboard Oakfield Jack in the rating 71 handicap over 1200m.

© 2008 Sun Herald

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