Local victory in Golden Topaz at Swan Hill

A horse that his trainer thought may have been finished racing a year ago has come out to win the feature sprint race at the three-day Swan Hill Carnival.

Yulong Storm has provided trainer Nathan Hobson and his former apprentice Madison Lloyd with the feature sprint race of the Carnival, the Golden Topaz (1200m) on Friday.

Sent out the $4.20 favourite, Yulong Storm scored by 1-¼ lengths from Ocean Beyond ($21) with Sacred Palace ($6.50) a nose away third.

“It means a lot this win with this horse,” Hobson told racing.com.

“I thought 12 months ago he was finished, but to the owners’ credit and perseverance, we had to find what was wrong with him.

“Credit must go to a lot of people along the way with the vets at Kyabram and Ballarat. Pat Cannon did a lot of pre-training with him on the water-walker.

“We found out what was wrong, gave him the spell he needed and he’s back bigger, better than ever.”

Hobson said to win the feature sprint at his home track was unbelievable, but to combine with Lloyd who started her apprenticeship in Swan Hill, it means even more.

Yulong Storm started his career with Peter and Paul Snowden, but after one win in his first six starts, the sprinter was sold.

His career now stands at 38 starts for eight wins and a further 10 placings and more than $340,000 in prize money.

Lloyd had never ridden a winner at the Swan Hill Carnival until partnering Spanish Snitzel to victory in the race prior to the Gold Topaz.

She said Yulong Storm was already a special horse.

“He gave me my first winner at my first ride at Flemington, but to win this race for Nathan, the Golden Topaz, it’s been a race that I’ve always wanted to win,” Lloyd said.

“But he’s far from easy to ride.

“Normally he would go back and switch off, but the last two times that I’ve ridden him he’s been on the bridle, so you must keep him as comfortable because you know you have a lot of horse underneath you.”