DESIGNATED harness racing regions in Victoria have proven a stroke of good fortune for many horses during the coronavirus pandemic - just ask Kylie Linsell.
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The Sebastian trainer readily concurs that her mare Nikita Adele has been one such beneficiary.
The five-year-old pacer notched up a second win from her past four starts with a gutsy all-the-way victory at Lord's Raceway on Monday night.
For Linsell, it was her fourth career win with the daughter of Shadow Play and all the encouragement needed to set her sights on a few more.
"The regional racing has really suited her .... she tries, that's the main thing. I own her, so as long as she tries I'm happy," she said.
"I'll just try and find another suitable race for her coming up in the next week or so.
"She has pulled up well, she's back to her usual bouncy self (in the stables) trying to kick me, so she's definitely alright."
All but four of the Nikita Adele's 51 starts, for four wins and eight placings, have come under the guidance of Linsell, who said she was 'fortunate' to have bought the mare from her former owners Colleen and Kevin Bamford, from Daisy Hill, in Doreen.
The Bamfords are well-known as the part-owners of the 2010 Melbourne Cup winner American.
Remarkably, Our Doreen Days, who ran second behind Nikita Adele on Monday, was also formerly owned by the Bamfords, but is now owned by trainer Nigel Milne and his young family.
Nikita Adele has been partnered in both of her recent wins by comeback driver Rod Lakey, who was again at his tenacious best in the front-runner's role.
The win was Lakey's 14th since his return to race driving early last-month and earned him plenty of praise from the winning trainer.
"He's had three drives for three wins on my horses. He also won on Orbie (on April 20)," Linsell said.
"He's has done really well for us. It's been great to watch."
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