LONGLEA trainer Glenn Sharp believes his dual Victorian Square Trotters Association (VSTA) award wins with Mystic Chip are a victory for all small trainers.
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The ever-consistent eight-year-old mare won both the association's country trotter of the year and trotting racemare of the year awards for the extended 2019-20 season.
Mystic Chip, by Tennotrump out of Delta Spark, raced 55 times during the season for five wins and a remarkably consistent 21 placings.
That haul earned the mare 60 points for the season, two clear in the country trotter of the year award of last November's Group 2 Breeders Crown Graduate Trotters Free For All winner Gus An Maori, with Allwoods Sunbeam a further four points back in third.
The Kate Hargreaves-trained Well Defined was fourth on 45 points, with Little Yankee and Mah Mukker equal fifth on 42.
Mystic Chip finished four points clear in the race for the trotting racemare of the year award, ahead of Group 2 Breeders Crown Championship (4YO Trotting Mares) winner Keyang Livana (56), with Monaro Maro and Allwoods Sunbeam (54) equal third ahead of Imsettogo and Dance Craze (52).
Leased by Glenn and Christine Sharp, Mystic Chip's five wins came at four different venues, including Cobram (September, '19), St Arnaud (November, '19), Bendigo (May and December, '20) and Kilmore (August, '20).
The long-time trainer said he was proud of the mare's performance during the 2019-20 season.
"She's no champion, but she's an honest little mare," Sharp said.
"Luckily, she's in my barn, but any of us smaller trainers would be pleased to have one like her in their barn.
"If you haven't got one of her you have nothing sometimes.
"A horse like her keeps you earning and certainly keeps you interested.
"She's not the type to be going out on long spells. If she puts in a plain run, you give her a few quiet weeks and go straight back to the races."
Mystic Chip, who will have her next run at Cobram this Thursday, has continued her solid form this season with two wins - at Maryborough and most recently at Shepparton on July 11 - and 12 placings from 30 starts.
Sharp, who currently has three horses racing, including Bellmac Bambi and Ima Ziabee, said the awards were 'good acknowledgment' of the mare's efforts.
"It stacks up well on her resume for later on as a broodmare," he said.
"She's never won a Group 1 or anything like that, but it's something that is certainly handy.
"She's got a good draw (two) on Thursday, so if she can do things right and get a forward position, she'll just need a bit of luck to get an earn."
The mare's overall race record features nine wins and 37 placings from 128 starts for $73,930 in prizemoney.
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