It may have been a lowly-rated race at Albury but it was a win that meant the most to Wagga trainer-driver Brett Hogan.
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The Wagga builder guided Beach Wreck to victory in a Reward Series Heat on New Year's Eve, a win that meant more to him than any other.
Beach Wreck was given to him for his five-year-old daughter Pippa, who loves the horse 'like you would not believe'.
Eight months ago, the horse almost died from a bad case of colic.
"He got real bad colic and was rushed off to the uni...and operating wasn't a financial option," Hogan explained.
"I was talking to Leigh Sutton and he said that his dad always said a wild float ride fixes colic. So we threw him on the float and took him down some dirt roads.
"I rang Pippa up and said he's going to go, we took him around and said a few goodbyes, we thought he was gone but the old dirt road must have fixed him."
Hogan took his time nursing the gelding back to full health. He got him to the racetrack for his debut at Junee last month where he ran third.
He then caused a boilover at Albury at his second start, leading all the way to score as a $26 chance.
"It's probably the littlest race I've ever won but probably meant the most," Hogan said.
"If it wasn't for Pippa, I probably would have gave up. She loves the horse like you wouldn't believe.
"She's been saving a spot on her wall for a picture of the horse winning for six months."
The horse was given to Pippa by the Jerrick family.
By Somebeachsomewhere out of Jerrick's well-performed mare Golden Slippa, Beach Wreck has been a work in progress.
The five-year-old will have his third start in the HRNSW Reward Series Final (1740m) at Wagga on Tuesday night.
"Norm always said he had a little bit of ability," Hogan said.
"We brought him back (from colic) slow and steady. He goes ok. He's no star, he's very green, a typical Somebeachsomewhere, he's head strong but we'll take our time with him and see.
"I don't think he's going to get to too many great heights but he'll be a bit of fun to play around with around here. The time he won in the other night wasn't flash but he stuck his head out at the right spot."
Hogan rates the David Kennedy-trained The Cheddarnator, who won at Temora on Saturday night, as the horse to beat on Tuesday night, while he also respects Albury pacer Jimmylesurf.
Hogan has three other drives on the night, two for outside stables in Give Us A Wink (Norm Jerrick) and Reincarnate (Col McLachlan), while he expects Roll On The Beach to hold her own in the $10,000 Evolution Series 3YO Fillies Heat (1740m).
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