Phil Cook and his wife Delia, right, welcome Im Not The Maid after her win at Cambridge. PHOTO: Ange Bridson/Race Images.
Im Not The Maid delivers for Cook and 98-year-old mum-in-law lands $5 each way bet
By Barry Lichter • 21 August 2024
Phil Cook has been racing horses for four decades but has never lost the thrill of winning.
And when Im Not The Maid ($3.50) led all the way to clear maidens it didn’t matter that it was for a low stake on a cold night at Cambridge.
Cook, 77, was there with his wife Delia to enjoy the occasion, the win making him “feel good” despite knowing the owner’s share of the $8000 stake was only $3740, barely enough for a month’s training fees with some left over for a celebration.
And afterwards, over dinner at a restaurant in Cambridge, he shared the joy with his 98-year-old mother-in-law Joan Grice.
Phil Cook with Joan Grice on her 96th birthday in 2022.The remarkable woman, who two years ago was the life of the party at Cambridge Raceway when Cook’s Riverman Sam won, very nearly made it to the track again.
“But she said it was too cold to come out this time so she watched the race on TV.
“She’s got her own TAB account now but Delia put $5 each way on for her and now she wants to know when the filly will be racing again.”
It’s that infectious sense of fun that Cook finds most appealing these days and the reason he has branched out from breeding and racing his own horses to entering one of Lincoln Farms’ special partnerships.
Cook said it was hard not to join up after experiencing the atmosphere at Lincoln Farms’ hospitality room adjoining the Alexandra Park birdcage.
“Having fun is what racing is about and I really enjoy racing with these guys. Some nights there are lots of people in that room and even though they may only have 10% of a horse they get so excited you’d think they own it all.
“John and Lynne Street do a wonderful job getting people into horses and don’t get the recognition they deserve.”
Now with a share in Copy That’s exciting brother Sugar Ray Lincoln, Cook has a lot to look forward to and, while not getting carried away with Im Not The Maid’s win, he is also hoping for some more fun with her.
“I always thought she had potential and I’m glad she showed it last night. Hopefully she’ll go on with it.”
Im Not The Maid has Cupids Arrow well covered at the finish. PHOTO: Ange Bridson/Race Images.Trainer Ray Green said the filly’s winning time of 2:46.7, a pedestrian mile rate of 2:01.9, illustrated the low quality of the field.
“But I suppose all you can do is win and she did show a bit of character after having to burn early.
“She’ll have to improve though as it will be big steps from now on.”
The A Rocknroll Dance filly is the last of the progeny of Cook’s broodmare Bronze Lady, and the fourth winner of the five foals he’s had from her, the best of which was Riverman Sam (seven wins).
Cook bought the mare for “about six or seven thousand” after she had left three foals, two of them ending up prolific winners.
Bronze Over (US$572,566) scored nine wins here and another 39 in the States and Bronze Seeker (A$435,929) won 11 races here and another 17 in Australia.
Cook is now breeding from his best racemare Ideal Alice (20 wins, $434,000) who has just left her fifth foal, by Vincent.
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Spirited Belle
4.46pm
Delany: “I saw she’d been punted but somebody must know something we don’t as I’ve been working her myself and, while she feels all right and hasn’t put the boot in like at Auckland, I think she’ll need the run. She hasn’t got any high speed but feels like she will stay. She has improved a bit but I’d be surprised if she won.”
Race 1: Lincoln Maree
4.46pm
“It’s always hard from these draws but she’s a tough mare who will make her own luck at some stage. She’s going well enough - her drivers have all been happy - and she’s a little warrior who tries like hell.”
Race 2: Major Copy
5.12pm
“He’s only two and very inexperienced but he feels like a good colt and there’s a lot of improvement in him. He certainly caught a lot of people’s attention last time. I don’t know how good he is yet but he’ll be right there.”
Race 2: Prince Lincoln
5.12pm
“If he can lead without having to do too much work I can’t see anything beating him. I thought he went great last start. He pressed the winner hard ’til the corner then just flattened out in the run home, but he had every reason to do that after all the work he’d done.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.12pm
“She’s been undone by bad draws. If she led easily from three she’d be hard to beat as she’s a good front-runner.”
Race 4: Spirited Peggy
6.12pm
“We’ve had her for only two weeks but she’s seven now and has had her chance to win one. She has a bit of speed but I think she gets pulling so we’ve got the Hidez (compression) hood on her and plugged her ears up.”
Race 6: Copy N Paste
7.10pm
“We won’t see the best of him for another six months. He’s been a slow developing horse but is improving all the time and getting stronger.”
Race 6: Jessie Lincoln
7.10pm
“If I was having a bet on one of them in the race it would be her. She deserves to win one. Her last two have been really good - she just ran into one who was a bit slicker last time in Major Copy.”
Race 6: Lincoln Dealer
7.10pm
“He’s a bit one-dimensional - you’ve got to feed him track and let him run - so the second row draw is a big handicap. To his credit I was surprised he finished so close last time after all the work he did. When he gets a decent draw and crosses them they’ll know they’re at the races. He’s got a big motor and tries hard.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.08pm
“She clawed her way to the front last time but had nothing left at the finish. That won’t happen this time and she should lead easily from one.”
Race 8: Angelic Copy
8.08pm
“She’s had terrible draws but has been going good races. The others last time were just better than her but this is a big drop in class. With the right trip she could get some of it at huge odds.”
Race 9: Sugar Ray Lincoln
8.35pm
“He’s not quick away from a stand but he won’t muff it completely. He steps from the front line and Peter Ferguson was quite happy with his last run.”
Race 9: Lincoln Wave
8.35pm
“He bombed the stand the first time but to be fair all those horses were rushing up at him from the back and that panicked him a bit. He’s on 10 metres this time so that won’t happen.”
