Chillemi Strikes with Purpose and Speed

Veteran trainer Roy Chillemi reminded everyone he’s still a force to be reckoned with after landing a winning double at Cluden Park on Tuesday.

Chillemi combined with premier hoop Lacey Morrison to score big wins with home bred Purpose ‘N’ Vision in the Ladbrokes QTIS 3YO Mdn Hcp (1200m) and the game Speed Legend in the Class 6 Plate (1400m).

It was a welcome return to form for the veteran mentor and long-time trainer for the North’s biggest owner Tom Hedley, who now sits second in the premiership with 12 wins, 13 behind defending title holder Georgie Holt.

The last two seasons have been light on by Chillemi’s standards after 17 Cluden title wins, but Tuesday’s double was a promising sign more wins are coming.

“I went overseas and had some time off over the summer. The horses had time out and I had time out, and the bad weather this year hasn’t helped,” Chillemi said.

“But I haven’t got a lot of good horses, a few good ones and I’ve just got to get them firing.

“It’s nice to get a double. It’s nice to get a winner any time nowadays. There’s a lot of better horses around. Tom’s got about half a dozen trainers with different stables and we’re all competing.”

Chillemi has high hopes for the game Speed Legend after he scored his third win from as many starts at Cluden.

A lightly raced seven-year-old, Speed Legend finished hard from the back of the field to win in a tight finish over Talons.

“He’s a nice little horse. I’d like to win a decent race with him. Probably around the 1400m, something like the Newmarket in Cairns or maybe something around here up to a mile,” Chillemi said.

“I was really pleased with Purpose ‘N’ Vision too. I bred her, she’s a half-sister to Mystery ‘N’ Magic who will retire at the end of this campaign.

“He won through to open company and was a good horse for us so I’m hoping this filly might develop into a good replacement for him.

“I’ve got another little one out of the mother (Faith ‘N’ Vision), Love N Vision. She’s had one start and ran third. I think she’ll be better than this one but as a three-year-old. I’m leaving her out for three months.”

Chillemi turns 75 in October this year, and still enjoys the hurly burly of the industry – while the body holds out.

“I have talked about easing up quite a few times and it’s really a health thing. Tom keeps me going saying we’ve got to have a bit more fun. There comes a day where your health will decide things.

“I’m still going ok. But you know when you come down the tail gate with a nice strong three-year-old or two-year-old, they want to come down a lot bloody faster than I do.”

While Chillemi was enjoying the winning double, he is pleased with the progress of Missile Thunder who closed off strongly for fourth to the Stephen Massingham-trained More The Merrier in the Open Hcp (1000m). 

He hasn’t lost faith in the former boom two-year-old returning to form as he continues his return from 12 months on the sidelines with bones chips.

“He’s not pinging yet. It was a grinding finish but the time was quick. I think he needed that run again today.

“There’s no barrier trials up where we are and we’ve had to run him back into condition with racing and it’s just taking longer because he was out for so long.

“His next start will be over 1200m, and after that we’ll really know where he’s going.”

Pictured: Roy Chillemi with premier hoop Lacey Morrison and Speed Legend after claiming the Ladbrokes Same Race Multi C6 Plate (1400m).

See the racing calendar for upcoming race days.