WHAT an absolute champion is the little mare, Gwennybegg, who made it win five, from six starts, at the Tumut track on Saturday.

A field of 10 faced the starter in Tumut's feature race, the Tumut Mile, on the tight turning and undulating track.

Starting from barrier three and with apprentice Sinead Peebles riding, Gwennybegg, trained by Georgie Boucher at Jindabyne, got a good start and enjoyed a perfect run off the pace and along the rail.

However, at the 200 metre turn, Gwennybegg had horses in front of her and nowhere to go. In a magnificent ride by the fledgling Peebles, with less than 50 race rides in her career, she navigated across the heels of the two horses in front for a clear run to the line.

Under the jockey's balanced urgings, in an exciting finish, Gwennybegg prevailed by a half head margin over Dream Inherit, trained by Becky Byrne and with Bounty By Knight in third.

The remarkable effort of the trainer and horse speaks for itself when you learn that they won the same race in 2022 and 2024.

At $5000, Gwennybegg was a cheap, tried horse purchase by Boucher who she has raced with her partner Michael Flanagan, mother, Pam Clothier, and, until his recent passing, her stepfather, 'Rusty' Clothier. She won at the Cooma Cup meeting, at Tumut on Boxing day and again on Saturday, each time ridden by Peebles, overall amassing fourteen wins and $152000 in prize-money throughout her career.

With Georgie's recent breast cancer diagnosis and subsequent chemotherapy, there is little doubt that every recent race win by Gwennybegg has had more significance. And, whilst Gwennybegg is known for her strength of character and tenacity, so too is her trainer who will continue training and no doubt maintain her positive attitude.

Racing this week will be at Queanbeyan on Friday with it likely that horses trained locally will be competing.