WINGFIELD SURPRISE -- THE CAMPAIGNER FROM THE KINGDOM
--by Jackie Cowan
When Wingfield Surprise finished a tired third in the Grade B at Schull in December, Peter Hennessy's first thought was to give him a break for a while. But on the long journey home, he decided to retire him, and to try and get a good home for him. Conferring on the phone with his family, fifteen year old Sharon, and Yvonne, 14, cast their vote in favour of keeping Wingfield Surprise as a riding horse. It seems a fitting decision, as this game competitor provided so much interest for spectators, as well as fun for the family.
He arrived on the Munster scene, as a nine year old, in 1999, with a few wins at Portmarnock to his credit. Earlier, in Corbiewood, he had won, among others, the Phyllis Moore Memorial and the Ontario Cup. His biggest success was the Final of the P. J. Shanahan Memorial Handicap. Driven by Donal Murphy, he had also won his qualifying race, doing both pillar-to-post. He seemed to perform best as a front-runner, although he could do it another way. In April, 2000, at Central Track, when driven by Michael Goggin, he overhauled the leaders and won by five lengths from Cool Fella.
Another great win for the Hennessy family was when he won on the second day at Lisdoonvarna, when driven by Jason Kane. Wingfield Surprise, by Nolan Hanover out of Abi Aloyse, was equally at home on turf, scoring at Drinagh twice and at Ballineen, each time driven by Donal Murphy. He only ever won one saddle race -- on the road at Schull in 2001, with Christine Murphy up. But he was often in the shake up in ridden events on turf/track. Wingfield Surprise always seemed to give his best, he could never be discounted in any race, and the times he went home without a paycheque must be very few.
This great campaigner from Kerry has bowed out, but the Kingdom is well represented at the moment by Wee Cracker and Hello Good Knight, which are shaking up the road ranks. Town End Deb, which won, among others, the Christopher Dunne, Jr. Memorial 3-Y-0 at Central Track in 1997, is providing company for Wingfield Surprise at Castlegregory, in his retirement from racing. Her Cam Security two-year-old is set to debut later on in the summer season, and it should be no "Surprise" if this one keeps the banner flying in the baby stakes for this sporting stable.