Ineeda Drink and Toby Lynn after their win at Bunbury Photo by Photography by Jodie Hallows
Being a big boy, Ineeda Drink needed some time to grow and develop, but on Saturday night the now seven-year-old broke through for his maiden win for trainer Brad Lynn and driver Toby Lynn, giving part-owner Sonya Murrell plenty to celebrate.
“Just last week I said to my friends that I’m going to take him to the mechanics and see if they can find that extra gear.” Murrell joked.
Thrilled with how the gelding had been racing leading into Saturday night's win, Ineeda Drink went into the last race on the card at $9 odds, but after leading all the way from barrier two he never looked in any doubt, going on to win with a two-metre margin
What sounded like a panicked phone call from Tony Svilicich to Sonya Murrell late one night, turned out to be nothing more than the two needing to pick a name for the then much younger Ineeda Drink, but it was Sonya’s daughter who ultimately named the now seven-year-old gelding.
“She couldn’t understand a word that Tony said, and me and Tony are talking, and I gave her three names to put down and I said put down the names you want, and on the way home she said ‘well I need a drink, after listening to me and Tony’s back and to, so she put her three names down first and that’s how he got his name Ineeda Drink.”
Making his debut late last year as a late six-year-old, the double westbred son of Follow The Stars was bred by Allwood Stud and purchased by Tony Svilicich, Sonya Murrell and Paige Verboon and J Moesker.
“Drinky-Drink was such a big boy, and we didn’t really get the impression that he wanted to be there, so we left him in the paddock for a couple of years.”
Ineeda Drink spent a short time with Barry and Linda Hamilton, with Murrell making mention that at the time, Tony’s style of training didn’t suit the big horse, and ultimately needing him put in the cart each day.
He then went on to spend the next three months in their care, before she put him back in the paddock, before ultimately making the decision to send him to Brad Lynn, a decision she hasn’t regretted for one second.
“Brads been doing a wonderful job with him.”
Murrell has ridden the wave of success plenty of times in her expansive time in the industry, but some of her highlights have been when Mysta Magical Mach won the WA Pacing Cup in 2009 just months after they purchased him, as well as running second in the 2012 Interdominion Grand Final here in Perth behind WA Champion Im Themightyquinn.
“I’ve experienced everything from Group 1 horses to breeding my own but its more about the ups and downs of racing,
“One minute you’re cleaning out boxes with your children helping and the next you’re helping someone you hardly know, but the best thing about it is the lifelong friends that you meet and accept you and your family as part of theirs for life.”
