Drought Breaking Win Erases Self Doubts For Weinert

It’s amazing what a win can do for your confidence.

Despair turns into faith; hopelessness leads to optimism.

For Indianna Weinert, Royal Choisir’s drought-breaking win at Ascot last Saturday could not have come at a better time, personally and professionally.

Relatively new to training, Weinert is only in her second season and celebrated success for the first time in 2019 with Carlin Road at Narrogin.

In a thrilling finish to an 1100m handicap, Carlin Road rallied in the final stride to win by half a head to give Weinert her first milestone win.

Unfortunately for Weinert, until this weekend, Carlin Road was the only time she was able to grace the winner’s camp at the races.

After a testing and frustrating 13-month winning streak, Weinert was filled with self-doubt and questioned her abilities as a coach.

“It wasn’t until last week that I thought what can I do to win races, or what am I not doing to win,” Weinert told The Races WA.

“It definitely affected me mentally; I questioned everything I was doing.

“It’s such a tough game and I’ve had a lot of coaches tell me to keep going, it will come, just keep going.

“I just pushed myself, pushed myself and I feel like this could be the beginning.”

Royal Choisir had her third start for Weinert and went around as the leading outside horse in the Crown Perth Handicap (2200m).

The six-year-old filly saluted spectacularly at big odds, returning $101 on Tabtouch Fixed Odds and $71.70 and $10 on the bag.

A daughter of Proisir, her second career win caught not only bettors on edge, but Weinert as well, her expectations going in were overwhelming.

“I’m still on a high, very much so,” Weinert said.

“I find myself walking around the barn with a big smile on my face.

“It wasn’t until the morning of the race that I thought I’d be happy with $1400 just to go around.

“I’ve had a lot of people ask why I didn’t tip her, but I had no idea she’d even place, let alone win.

“When she went over the line, my face was just jaw-dropping on the floor, and I thought, what, is that her?”

Weinert can’t wait to experience that winning feeling again.

She hopes her third success won’t take as long as her second.

“I think the horse (Royal Choisir) benefits from going three weeks between runs,” Weinert said.

“I’m looking at a race next month on the 25tt over the same distance and class in racing.

“Then maybe we can look at the Bunbury Cup after that.

“I think it’s on the agenda now.”

Julio Santarelli