Tamworth trainer/breeders Roz and Barry Evans have won dozens of races at Wentworth Park but none has given them as big a buzz as Yo Cool Maxie’s all-the-way win in Thursday’s Maitland Gold Collar final.
Yo Cool Maxie (pictured, check rug) turned four on December 12 but someone forgot to tell him he was too old and he exploded from the boxes to win the 400m final in 22.52, just 0.15 wide of his personal best at the Maitland track. Yo Cool Maxie won by 3/4 of a length to race favourite Set And Match with Black Magic Opal's litter sister Glamorous Opal a further 1 1/4 lengths away in third.
It was Yo Cool Maxie’s 28th win in 91 starts which have also yielded 26 placings.
"What is remarkable is that Yo Cool Maxie finished second to his brother Little Ed in the same race in 2012," Roz Evans said.
"It’s one thing to compete in finals two years running but to win in 2014 after running second in 2012 is pretty extraordinary.
"When Barry decided to keep racing Yo Cool Maxie, who won the Armidale Cup a couple of weeks back, my only concern was about the dog getting hurt.
"Our children and grandchildren adore this dog, he is the family pet first and foremost, and I told Barry that if anything happened to Yo Cool Maxie the kids would kill him!"
