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By Ray Hickson

Whether apprentice Shae Wilkes rides Sumo Fish in the $1 million Evergreen Turf Country Championships Final or not she’s adamant that he’ll relish the 1400m after riding him to victory at Port Macquarie.

The five-year-old gave the jockey’s father Wayne his second winner in the Mid North Coast Country Championships, following Lucciola Belle who won in 2019 and ran second in the Final, and third finalist since the concept’s inception.

Shae Wilkes after winning the Mid North Coast Country Championships on Sumo Fish.

It didn’t exactly go to plan for Wilkes in the run as Sumo Fish gave away more start than she’d planned but the gelding relished a strong tempo and made it four straight wins beating outsider Mckeon, trained by Joe Burges, and Bjorn Ironside.

“They went quick, I was back further than what I expected,’’ she said.

“I got on the back of dad’s other horse Laizabout, he sort of didn’t take me into the run but once he saw them in front he absolutely let down.

“He’s just crying out for the 1400m now so look out Randwick.”

The 25-year-old apprentice made it four wins from five starts on Sumo Fish and she said it was special to win the $150,000 Evergreen Turf Mid North Coast Country Championships given her association with her father’s last winner.

“I had a lot to do with Lucciola Belle in trackwork and when she won and I absolutely bawled my eyes out that day,’’ she said.

“This horse has been absolutely phenomenal for me, I can’t thank the owner enough and dad for letting me stick on him.

“He’s just a horse that absolutely keeps stepping up, every time you ask him for the next effort. It’s just a thrill.”

The win saw Sumo Fish firm to a $15 chance with TAB in the Final, run on April 5, having booked a spot in the race.

Wayne Wilkes saddled up five runners in the Port Macquarie race and he paid tribute to Shae for the work she puts in at the stables and in particular on Sumo Fish.

“It was a perfect ride today on him, got back with a lot of speed on and she didn’t panic or anything. She was patient and got him to the outside and let him hit the line,’’ he said.

“She does all the gallops on him basically, she does a lot of work in the stable and works tirelessly.

“All this is 110 per cent credit to her and what she’s doing. I'm proud of her as a father, a boss and everything."

Tuncurry trainer Joe Burges has his first runner in the Final after $81 outsider Mckeon filled the second placing, making her run with the winner, at her second run back from a spell.

All the results and replays from Sunday’s Country Championships meeting at Port Macquarie