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French influence colours Bunbury stable

Headshot of Mitchell Woodcock
Mitchell WoodcockSouth Western Times
Stelmach stable foreman Adeline Wemelle with Trevinski and Couleur Bizzare, who will both be competing in the $17,500 George Preece Memorial Handicap (1100m) at the Bunbury Turf Club today.
Camera IconStelmach stable foreman Adeline Wemelle with Trevinski and Couleur Bizzare, who will both be competing in the $17,500 George Preece Memorial Handicap (1100m) at the Bunbury Turf Club today. Credit: Jon Gellweiler / South Western Times

A friendly stable rivalry could pay dividends for Stratham-based trainer Chris Stelmach today at the Bunbury Turf Club.

Stelmach trains Trevinski and Couleur Bizarre who are racing in the $17,500 George Preece Memorial Handicap (1100m), with both having almost polar opposite preparations.

The Trevor Parsons-owned Trevinski is first up from a seven-month spell, having last raced in June where he finished sixth across the 2300m.

Meanwhile, Couleur Bizarre is fresh off a maiden win last month and placed 10th in her 17th start at the Bunbury Turf Club last week across 1000m.

Stelmach said Trevinski would saddle up without a trial.

“He has done well from the spell,” she said. “I think he will run well in this race.

“We have done it before with a few of our horses and it has worked for us.”

Cartoon by Richard Paterson
Camera IconCartoon by Richard Paterson
Cartoon by Richard Paterson
Camera IconCartoon by Richard Paterson

Couleur Bizarre broke a 15-race drought to grab a maiden win in December and according to Stelmach was unlucky last week not to run better than back of the field.

“He was checked and didn’t really get a run, hence why he is saddling up a week later,” she said.

“He was a bit of a slow learner, he had a spell and then I brought him back and he was completely different.”

Couleur Bizarre was named by French stable foreman Adeline Wemelle, one of many French people employed over a number of years.

Stelmach said a lot of her horses had French names because of the connection.

“We have a lot of people come out from France and they tend to name them,” she said.

“Couleur Bizzare is a funny colour and hence her name.

“We don’t have a horse who understands English because they are broken in by the French.

“When a jockey gets in the saddle we have to teach them a bit of French.”

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