French influence colours Bunbury stable

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.”

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.”