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It was a 'perfect' weekend for Hawkesbury’s Wanda Ings’s stable. Trainer Wanda and her apprentice daughter Chelsea shared a victory at Saturday’s Cowra TAB meeting with Pretty ‘N’ Perfect, whilst Chelsea also helped fellow Hawkesbury trainer Bronwyn Mackie get back into the winning list at Port Macquarie a day earlier.

Chelsea Ings - riding in great form. Image by Bradley Photographers

Mackie, who stables her small team with Ings, scored with Kailis Pearl who was having only her second start for her.

The victories carried extra importance as Chelsea Ings bounced back from a nasty barrier incident at Newcastle on February 17 when she escaped serious injury, and both four-year-old mares shed their maiden status. In both cases, gear changes also were significant factors.

Wanda Ings notched the 65th win of her career, Mackie her 15th and Chelsea Ings her 46th (and 23rd in by far her most successful season to date).

“It was great that Chelsea could win races for both myself and Bronwyn,” Wanda Ings said.

“Bronwyn rode a lot of work for the late Guy Walter, and whilst racing is a hobby for her outside of her work, she is very passionate about it. When she recently sustained a hand injury, the best result was for her to stable her horses with us so that we could help her out working her horses.”

Ings paid tribute to her daughter for her role in lifting Pretty ‘N’ Perfect ($10) – who had a tongue tie back on - into the winning list at Cowra, in the Maiden Handicap (1375m). A daughter of Trusting from the four-times winner Capital Raising, Ings purchased her privately from Geoff Calder, who stayed in a syndicate she put together to race her.

“Geoff bought Capital Raising in foal to Trusting at a Patinack Farm dispersal sale,” Ings explained. “Pretty ‘N’ Perfect is her first foal. She has had her issues, and been pretty frustrating. But Chelsea persevered and deserves a lot of credit. Hopefully, Pretty ‘N’ Perfect will turn the corner now that she has broken through.”

Mackie won her first race this season with $10 chance Kailis Pearl, who prevailed in a close finish to the Maiden Handicap (1206m) against her own sex at Port Macquarie. The daughter of Pendragon has raced only five times, and was having only her second start for her new trainer. She followed up a $41 second to favorite Dexluther at Bathurst February 19 when Mackie raced her minus blinkers.

Mackie’s previous winner was roughie Your Place Or Mine ($41) at Muswellbrook in April last year.

Meanwhile, fellow Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup will have his first runner in this year’s $500,000 Polytrack Provincial Championships Final (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 14. Widdup, who began training less than 12 months ago, will be represented by Witches, who clinched a place in the final by finishing third to Just Dreaming and Manhattan Mist in the opening qualifier at Wyong on Sunday.