By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk
When it comes to Mighty Looee’s highlights reel one race is streets ahead of any other.
The Sweet Lou eight-year-old, owned by Robyn Hellaby and co-trained by partner Robert Dunn, has been retired from the race track after notching up 17 wins in a 104-start career from 2019 and is now being re-educated for his Life After Racing.
And looking back there is a clear stand out.
“It was that Country Cup championship at Addington,” says Hellaby, “what a race!”
To relive it still gives the couple goosebumps. It was the $90,000 Hydroflow New Zealand Country Championship over 3200 metres at Addington on May 12, 2023.
Off the equal back mark of 20 metres, Mighty Looee added to his handicap by breaking badly at the start.
He settled a long and lonely last for driver Korbyn Newman. Against a high quality and capacity field they were still trailing the field with a lap to go before getting onto the three wide train.
The then six-year-old continued to make headway before charging to the lead inside the final 200 to beat Wheels Of Fortune and Get Up N Dance by over a length.
At 15/15 in the betting Mighty Looee paid $73 for the win.
“It was the run of his life,” says Dunn, who trained Mighty Looee along with daughter-in-law Jenna Dunn.
Hellaby wasn’t on course to see it – she was on family-minding duties in Auckland!
“My son Andrew had had twin boys and there we were with these tiny two month old babies and we saw him (Mighty Looee) coming through and we couldn’t yell out cause the babies were asleep,” says Hellaby, “so we were going ‘Go Looee’ very quietly and then when he won we went ‘yeah!’ – it was ridiculous.”
“We were so quiet but so excited,” says Hellaby.
At the time commentator Matt Cross could scarcely believe what had happened.
“Mighty Looee has won it – what a massive performance.”
“It was so great for Korbyn,” says Hellaby, “he took a shine to Looee right from the start and did so much with him.”
Mighty Looee also had four wins in Australia in 2021-22.
“He used to over race and that was his only downfall really,” says Dunn, “he could pull don’t you worry – he’d get real keen!”
“And that’s why we sent him to Menangle, we thought the mile racing would suit but he didn’t relax, he was on the nickel all the way.”
He then came back to New Zealand. His last win was the 2024 Methven Cup and the decision was made to retire him after two seventh placings at Alexandra Park in August.
For Hellaby Mighty Looee was her first foray into standardbred ownership.
Dunn had bought him at the sales for $20,000 in 2018 and thought he’d had him sold, only for the deal to fall through
A car ride later and Hellaby had been persuaded by Dunn to get involved, and she was Mighty Looee’s new owner.
“I didn’t even know who Sweet Lou was,” she laughs.
Right now Mighty Looee is being re-educated to saddle as part of HRNZ’s HERO (re-homing and re-educating) programme.
“He’s with Jo Ferguson and will be with her for four to six weeks,” says Hellaby.
“I’m shocked Jo has got him to trot so quickly,” says Dunn, “he just paced everywhere with me and he’s cantering as well. He takes ponies on the lead and he’s learning very quickly.”
Wherever he gets re-homed Hellaby is keen to stay involved.
“He’s very kind and intelligent – I just love that horse,” she says.
