Bamboo Hands Bates An Easter To Remember

RANK outsider West On Bamboo delivered 36-year-old trainer Damien Bates a breakthrough feature race triumph with victory in Thursday night's Easter Cup Final (600m) at Angle Park.

And the fun didn't stop there either for Bates, landing a winning double on the night courtesy of former Victorian Ask Me Now's victory later in the program.

"West On Bamboo's win was definitely unexpected," offered Bates of his $26 winner.

"I had a few mates ask me during the day if she was worth something each-way and I told them not to bother. I didn't have a cracker on her either!"

Tackling the $5,000 to-the-winner Easter Cup after scraping through to the finale with a fourth placing in her heat, West On Bamboo, a daughter of Collide and Revealed, took out the feature by a length over Cripps Dusty in 35.13.

"She's been a bit frustrating lately so it was great to see her take the runs and win the way she did," Bates offered. "With her the ability is there but her form has been off a bit lately."

Owned in partnership by Bates along with good mates Tim Aloisi and Matt Lehman, West On Bamboo's racing days are numbered with a career in the breeding barn imminent.

"When she comes on season that'll be it," Bates said of the 15-time winner.

"When we bought her from WA it was mainly to tap into the Tranquil Flame line in her breeding. Anything she did on the track was a bonus really. We've got a straw to Barcia Bale for her so we're just waiting for her to come on (season)."

With three kennels at his Trott Park residential property, Bates puts the polish on just the three racing dogs, each of which have been successful this past week.

"I said to my wife Mel the other day that having some success the past week definitely makes the long days that bit easier … it'd been a long 5-6 weeks before that," Bates said.

"I'm a carpenter by trade so my days start around 5am and after racing can sometimes finish after midnight."

Bates' week to remember kicked off with Chief's Sidekick making it back-to-back wins at Angle Park last Monday.

"Winning two in a row with Chief's Sidekick has been very rewarding," he stated.

"I've had him for 7-8 months and it's taken plenty of time to get him back to the track. He's in at Murray Bridge tomorrow (Sunday) and should take some beating even though he hasn't been there. He's got the pink so he should get fresh air early.

"And to win with Ask Me Now on Thursday was great as well. He's a dog with serious confidence issues. That's the best way to explain it. I've never seen a dog like him.

"He's spooked easily and was a naughty boy in a race at Sandown before he came over here. I'm still working him out, giving him plenty of one on one time."

And while Bates has just the three in work, it's certainly not where his interests in greyhounds rests.

In ownership with Tim Aloisi and Matt Lehman, the trio continue to ramp up their substantial investment in the sport right around the country.

"When Tim and Matt really began to sink their teeth into ownership I was doing fly in and fly out work so I wasn't as involved to begin with," Bates said.

"Things have really stepped up in the past year or two and between the three of us it's a real social thing. Our partners get on great and we enjoy it all together.

"We've got some really well bred pups on the way through and Deb (Coleman) and Rob (Camilleri) are doing a fantastic dog with our dogs in Victoria."