It was a bittersweet moment at Morphettville late last month as George Dimitropoulos claimed his first winner since moving to South Australia.
The former Wagga trainer, who’s operated cafes and shops in Cootamundra, Tumbarumba, and Gundagai, headed back south earlier this year following the passing of his beloved wife Katrina in October last year.
The 66-year-old moved back home to be closer to family, and when Mouse Almighty won the 1000m Benchmark 78 Handicap with Stacey Metcalfe in the saddle, it was a moment he enjoyed but one that soon had the trainer thinking of his late wife.
“It was a thrill in more than one way,” Dimitropoulos said.
“Yes, it was my first winner back, but Stacey was my apprentice, and she was always close to my wife, and it was a thrill to have Stacey winning it and winning on Mouse.”
George and Katrina were inseparable after moving from South Australia to the Riverina in the 1990s.
During their 45-year marriage, they enjoyed their life together, running cafes and shops while racing horses successfully as a hobby.
George was even a handy footballer, captain/coaching the Cootamundra Strikers into his 50’s.
“I loved every minute of it, and I absolutely love the Riverina and all the people we met, and I miss the place,” Dimitropoulos said.
“We were supposed to come back to South Australia in a couple of years, but when my wife passed away, it was hard, and it’s been about 13 months, and it started getting a bit difficult in the area.
“We were there alone, and our family was back here, and well, my wife is buried here, and I thought it was time to head back home.”
It helped going back home with Mouse Almighty, with the seven-year-old now a nine-time winner and a noted mudlark.
She is a small horse with a big heart and made a name for herself as a handy sprinter in the Riverina before Dimitropoulos moved south.
“She is a good little horse, and she always puts in, and I thought she did well to win the other day,” Dimitropoulos said.
Now based in Gawler, the veteran trainer said his team had settled into their new digs.
“It took a while to settle down, and it was hard to find a trackwork rider in the first couple of weeks, but we got that sorted, and we are as good as gold,” Dimitropoulos said.
“It’s terrific here, and we work them out of their boxes, and I’ve got facilities I never had at Wagga.
“We can saddle them up, put them in the walker, give them a couple of laps in the pool, and it is just a great set-up at Gawler.”
While Dimitropoulos has a knack for training, he won’t be expanding his team any time soon, and he’s happy to kick along with a small stable while he and his family look to open a new shop in Davoren Park.
“I’ve never been a fan of training big numbers, and I like to muck around with three to five,” Dimitropoulos said.
“I’m opening a Pizza Bar again, and I’ll operate it with my kids and enjoy life.
“I love racing, and I like to keep it as a hobby more than anything. I love the horses and want to give them every chance, and with small numbers, I can concentrate on them, and if I’m not the right man, I can move them on to where they can win.”
One galloper he did move on was Blazing Zone, who ‘wasn’t happy’ in Gawler, and he was on the money, with the seven-year-old finding a good home with Des Perryman. He has since won races at Narrandera and Corowa.
I was so happy to see him win for Des,” Dimitropoulos said.
“He wasn’t happy in a box; he needed to be trained out of a paddock, and he’s obviously very happy where he is, and you can see that because he is racing very well.”
Dimitropoulos and his stable will look to continue their good form this week, with Mouse Almighty contesting the 1000m Heat of TAB Gytrash Series Benchmark 90 Handicap at Morphettville on Saturday.
On Wednesday, the Gawler trainer has Willybeafactor and Kindra Park entered to race at Murray Bridge.
