Wheeler stable bands together

By Jordan Gerrans

After the start to 2025 that the Gold Coast-based Wheeler stable has endured, there wasn’t a more worthy team to grab a much-deserved victory last Friday at Gatton. 

Veteran conditioner Lennie Wheeler was rushed to hospital earlier this year and in late January underwent open heart surgery.

At 65 years of age, Lennie was battling with fatigue and a long-standing dry cough. 

After a CT scan and a couple of weeks in hospital, the experienced trainer went under the knife to operate on his enlarged aorta, an aneurysm, among other concerns with his heart valves.

“He is very lucky to be alive,” Lennie’s daughter Bridgette said.

“When you have to gather your thoughts and think about maybe losing your dad and then think of his grandkids, which he has three.

“It puts a different perspective on life.”

Thankfully, Lennie is on the mend and working towards getting back to full fitness to prepare his handful in work at Aquis Park. 

While he was on the sidelines, Bridgette and other members of the Wheeler clan kept the barn ticking along. 

They only have a small team in work but the stand-in Wheeler stable tasted success on Friday for the first time since Lennie went into hospital. 

Tigon Princess was a dominant winner at Gatton over 1400 metres.

“To see her come out and win on Friday, that is what we all needed,” Bridgette said.

“We knew she was going to win; she has been going that well since joining the team.

“It was great to get the winner with dad back now; it was a big relief for everyone."

The four-year-old has only been a recent addition to the Wheeler barn after owner Darren Kuhl purchased her for just under $3,000 online.

Tigon Princess was previously prepared by multiple Group 1-winning horseman Kris Lees and has settled into life with her new stable smoothly.

The daughter of Dundeel could have easily won on debut for the team at Warwick earlier this month before going bang at Gatton with Madeleine Wishart doing the steering on Friday.

“They did a fantastic job, my daughters to help me out when I was in hospital,” Lennie said.

“It hit them, as well. If we didn’t have them, the stable wouldn’t have kept going.”

As he has worked his way back with his recovery, Lennie has been back at the stables a little more on the Gold Coast in recent weeks.

“He was back on light duties about two months ago, only really light duties, and he has picked up a little bit more,” Bridgette said.

“He is doing a lot more of the work. He is doing very well now.

“We all banded together, including my brother-in-law and others, when it first happened to keep the stable going and get the job done.”

Lennie is hopeful of being back to his old self in the near future and believes there is a couple more victories in Tigon Princess.

“I am coming through it, it is taking a while,” Lennie said.

“It does knock you around, open heart surgery.

“I didn’t have much strength for a while, but I am nearly back right now.”