Saturday was a red letter day in the life of Geoff Wheeler, his first city since taking out a trainer’s licence 25 years ago.

It just had to be at Caulfield where he and his wife, Debbie, settled to raise their family in Manchester Grove, a racehorse haven in years long gone.

The wait was all worthwhile when the filly he trains, She Can Skate, began to poke up on the inside as heads were turned for home.

After she reached the lead it took her just 12 seconds to reach the winning post, it seemed more like 12 minutes to Geoff and much longer before her number was finally semaphored.

A day in the life of Geoff Wheeler as trainer, wife Debbie as part owner, and jockey Reece, his son, a former leading apprentice, rode the filly, quite a special occasion they will never forget.

Maybe a few butterflies that’s all, the filly had form around her, a good win at Geelong and two placings at Caulfield from her only three starts.

She Can Skate winning at Caulfield

Geoff has never had any more than two horses in work at one time, for a good reason; there is no room behind the house for any more.

No room and the traffic hazards of crossing busy Neerim Road to work the horses each day is getting worse, with the result he is now leasing two boxes from Aquanita.

Geoff, born in Calcutta, came out from India in 1969 to join the stable of the late Angus Armanasco.

The family continue to live in Manchester Grove that has had a long tradition with racing; back in the fifties both sides of the street were lined with stables.

Phar Lap was stabled there before he won the Melbourne Cup, and just opposite, in James Street; the attempt was made to shoot the horse.

A decade later, a laneway leading off Manchester Grove was the path criminals took to shoot El Golea in mistake for Beau Vite.

Several notable winners have come from the street just off Glen Huntley Road, Joe Mulcahy won the Oaks with Triode, as did Bill Jeffries with Primavera and Harry Bird prepared Kind Link to win the Oakleigh Plate.

Geoff and Reece Wheeler