Magic Monday, or a divinely dead duck

 

It's been a quiet couple of months for us on the horsey front. Emily has been having 'time out' and little Kurty has been practising for his second (official) birthday ...

But Emily's holiday came to an end last week, and she came up to Rangiora for a trial before her return to racing. The record shows that she finished 5th. But it was an encouraging 5th. Jimmy dropped her well back off the pace, and only pushed the button in the final straight, at which the wee girl raced up through the gears and made up an unprintable amount of ground before the line. She was clearly ready to go racing. So, what did Howie-our-trainer have in mind?

Ashburton. Groan. In a quarter of a century racing horses, and 54 wins, I have never won a race at Ashburton. And Emily? In her 24 races she has only disgraced herself once. And it was at Ashburton. I groaned even more deeply when the fields for 'Magic Monday' (called thus as one of the most important lead up races to NZ Cup Week) went up ..

A full field of sixteen runners. And Emily had the visitor's draw ... number 14. However, the tipster wasn't worried. Her trial had been noticed ..

And what was my surprise when the odds went up to see her posted as $3.80 favourite! It didn't stay that way: the money came for both Feel the Moment (Matty Williamson) and Kawhi (John Dunn) and Emily drifted a whisker back to second, then third favouritism.

But she didn't know that. She waited calmly in her box until it was time to go out on to the track ... oh! she looked so lovely. But good looks don't necessarily win races.

I had stopped for a sit down and a cup of tea in the Kiosk (best race-course sarnies, worst race-course loo) when I realised the sixteen starters were circling in readiness. Sixteen trotters? Someone would play up ... I had time to hobble to the grandstand ...  I hadn't. Sixteen well-behaved trotters lined up .. Emily at the rear, giving 10 metres at least to the two favourites .. and I and my walking stick were stranded on the lawn! 

Away they went. Emily did her inevitable pas de chat, and launched from the rear through the field, avoiding the odd bit of carnage, as they got on their way ..

She settled in 8th or 9th place, three, then two wide, as Kawhi rolled the field along  ... tucked in behind the favourite ...

But ... around came Tim Williams and Murano, heading for the front ... but Kawhi held her out .. and as they came into the final bend, Emily was 7 or 8 lengths off the pace. Come on, Jimmy, come on screamed a little voice inside my head. Never try to teach your grandmother to suck eggs ...

Now, Jimmy, now!  And wallop. The favourite galloped, right in front of our girl!

As Matty swung the breaking horse out wide, Jimmy steered Emily around his inside. Had she missed her moment? Kawhi, Murano and Sinner Cool were lengths in front, and the speed was good. Then Kawhi gave up the ghost and galloped as well!

Jimmy pulled Emily wide and as they headed towards me, she came steaming past ... she was going to come somewhere! 

But she kept right on steaming ... I could only see their back ends as she collared Sinner Cool in extremis ... 

My Ashburton duck was a duck no longer ... 

The journey home went lightly. We even stopped for nibbles at the new Islington Tavern. Then Gerolstein, and time to celebrate by filling our trophy with Pegasus Bay chardonnay ... not a wine for every day! And this bottle had been sitting in my cupboard awaiting the day when ... 

On the other side of town, the heroine of the day was getting her reward. A nice massage ...

Next weekend, Kaikoura. Twelve years since I last raced at Kaikoura. It was with Emily's great-uncle, Seppl. And he won ....

Of course, we don't expect Emily to win twice in a row. Do we ....?