Flemington on Saturday.
It will, as it always is, be spectacular, memorable and hopefully profitable.
But for one woman, and her horse, it might be out-of-this-world peaking in all those areas.
She saddles up a horse going around in race 6 over 1400m.
And it’s pretty hard to put one aspect of the complex and unique nature of this lady and her horse in front of the other.
Firstly, the BM 84 event features the horse, who is an Irish import, called WENTWOOD.
That fact alone, when a European races on debut in Australia, is worth a closer, intriguing look. But this horse brings a few things of interest into play.
Firstly, he is a dual British winner and one of those wins was over…wait for it…. CONSTANTINOPLE, who we saw run a luckless 4th in the Gr 1 Caulfield Cup late last year.
The race was over 2048m at Cork, in Ireland in April last year. Constantinople had stamped himself a horse of the future winning his maiden by 10 lengths at his previous start and was all the rage at Cork.
But Wentwood, with an apprentice on board, ran him down quite comfortably.
That run turned heads, and as such that would see Wentwood, presumably, win this Flemington race.
But, before you jump straight in and back the begeez out of him, you need to know this.
Wentwood , on debut in Australia, is saddled today by trainer Maddie Raymond, who probably will be the most nervous person at Flemington.
Because she is also on debut.
The trek from Warrnambool, where she trains her team, will be a long one because Wentwood (Pour Moi-Desert Liaison), as mentioned, is her very first starter!
Yep, Raymond has only just received her trainer’s licence and has only two horses in work. This import and a maiden galloper called L’il Angel who was formerly with Tony McEvoy.
So, recapping this fascinating circumstance: Wentwood races in Australia for the very first time, for a trainer who has never had a runner at the races in her career.
And he will race as a gelding for the very first time too, over the shortest trip he’s even contested.
Wentwood is the $4.80 second favourite in the race with Ladbrokes.
Wow. Ok y’all, good luck with all that.
