Smiling Hussy (inside - ridden by Clare Lindop) battles out the finish with Adoptme Two at Murray Bridge

Hussy didn’t have the easiest of runs – she was 3-wide without cover all of the way, got to the lead halfway down the straight, and toughed it out to win in a photo finish by a short head.

Smiling Hussy's Official Photo Finish Photo (from the Racing SA Website)

She is a brave little horse and always tries her hardest. Her trainer Leon Macdonald said that he would love all his horses to try as hard as she does.

It was such a thrill to be on hand for Hussy’s first win, and it was wonderful for her to finally breakthrough, after a couple of very near misses earlier in the preparation.

I just wish my grandmother was still alive – she loved her races, had always wanted a racehorse of her own, and would have had a ball!

I have more photos from the day, and will post a message in my blog when I have had a chance to upload them.

Wow – what a weekend!

He led all of the way to win by ½ a length.

It may have only been a country maiden, but it was still so exciting to finally have a winner!

Now I just have to keep my fingers crossed for Smiling Hussy at Murray Bridge tomorrow!

Chief Red Cloud at the Hancox Syndicate Day November 2008

It certainly made missing the dog show worthwhile

Hussy was the first to jump, she settled well in the run, and knuckled down well in the straight to just miss out on the win. It was great to see her run so well, given the track was a “Good 3″ - conditions that are more favourable for her.

Before the race she was up on her toes much more than I have seen from her before, so perhaps she is starting to get the idea of this racing game.

Providing she pulls up OK after the run, she should have her next start in a couple of weeks time.

Hussy with Tillie Neve up trying to wear down Bonview

Official Photo Finish of the race (from Racing SA Web Site)

Click here to see a video of the closing stages of the race (from the Racing SA Website).

He stumbled at the start, losing a bit of ground and was then hussled along to sit up 4th in the run, close to the leaders. He travelled well until the turn, and when they quickened up, he failed to go with them. His rider sat up on him in the closing stages, and he finished last.

I am not sure that being ridden up on the pace is the right place for him. In his previous starts he has performed better, when ridden a bit off the pace. Also, he is a lazy horse and we think he may have had a lend of his rider.

It will be interesting to see how he goes next time around, over a longer distance, and with a stronger rider.

She had only a couple behind her as the field came onto the home straight, but she picked up a few places finishing 13 lengths behind the winner.

Whilst the margin was not flattering, she was 3-4 wide nearly all of the way, and on the straight she was not on the best part of the track (which was against the outside running rail).

Whilst it wasn’t a great result, she did actually go better that I thought she might, as I think she is a typical Rory’s Jester, and does not go well on wet tracks. The trial and 2 races that she has had on these surfaces have been by far her worst efforts, so her effort is probably better than it looks at first glace.

I can’t wait until she finally gets another good track!

On the way home from the races, I dropped into Hussy’s breeders (Flower Hill Stud at Birdwood), and I got to meet her mum “Smilingly” and gorgeous baby half-sister by “Dash For Cash”. Hussy really is a clone of her mum – only smaller – and her grey baby sister is just adorable!

Smiling Hussy in the mounting yard at Murray Bridge

One thing that was apparent watching the race on TV is how immature he looked compare to the other horses in the race – most of whom were older than Alpha Bravo.

Perhaps he may have been better off running against his own age in the other 1400m maiden.

Certainly there has been good form coming out of his debut start, with the winner going on to win a $50,000 race at his next start, and the 2nd and 3rd horses in that race winning and running 3rd in the 3YO maiden on the same card.

 The stable reports that he pulled up well immediately after the race and provided he recovers well in the next couple of days he will go around again in 2 weeks time. They also think he looks like he will run up to 2000m.

 I read the steward’s report of the race, and he certainly seemed to have a couple of adventures in the run. In addition to being held up for a run coming onto the straight, on jumping he also had to be eased to avoid the heels of Beckett Star, which shifted out slightly. As a result of this, Bravo got his head up and made contact with the face of his rider Dean Yendall. Ouch!

Bravo also lost the off fore plate during the run.

All in all and adventurous first day at the races.

Hopefully he will pull up OK, and be able to have another run in a couple of weeks time.

She jumped from the barriers OK but drifted back to settle in the second half of the field.  Hussy is still a little green, and whilst she let down OK in the straight, she only made up a little ground and finished 9th in the 13 horse field. She never really looked comfortable in the run, and didn’t seem to handle the heavier going.

She seems like she has had enough this time in, and will now got out for a spell for a couple of months.

Smiling Hussy in the mounting yard prior to racing at Balaklava

As usual he jumped well but settled back in the field with only on or two horses behind him. Approaching the home turn, he was bustled up around the field, but wobbled around the turn, and was a bit green in the straight. His jockey Chris Symons appeared to drop the whip at the top of the straight, but Chief battled on well to finish 3rd again, 2½ lengths from the winner, and only just missing out on 2nd place by a nose.

He is certainly racing like a horse looking for still more ground, but there are not many of those types of races around for 2YOs at this time of year, so I would not be surpised if he went out for a spell now, to return as an early 3yo.

Hussy jumped well and settled on the fence around midfield. Despite being very green, when eased off the fence  in the straight, she worked home well to finish 4th in the 11 horse field, less than a length behind the 3rd placed horse. Her trainer Leon Macdonald was very pleased with her run, and he is thinking of running her at Balaklava in 2 weeks time if she pulls up OK.

It was also really nice to finally meet some of her other part owners.

Mind you some of us nearly didn’t make it there! 

There were major roadworks on the main highway up to Murray Bridge, and once you got caught in the jam, there was no way of getting out. All three lanes were blocked in parts Normally it only takes me 90 minutes to get to Murray Bridge from Two Wells, but today it took nearly 3 hours! I got into the track, just as they were leaving the mounting yard! 

 At least I got there in time to see her run.

Below is a photo I took of her returning to scale after the race.

Smiling Hussy returning to scale after finishing 4th on debut

I have more photos I took of her that I will eventually add to my on-line photo album. I will post a message here when they have been added.