Everyday people enjoying the sport of kings

THE Turf club of Ballarat put on one of the first spring races on the calendar last Wednesday, but the weather was far from accommodating, delivering a cold, damp, windy, winter day, that Ballarat is unfortunately renowned for.

But for the connections of Chalcidian it was race day, and they came from afar to watch their fouryear- old bay mare resume racing in the Hygain Winners Choice for Fillies and Mares, over the 1200 metre journey in race six, after a short spell.

Owners Julie Rothenberger and husband Peter McPherson took the four-hour journey from Kyalla and were quite optimistic as the mare went to the starter’s gate.

Rothenberger and McPherson have become real enthusiasts of the sport.

“Peter and myself have been in thoroughbreds for four years come this debutant Stakes Day,” Rothenberger said.

“We were looking for an interest when our boys left home and didn’t need mum to take them to sport and be their taxi anymore. I had always been interested in the races and thought this is our time, so we set about getting a horse or syndicate.

“She is the fifth horse we have had and we have had success, but the best success we have had is in meeting lots people in racing and making new friends who share the love of the game as we do, also the experiences we get out of it.”

The biggest race that Rothenberger and McPherson have won is the UCI Stakes in 2017 at Flemington, although it is not a group race, it is a listed race worth $120,000 and a precursor going into the Group 1 race, the Derby.

“It seems a lot of money but we only have small shares in the horses and that is so we can spread the risk,” Julie added.

“We are only in it for the fun of it and if there is a little stake money to collect that is a bonus, one should not go into racing with too high an expectation, otherwise you might be disappointed.”

The racing game can be a tough, demanding and expensive sport, that’s why they call it the sport of Kings, but over the years it has become a sport that the average man can afford if one joins a syndicate to spread the cost, and that is what Chalcidian is, a syndicate horse in the stable of top ex-patriot English trainer Matt Cumani, who has his racing stable at Dowling Forest, Ballarat.

Chalcidian went into the race at double digit TAB odds and the punters did not fancy her but she did have her army of supporters, more than 20 owners with sub syndicates – where more than one-person races one share as a syndicate.

From barrier two the bay mare jumped accordingly and sat as joint leader between two runners.

She looked to be on the bit and very keen, which didn’t help her in her first up from a spell but as the field turned into the straight she started to fade and by the time the eventual winner, Our Girl Strike, went past the post, Chalcidian came in second last in the race.

The syndicate is optimistic that she will improve on that run and she will still have a big following at the next race that Cumani picks for the mare.