Sometimes there is more to the journey of thoroughbred ownership than the simplistic approach to winning and loosing. Not everything is as stark as the black and white statistics. These often do not reflect the emotional turmoil ownership may bestow on the co-ownership group that race them.
The one thing ownership of a horse can do, it can bring out the weaknesses and strengths of human personalities as people ride the roller coaster of emotions.
Then there is the horse itself, a living mass of bone, muscle and potential, with unproven or unrealised ability, carrying the dreams of its owners.
As in all walks of life and certainly, in the competitive arena of sporting endeavours, emotions ride and swing often on the bounce of a ball or a split section reaction that changes the course of an outcome.
Then we have the dreaded foes of all sporting athletes - Injuries and Illness.
Sometimes the reward is not winning but a more dramatic outcome – fighting and winning the right to life. To return from deaths door to again join the competitive arena is its own reward. The result is purely secondary.
For those who love the thoroughbred as one of the greatest creatures on the planet, the joy of survival in these cases is its own reward. To return to the racetrack after that is just a pipe dream, to achieve it is utopia.
Such is the ride of the co-ownership group that race POSH CHIC - the ¾ sister in blood to CHOISIR. A filly who displayed untold ability as an early horse but through illness and injury was close to saying goodbye and not being allowed to reach her promise.
However her owners stayed loyal and Saturday will be its own victory despite whatever the finishing order will reveal.
1) Posh Chic was first seen in combat in the first race of the 2yo season for the fillies in 2009 being the Gimcrack Stakes. Unfortunately that day she drew wide 12 of 13 and had little luck in transit finishing just 4 lengths from the winner.
2) She was spelled and brought back to win first up at Wyong over 1000m defeating future Black Type star Fast Clip.
3) At her next start she promised the world when defeating Smash Hit in Class record time at Canterbury over 1200m.
4) Then a trip to Brisbane was on the agenda. The target was the Magic Millions feature race but prior was the Gr2 Champagne Classic. Drawing 16 of 16 gave her no hope and she was trapped 4 and 5 wide without cover throughout and the toll was too much and she weakened in the race won by Pressday, Spirit of Boom and Buffering.
5) Then at the Gold Coast for her main target the Magic Millions National Plate she ran a high quality close up 4th 2 lengths from Paris Blu and Shamillion.
She was spelled after that and then resumed with the Magic Millions 3yo feature her main target.
6) Her first up run that preparation was in the Magic Millions Stakes at Wyong where she just ran out of gas beaten only 1 length by Torio’s Quest and Top Drop.
7) Then she ran 2nd at Randwick on Boxing Day 2010 beaten a neck by the older Havatryst.
8) Now fit and well she headed up to the Gold Coast for the feature 3yo event for which she was primed but a cruel blow she was an emergency and didn’t secure a run. As a back up plan she was in against the Mares in the Quality where she ran a terrific 2nd place to Gai’s Choice defeating Rare Diamond and Beethog.
9) She headed home after that race to tackle the 3yo fillies races of the Autumn but that’s where things went pear shaped. She suffered travel sickness on the return leg that was not picked up. She was kept in training and ran in the Light Fingers Stakes Gr2 where she performed well below par. Within days it turned into pneumonia and she didn’t respond well to treatment. Grave fears for her well being were held as she was on the edge of passing away. However her toughness and competitive will drove her on and she pulled through.
After 6 months off the seen, she resumed training and was prepared for a race. Leading into the trial she had another temperature spike with the bug in her system reappearing. However despite wanting to head to the paddock the horse was pushed on towards the races.
Sadly she was still not right and very big in condition, well short of a competitive physique required. Despite finding a winnable race and starting a short priced favourite Posh Chic again put in a below par performance.
A subsequent change of stable indicated there was something not right with the mare. She laboured in her breathing and her action was rough. She was given a 6 week let up between runs and then started at Canterbury finishing 3 lengths behind the winner. Our rider wasn’t impressed with her that day and suggested we find an easier grade. This was a bitter disappointment as we had gone from a Black Type Class filly to a provincial class mare.
We intended to spell her but thought we would give her one run at Kembla to compare. Unfortunately she pulled up at the tail and was immediately spelled.
Knowing she was a lot better than that we got the filly checked over thoroughly.
The vets were able to locate two main areas of concern. Firstly her lung wall was scarred from the pneumonia she had as a result of the travel sickness.
However the 2nd problem was more the issue. She was suffering from several skeletal issues. She had lameness in her fetlocks and knees and had stress fractures developing in her pelvis.
A bone scan was performed and she lit up like a Christmas tree. She had developed Condylar Bone Disease within her knees, fetlocks, cannon bones and pelvis. These changes occur when the bone cannot remodel fast enough for the concussion forces the horse is being placed under over a longer period of training.
The recommendation was for another 6 months paddock rest and a re-evaluation at the time and a decision to be made then. During this period Posh Chic was nominated for the Broodmare Sale in case the prognosis for racing was poor.
At the end of May Posh Chic was re-evaluated and had shown significant improvement. There was no longer any sign of the Condylar disease in any bone and the scan showed no remaining hot spots. An evaluation of the lung wall showed all issues had repaired.
So we received the go ahead to return to training with a guarded optimism and removed her from the sale.
To date she has had 2 trials back on 3/8 which was a very soft fitness trial and then a trial on 21/7 again not being asked to extend. This trial was awesome, running an eye catching second in fast time without being extended.
Posh Chic resumes on Saturday in race 8 at Rosehill. She is well in at the weights with 54.0kgs with Keiran McEvoy as the pilot.
There is little doubt if she brought her promising early form to this race, under this weight scale she could be competitive and could finish in the mix.
However from our point of view, the battle will be won seeing her at the races again.
We still have a lovely mare, sound for racing and despite being Springtime, she is not thinking about being a mum but rather she is keen to run.
We wish all connections of Posh Chic the very best for the future with the mare. Their loyalty to her has been steadfast and true and you and the mare deserved the rewards from winning races.
We would like to acknowledge the outstanding horse husbandry employed by the team at Oak Ridge Spelling Farm and Wild Oaks Pre-Training Farm for the care and assistance they did to get the mare back into health. Also to her trainer Gerald Ryan and his team for their care and skills nursing her back to the track to have her fit and well to resume.