Unstoppable

Well, here is our girl, back for her 3rd year in racing and loving every second.

We have noticed a change in her since she began racing agian, shes become more confident and interested in all the activity around her. Maturing well she has hit 17hh and is a monster of a horse, thankfully she remains a big sook and love cuddles.

ok so here is her year, Massive story so kodos to all who attempt!

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It had been a long year, Rio's leg was tended with the utmost care but even then it was a long road to recovery. So it was with great joy that we finally got to run her for her final vet check. It was a complete recovery, she could race again. We began her training in earnest, planning ahead for the spring racing carnival. Her form improved and though she still had the power and speed of her first year she seemed to have changed in her approach. Worried about her focus we entered her into a small stakes race. Slightly longer than the tragic Jezabeel we hoped the added distance would test her staying ability.

The Wyong Gold Cup was a 10.5 furlong race, fillies only and we hoped it would be enough to test our girl. The day dawned clear and the ground was dead. Only 10 mares had been entered and the biggest competition was the favourite Ima Gedit, a small black who had won impressively in her last race. Rio loaded well, full of energy as she found herself once again on the track. She broke well and settled behind the leaders. The small black's nose was glued to Rio's flank and to Jess's annoyance the jockey winked at her as they came off the back stretch. As they rounded the turn Jess began to get Rio moving and the mare began to devour the ground between her and the leaders.

She moved up the pack like a freight train and focused in on the speed horses. Jess ducked a look under her arm, but the black was right behind them still. Pissed and ready for the final break she began to ask Rio for more, her stride lengthened and dug into the turf and she accelerated, drawing past the pace and moving into first as they closed in on the wire. Rio flicked her ears as the small horse that had been shadowing her began to make her bid, digging deep the little mare surged up to eye level straining hard but Rio pinned her ears and dug in surging ahead at the line to win by a neck.

Very seedy the next morning the team looked next to the Newcastle Cup. The race drew in some of the best horses in the area, a fast track the field was full of speed horses looking to make their mark. Rio and the other closer sat off the back, waiting patiently as the speedsters tired each other out. The mare settled into her ground eating stride and up the back began to slowly pass the laggers. Flicking her whip up Jess grabbed Rio's attention and tucked her head in, pushing the mare for more. She came roaring out of the final turn and surged past the overwhelmed leaders to win by a staggering 5 lengths.

It was bound to happen sooner rather than later, disaster struck. Jessica, our trusted jockey and friend was injured while exercising another horse. With her tibia broken she was sent off the tracks for a while. We began to worry, Rio had never had another jockey and who knew how she would take the sudden change. So at Jess's urging we located a few possible and began to work them with her. To her annoyance and his amusement we settled on Cassidy Jenkins, her flirtatious rival from the Wyong Gold Cup.

After a break to work the pair we felt excited with their progress and looked onwards to Rio's first Grade 1 race, The Metropolitan at Royal Randwick. At 12 furlongs we continued to test her waiting to see the limit in her staying ability. The break since her last race had made her jittery, it was the first time she caused trouble before a race, and she did it spectacularly. She broke badly, stumbling and catching herself only to see the rest of the horses shrinking away. Jess swore loudly, gripping the rails with her good arm as she watched Rio race for the first time. Settling into her stride the big mare began to shorten the distance, passing the trailers she stuck herself to the rear of the pack. The rabbits at the front set blistering times as the field raced around the track. Several of the closers began to make their move as they came into the last turn, Sid smiled feeling the mare under him bunch asking for more rein to chase. Feeling as if his arms would pop out, he finally gave her head back, laughing to himself as they took off. They set a new track record.

We then began to prep her in the hopes of entering the big one, so we headed back to Caufield for another 12 furlongs. Entering as the favourite she again broke late, finding herself behind the rest of the horses. As the front runners broke away the field strung out, settled into her rhythm Sid sat on her, barely moving just waiting for the right moment. Seeing the poles flash by he let her out an inch and Rio began to dig in. Her long legs flashing she picked off the slower horses and moved up to the leaders. Another closer was hot on her heels, Sid let her out a bit more and she lengthened. Now past the pace horse she turned into the stretch. Giving a quick glance Sid saw two horses closing in on them, still with enough distance the horses shortened the lead, until all three where breathing down each other's necks. With a smile Sid pushed and the big bay found another gear, the final distance to the 2nd and 3rd horses was 7 lengths.

Then it was the BMW Caufield Cup, as one of the lead ups to the Melbourne cup it was full of the top horses in the country and several internationals. In peak condition Rio gleamed in the post parade, her bright hide shining out as she trotted up against her lead pony. She broke clean and sat in the middle of the group, the leaders blazed through forcing the closers to pick up the pace or be out distanced. Rio was dark with sweat and lathered from the reins by the time they came off the back. Still pulling to be let out Sid opened her up and they began to move up the field, moving past the failing speedsters she broke in front with the clear view to the wire. Almost there Sid heard a heavy pounding and looked to see the favourite and another massive colt bearing down upon them. For the first time he began to beg her for more but it was too late, the colts momentum pushed them up and it ended in a photo finish. Rio was third by a hair.

Looking for a quieter field we opted out of chasing the Caufield winner to the Cup and went for more distance back against the girls. It was the SAAB Quality and Rio was set to break with a big 60kg for the 2500m race. She broke well but by the final turn the weight was eating at her, she began her bid and started to close the distance to the leaders. As they rounded into home she got a good look ahead and saw a familiar black shape ahead. Pinning her ears Rio grabbed the bit and dug in, thundering down the stretch only to duck past Ima Gedit to win the photo finish by a nose.

Sticking with the girls she next appeared in the Crown Oaks. The morning was grey and rain began to fall seriously just before the post parade. Wet through by the time they were loaded Sid sat hunched on Rios back worried as she unhappily shuffled in the muck. Rio broke slow but even picking up speed as she began to move up to follow the pace. Struggling to drag her large body through the muck she was slower than usual but with her dogged determination she closed the distance, surging past she pinned her ears and stared the mare in the eye before ducking forward to win by a head.

Next up was the Sandown Classic, back against the colts it was a slightly shorter distance. Breaking early she moved up until sitting just behind the leaders, Sid tried doggedly to slow her up to allow the other horses to set the pace but the big mare ignored his swearing. A large chestnut colt ranged up beside them and pushed in front forcing Rio to misstep, breaking her stride she dropped back. Sid tried to collect her, he really did, but her competitive streak won out and she took back the bit and surged forwards angling after the chestnut. As she bolted Sid held on, he gathered the reins and asked her to work. Happily she pushed on digging in and accelerating past the leaders taking an early lead. Worried about her ability to maintain such a punishing pace Sid decided to go for it. Urging her ahead he pushed her as far as he could, she sped up and broke away increasing the distance between her and the followers. Unused to running unchallenged she gawked and though Sid asked for more she accelerated but her heart wasn't in it. The closers caught her along the final stretch and although she tried her heart out she was passed and came in 8th.

We decided not to end her year with a loss so we decided to take her to the capital and the Canberra Cup. Only 10 furlongs Rio broke well and never looked back, she over took the speed horses in the home stretch and roared past the stands to thunderous applause. With head held high she jauntily trotted to the winners circle and then dragged her groom to the wash stalls.

Our final words to the crowd "I don't think anyone can stop her from racing another year"

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Record to Date = 12: 9/0/2
With 2 G1 wins
Earnings to date - $1,628,000


X3... ok so im really starting to enjoy sorting this out!...

and to keep things clean i didnt decide any of this, thought id try out TJ's amazing race outcome system! found here - [link] And woah, did she do well!

any ho.. im tempted to branch our stable into racing but we have never really wanted to. Such a risky sport and so very expensive, but we currently have a few racers in our stable and well, maybe a small time race stud with restricted horses would be good.

referenced from a photo of Efficient, that i now cant find.