I Can't Do It Alone

The Independance Cup would see the stable's superstar, Moondance, going up against some tough competition. A race with Flashy Wings, Bank On Greatness and Furious Passion within it was never going to be easy, and it would take work for the duo to be able to reach the top in this race. But they had the bond of heroes, and they had a plan. Well, at least Alexia had a plan. She refused to fall out of the top three, her and Mona had a great record going and no one was going to ruin that now. No, the bay mare was as courageous as they came and with work she would continue to climb through the ranks of greatness.

That plan came in the form of a workout parter, although he wasn't just any old workout partner. Alexia had been careful in the way she had worded the request to Matthias, and as such had been able to procure the best workout partner the stable had to offer. Grade one Hall Of Famer Everyday Hero. Now a stud, he still had energy which needed to be burned off regularly and it only made sense that they make it usefulo to them.

So Mona would be racing against a Hero as a preparation for the Independance Cup and the tough contest she was sure to face. It was an exciting prospect, and Alexia was practically bouncing. Of course, Alana was pretty chuffed as well. Of the jockeys available, Matthias had decided to use the most successful dirt jockey they had on the staff. It was sure to be a great fight, and Alexia was determined to see it through to the very end.

As they reached the track, Alexia mounted the bay mare with confidence, grinning over to Alana who had just climbed onto the legend's back. The two jockeys were not exactly friends, but they didn't dislike each other, and moments like these really made Alexia appreciate the rather moody but determined woman who Matthias had chosen to ride the star that was Hero. Mona might not have stood a chance before, but working alongside a star certainly increased her chances.

Loading Mona was, as usual, an easy affair. She walked in calmly, her dark eyes set on the dirt track beyond the gates. Hero, on the other hand, was more stubborn and less happy with gating. He held his head high and fought for several minutes before finally giving up and walking into the gate beside Mona. Now the race could start and as Mona pulled her goggles over her eyes she knew this was going to be something wonderful. Something truly magnificent.

The gates opened, and Mona flew from them. Her movements smooth and majestic, her conformation perfect. It was magical to see her flying out onto the dirt with all the confidence that she possessed. Mona was like a dancer is her precise performance, and the track was her stage. It was all a show, and yet the results mattered more than ever. Hero fell in behind the bay mare and stayed on her tail as they made their way up the eleven furlong stretch. his auds slicked across his skull and he seemed to have maintained his determination.

As they came into a corner, Mona took it smoothly and calmly, the stallion now starting to speed up and coming beside her flank. She didn't react, waiting for the indication from her jockey as they continued their run. Stride after stride, Hero seemed to creep up on the mare and as they came into the stretch Alexia knew the time was on them, with Hero now at Mona's shoulder and showing no signs of stopping. The crop cracked and the mare responded. Now the battle was on.

To start with, Hero inched his way into the lead and then Mona fought back. They locked head on head, and it was only in the final furlong that the Hall Of Fame champion slipped ahead by a nose. They might not have beaten him, but they had been close, and Alexia knew that Mona would be encouraged to perform well by the work.