thrill of the win.

<sup>We’d started off the year well, getting a first and a second over at The Wire’s track. We were mainly going to race over there this year, but before we started more races over there, it was time for one last Green Horse Fields race. We were going to the Unicorn Horn Fillies Turf, over nine furlongs. Some of the competition was solid, but I knew with time and patience, we could ace it. So far the pairings with Touch Up and relatively any mare are turning into a success. The foals that come into the world are energetic with a clever nature. Winning Touch is no different from any of the other foals except she is a bit more cautious. Her nature is completely unlike her dam's. While Strike the Win possesses a calm and collected disposition, Winning Touch is a bit of a minx, meaning playful and a little bothersome. She isn't mean like her sire, just very curious about the world around her. Winnie possesses a very honest look in her eyes when she is gazing at her grooms. She has taken a heavy interest in watching the trainers work with the older horses. As she is still young, the filly certainly possesses that quick wit any kid would have. She brings plenty of life to the barn with her playful calls. Winnie has shown she has the ability to learn. Winnie used to have a huge hatrid of the gate, but with bit’s of training, she has managed to overcome that fear, though it’s naturally easier to be handled by her jockey, no one else. Winnie will break from the gate quickly, but drop back to just behind the leaders, settling in around third or fourth, depending on the amount of horses in the race. If she is the only horse that likes to race at the front, she will happily take the lead but only by a length or two and she won’t set a furious pace. She can travel with just about all paces. She can race quickly, or slowly, depending on the ground. If it’s sloppy, she prefers to go slightly slower than if it’s dry and fast.We were in the first gate today. In the second gate was Juvenile contender, Dazzling Dame. Dazzling is a very moody filly. Her temperament is so unpredictable and people working with her have to be on they toes. She can be sweet, gentle, lovable one day, while the next she can be aggressive, threatening and stubborn the next. Her temperament is really worst when she on the track, like her father, she loves to challenge others around her on the track. Her heart is into running, and she is highly competitive thinking she is the best horse out there in the field. If she gets beaten she would bite anything that comes nearer her mouth, human or horse. Most of the time her grooms would get the thrashing with her teeth. Off the track her moody attitude is still the same, when turned out in the pasture, she has to have the halter still on as she extermelly difficult to catch, and she have to be on her own otherwise she would fight and bully other horses. Dazzling is really fast into a rhythm and style. She can be stubborn and difficult to load into the gates, the loaders have to place a hood over her head to prevent her seeing and only removed five seconds before the gates spring open. Once she knows the gates are open, her breaking stride and action is on. Right away she loves to keep herself in third or fourth position, keeping an eye on the leader. To prevent herself getting boxed in with the other horses, she would stay on the outside until last three furlongs. This is where she makes her move and challenge the leader knowing she have reversed most of her energy for this. Her heart and competitive attitude remains until she gets in front of the leader and cross the finished line the winner.

Finally, in Gate Three, there was three-year-old, Wannado Voodoo. After a season of failing to place in the top three, she won her first start as a three year old with ease. Sara is one of those thoroughbreds that make you look twice, not due to exotic action or extreme beauty but just to check she really is a thoroughbred as her behaviour is not exactly typical of the breed. She is a bright, playful creature who seems to love life and always has a little love to give - almost as if she wants to spread happiness. She will do just about anything for affection as she seems to thrive in attention and due to her willingness to impress is very easy to handle. This angel doesn't want to hurt anyone, it is almost as if it is against her very nature to strike out. If she had been born into another life, she would have been a good school horse due to her gentle nature. She is submissive in the pasture and tries to keep out of trouble but seems to find a backbone at the track - probably fuelled by her desire to please those around her and as such her efforts are great. She has a big heart, a lot of love to give, and will do anything for you if only you give her a little time. Sara gates well and breaks at an average pace, settling into a position in the middle of the pack where she is not forced to lead. For most of a race she will match her pace to the rest of the pack and will move to the outside of the group as they near the final turn. She is obedient to her jockey's commands and has a strong will to win which makes her a great ride. As they move around the corner she will prepare herself for the straight where she experiences a spurt of speed matched with her string will and desire to win.

It was expected that Star Thoroughbreds would enter there filly, Georgie’s Girl. GG is a real sweetheart. She is just so loving and caring, she has never acted like a diva or been aggressive like most of our other fillies. She isn't shy either, like you might expect given her temperament. GG does however tend to be easily excited, sometimes to the point when she'll work herself up a sweat. On the track, GG seems to have endless energy, and we think she could go for miles, although she runs best at 7-10 furlongs, same as Winnie. She certainly enjoys coming out on top and getting all the attention in the winner's circle. She is usually pretty easy to ride, due to the fact that she is quite cooperative with her rider. In the pasture she is low on the pecking order, but it doesn't seem to bother her. She is quite a peaceful being and isn't interested in pushing others around. She had some great bloodlines, being Gorgeous George x Striking Motion. Gorgeous George was a grade one turf racehorse, who won such races as the Breeder's Cup Juvenile Turf and the Unicorn Horn Turf. He retired with a record of 66-20-24-12. Striking Motion was also a grade one turf racehorse. She won races such as the Azalea Cup Fillies, and Breeder's Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. She retired with a record of 41-13-13-7 and is the dam of Strike A Pose. GG breaks fast, normally, then settles behind the leaders, usually on the rail position. She then just runs calmly, waiting for the cue from her rider. She makes her move at about two furlongs from the finish line, depending on the length of the race.

I ran the short stirrups down and as we were walking, I reached my small size three foot up into the stirrups and after three, I bounced on. Winnie pricked her ears as I took hold of the reins, getting some contact on her mouth. I walked her out onto the turf track. It was all familiar to her. She perked her ears right up and looked around. I walked her forward for a few steps. Winnie broke into a trot without me asking her to, just as she would in a normal workout. I was ready, and so was she. I knew it was time for us to shine. Each tiny fetlock hit the floor, a thousand kilos onto one little fetlock. One bad step, and it could all turn fatal. I continued to rise and fall lightly in the saddle. The filly was definitely gaining some muscle. Her chest was large, and muscular. Her legs were full of bone, just like her father. I hoped that the filly would be as successful as some big names. She’d already won the Utanali Stakes and we were two wins away from getting to Grade 4. I hoped that this time, we could actually win. Good girl Winnie, I said. She continued to trot with her ears perked, bouncing lightly. I began to sit into my trot and ask her for canter. The filly broke into a canter and I stood bravely in my stirrups, gripping on to a bit of mane to help me gain my balance. Winnie brought her head into her chest, and snorted with each little stride she took. I smiled and let my reins slip through my hands. The sun began to belt down on the track, sending warmth running through us. It wasn't like most days. This particular day, the track was dead. It was time to show the world what this little filly could really do. As I let the reins slip through my hands, the filly buckled down and began to run on. We galloped along the remaining half of the back stretch. Powering round the corner, Winnie switched leads. She switched her front first, cross firing in the gallop, but then changed her rear leg a stride later. I continued to drive Winnie forward, knowing we may have lost ground from my little incident just then. I continued to urge her forward as we ploughed into the home stretch. I gave the filly some more mouth, and pushed her on more. She stretched out, giving it his all. We flew under the wire and I stood high in my stirrups, letting her lope, and come back down the paces. We came back to a walk. I patted her neck and leant down by her ear. Well done, Winnie. I said.</sup>