Veteran horseman Pat Farrell doesn’t mind metropolitan racing being conducted on provincial racetracks due to the $150 million reconstruction of the Randwick grandstand.
The Muswellbrook horse trainer, who once kept over 100 thoroughbreds in work, is confident another “cheapie” in Urania Crown can pick up a metro-mid-weeker at Gosford on Wednesday.
“She has already won two of them,” Farrell said shortly after parking the horse truck at Cessnock races on Tuesday morning.
“She won one at Wyong back in March and then a week later picked off one at Gosford. She won $17,550 both times and there is almost $20,000 on offer for winning tomorrow.
“She has a lot of weight with the 59.5kg but I think she can nearly win again.”
The man were nurtured the gifted, former whiz-kid apprentice, Wayne Harris, who went onto win a Melbourne Cup, wasn’t interested in claiming on Urania Crown preferring to use senior jockey Tom Berry.
“Some apprentices you take 3kg off the horses back but put 10kg on,” Farrell said.
Farrell found Urania Crown at a Magic Millions Sale and paid $10,000 for the yearling. The daughter of Beautiful Crown had been purchased some eight months earlier for $1,250.
“I usually buy at weanling sales but I missed that one and she must have went through in poor condition,” Farrell said.
“When I seen her as a yearling I thought she was a good sort. You can get a fair horse if you buy on type. Put it this way no-one is going to give $100,000 for a horse to race in the bush.”
Urania Crown has been to the races 34 times, won seven and been placed as many times for $91,685 in prizemoney.
It is a similar story when it comes to Bottled Up which Farrell will saddle up in the last at Gosford. Another $9,000 purchase which has started 46 times, won six, been placed 18 times and collected $91,685 in prizemoney.
“Like the other one he has has had the one run back from a spell and he is working well enough to run a race,” Farrell said.
When at the height of his career Farrell won eight trainers premierships in the Newcastle and Hunter district but he is now working only 15 horses.
The 70-year-old is no fan of money being paid for horses finishing all the way down to 10th place.
“All the prizemoney should go into the first four home in a race, maybe the first five, but you can back horses in first fours,” Farrell said.
“A lot of horses are just going around every week to get some dollars, it has got to end.
“They are going around at 50-1 and longer, the TAB and Racing NSW aren’t getting much out of them. If you raced for prizemoney down to fourth place you’d get rid of half the rubbish in 12 months.
“If a few of mine don’t perform at Cessnock this afternoon, they’ll be sold on. They are no good to my owners, they need to earn money.”
By Craig Young
