Could she be Black Caviar of country racing? Castlereagh Grey is the horse concerned.
A six year old grey mare who only started her racing career 1 month ago. And so far she has won 3 races out of 3 starts and remains unbeaten.
“She had gone sore as a three year old and we had to put her out to the paddock,
“And she had gone sore as a four year old and we had to put her out again.” Mrs. Jaimee McEwen said.
McEwen is the majority owner of Castlereagh Grey. Her husband and father-in-law bred the mare and owned her dam, Western Blue.
No, Western Blue is not a “Golden Hen” (a term used to describe broodmares who produce multiple Group 1 winners), and few would have heard of Castlereagh Grey’s sire Snip Valor.
“But all the progeny out of Western Blue that made it to the racetrack have turned out to be winners so we kept faith in Castlereagh Grey,” McEwen said.
And her patience has certainly paid off as Castlereagh Grey is now fully matured and she looks a picture.
McEwen, her husband and father-in-law have kept 20% of the mare and syndicated the remaining 80% to a group of country owners.
“I never thought Castlereagh Grey would win 3 from 3 when I bought into the horse,” another part-owner Tony Musgrove said.
So another three wins in a row and maybe the owners can start thinking about Black Caviar’s record?
“Well, we need 18 more wins but you never know,” Musgrove laughed.
Castlereagh Grey debuted in a maiden 1000m race at Warren on 14th December 2012 and won by five and a half lengths.
Castlereagh Grey with winning owners after her first race start at Warren 14-12-12.
Photo : Courtesy of www.racingphotography.com.au
Fortnight after her first race start, Castlereagh Grey ran in a Wellington Class 1 race and won by one and a half lengths.
And last Sunday she was running in a BM55 race at her home track, Gilgandra, where her trainer Bruce Parker based. She won the 1100m race by almost 3 lengths in the time 1:03.68, a time which was comparable to the winning time of a BM75 race (1:03.69) on the same programme.
It looks as though her winning run is not going to end anytime soon.
“She could run in a race at Tamworth next up but we’ll leave the decision to Bruce Parker as nobody knows the horse better than him,” McEwen said.
It’s a heart warming story in which a group of country owners who never thought they would buy into a six year old mare that could win her first three race starts. Castlereagh Grey may not match Black Caviar’s record of 21 straight wins. But in the owners’ hearts, she is already their Black Caviar.
By Owens Wong
