Back from the breeding barn and winning

Combining motherhood and a rewarding harness racing career looks a breeze for trotting mare Windsor Block (Crazed), who made her racetrack debut at age eight, and took only a couple of starts to get on the winners’ list.

Windsor Block became a mum in 2018 but plans for a racing career were a stop and start affair until she finally made it to the track in October this year – just a few weeks before her foal, Poppy Popstar (Danny Bouchea) made her own racing debut.

“Windsor Block has been a bit of a long story, but we’re pretty pleased with her – she’s always shown us a bit and that she was worth going on with. She took a while, particularly to get back into shape from carrying a foal,” said co-trainer Barry Ainsworth.

Windsor Block was bred by Yabby Dam Farms, but after a few preparations she found her way to the Wedderburn property of veterinarian and enthusiastic breeder Gregory Hargraves.

“She was just running with a herd out at The Doc’s place, who was standing Danny Bouchea at stud at the time, and she ended up in foal,” Ainsworth said.

After the foal Poppy Popstar was born and weaned, Windsor Block was sent south as a travelling companion to horses being sent to Paddy and Johnny Mead’s stables.

“Paddy and Johnny thought she looked like she could go a bit, but in the end, they didn’t have the time to put into her, so she was sent home again.  Greg asked me if I’d pick her up from a meeting we were at and bring her back,” Ainsworth said.

“I mentioned to Greg a couple of times about him picking her up, but it just never happened, and in the end, we thought we’d have a bit of a go with her, and my wife Katrina leased her from Greg.  In the early days I don’t think I realized she was eight, and I definitely didn’t realize she’d had a foal!” he said.

Ainsworth, who trains in partnership with his son Ashley at Moyreisk, midway between St Arnaud and Maryborough, said in the early days he understood why Windsor Block hadn’t made the grade.

“Right from the beginning Ashley thought she felt alright, and it was really him that believed she was worth going on with.  She really only ever liked to go for Ashley – our other sons Toby and Jason, both tried her and thought she was hopeless,” Barry said.

“She went to the trials a time or two when I thought she was going okay and she’d run tailed out,” he said.

“She is a lovely cut of a mare now, but it took such a long time to trim her down from her broodmare shape.  She started on her quest probably eight months ago and we’ve had her in and out getting her to this point.  With each preparation she got a little bit more in shape and just every now and then she would show that she could do it.

“We were pleased to get her to the races last prep and this time she’s had two starts for a fourth and a win. She’s showed us enough that she might even have another win or two in her yet.”

Ashley said he was more than pleased with the mare’s performance in her Melton win (Dec 22).

“I didn’t think she trotted quite as well as she had the week before and I really had her penciled in to be cherry ripe at her next run (Maryborough Jan 5).  She did it pretty easy and there was plenty left in the locker.  She’s worked well and her gait seems better this week, so I think she’ll be alright,” he said.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink