Dream partnership just keeps growing

When she took over the training of a bonny mare Shes Norma Jeane (Art Major) more than a decade ago, little did Charlene Gusman know she was writing a ticket to fulfill more than one of her harness racing dreams.

Clives Girl (Bettor’s Delight) the fifth foal of Shes Norma Jeane gave Gusman her first Group victory as a trainer, driver, owner and breeder in the Alabar Vicbred Home Grown Classic Final for two-year-old fillies at Melton on Saturday night (Oct. 8).

“It was absolutely the biggest thrill. I knew I had a good chance because of the barrier one draw so I did expect her to weigh in – but when I got across the line first, I really just couldn’t believe it!” an elated Gusman said.

“I just thought, well that’s never going to happen again in my life!  My first metro drive and my first group win, then thrown in the mix that I bred her and had been through the whole kit and kaboodle with her.”

The partnership with Shes Norma Jeane has been something of a dream run for Gusman – albeit after some early hiccups.

“She started off with Daniel Jack and he won a heat of the 2yo APG Gold with her, and she was runner up in a heat of the Bathurst Gold Tiara and then the South Australian Oaks.  She was a lovely young filly,” Gusman said.

“I was looking for a horse to race for some clients and myself, and she was for sale as a three-year-old so we decided she would be a good chance for us,” she said.

Gusman raced Shes Norma Jeane for a little over a year, winning two races, including a semi final of the Breeders Crown before injury intervened.

“She had a suspensory accident and we had to retire her.  She was a really strong mare who used to pull a bit but I just loved her, so that was when I decided to buy her and send her to stud.”

The resulting foal was aptly named All My Savings, which went on to win five races.

Then followed Shesalwaysdreaming (We Will See) (six wins); Lola Montez (American Ideal) (six wins to date); Shes Charlies Angel (Sweet Lou) (four wins to date); and Clives Girl.

All but six of Gusman’s 29 training victories have been by Shes Norma Jeane or her progeny.

Also coming along nicely are a Downbytheseaside yearling filly, and a Captaintreacherous weanling, with Shes Norma Jeane currently in foal to Sweet Lou.

Gusman, who grew up at Redbank, first fell in love with harness racing attending the St Arnaud and Maryborough trials with her dad.  She left home at 15 to attend the Bendigo Harness Racing Training School before working for numerous trainers and preparing her own small teams.

“I just consider myself very, very lucky to have found Shes Norma Jeane.  She got in foal straight away at the start and she keeps producing me a foal every year. She’s a beautiful kind mare and she’s proven to be such a great broodmare,” Gusman said.

The Western Districts based trainer moved earlier this year from Monegeetta, on the outskirts of Melbourne, to take up a position at the Ecklin South stables of Mattie Craven.

“It was a big move for me, but my family has grown up (Caitlin, 21, now works for the Godolphin team at Flemington, and Bailey, 18, is apprenticed as an electrician) and I just thought, why not do something new?” she said.

“I’ve got some nice horses and I wanted to give them every possible chance. So once Mattie offered me a position and told me I could bring my four horses down, I quit my jobs, packed up my stables and horses, loaded up the car with my clothes and made the move!

“A lot of people told me I was crazy but it was really for Hes Charlies Angel.  I’d do anything for that horse.

“Now I’m here I see why Mattie gets the success he does. It’s a very professional operation and my horses have just fitted into the training regime here. I’m absolutely loving it.”

Gusman said she was looking forward to some big assignments ahead with her team.

“I really haven’t asked anything of Clives Girl at this stage. She’s okay to go on with but I’m not sure if we will go to the Tatlow in a fortnight but definitely the Breeders Crown after that.

“Hes Charlies Angel has had a really long break through no fault of his own – I brought him up to go to the Brisbane Derby, but he got a virus twice, so it wasn’t meant to be.  He won first up at Geelong and was close up at his second start.  I’ll keep him now for the Breeders Crown and the Sires, which was always the plan.”

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink