‘Smudge’ to star at Ballarat Cup night

He was a champion harness racing pacer in his day and now Smudge Bromac is still spreading pleasure, love and cheer wherever he goes.

Now in the care of Sue and Duncan Terry in Victoria’s Goulburn Valley, “Smudge” is living the dream in the role of an HRV Hero Ambassador, something he takes in his stride!

“We’ve undoubtedly extended his life. But at the same time, I just couldn’t do without him,” Sue said.

“He can nearly talk to you-although we also learnt very early on that he can be a very precocious horse,” she said.

“He’s got the smarts. If you don’t tie his tail when he’s in the cart, he will clamp it over a rein and make it difficult for you to steer, and he’s got a few other tricks in his bag too!”

But Sue and her team will be standing proud tomorrow night at Ballarat when Smudge Bromac leads out the star-studded field in the Petstock $110,000 Group One Pacing Cup, due to start at 9.37pm.

“It’s going to be exciting. And one lucky patron or sponsor will be taking a ride in a double seated sulky behind Smudge,” Sue said.

“We’ve probably put two months of work in preparing the horse so he’s able to run how fans remember. He still thinks he’s a star racehorse, but aged 15, we’ve had to ensure his body can do what his mind is sure he can do.

“It’s certainly not a case of just turning up for five minutes of fun though – there’s plenty of work goes on in the background in managing his health and welfare. I’ve had a bit of help from Peter (Clarke from Willowood Equicentre) in getting him ready this year and Craig Turnbull has also been great – although he agreed with me after driving him one time that he can be ‘a sneaky old devil’!

“But he looks an absolute picture and his former trainer David Aiken told us the horse was in great nick which is lovely to hear.”

Smudge Bromac (Falcon Seelster-Sabrina Bromac (Live Or Die) retired from racing on March 17, 2017, with 36 wins and 50 placings for $460,000 in stakes.

“When one of the owners John Brain passed away after battling Motor Neurone Disease, David decided that was the right time for Smudge to be retired,” Sue said.

“John would go out to the stables and when he was very sick and couldn’t get out of his car, Smudge would put his head through the window as if to say hello. Horses generate love and emotion, and Smudge lost a mate when John died.

“I got to know Smudge because I worked at Peter and Margaret Clarke’s at Murchinson. They run one of the best rehab facilities in Australia and David would bring some of his good horses out there. Smudge never came for rehab but would be there on agistment.

“After I acquired Smudge personally, we approached Hero because we thought he could be perfect to be used as an ambassador and it just went from there. We are only too happy to take him and another one we have, I’m The Boss, around-if it’s for double seaters or promotions, they’re always available.”

Sue, who has a show, dressage and harness background, grew up in Tasmania, and left school when she was 14 to get a job with a thoroughbred trainer Graham McCulloch, staying for 12 months.

“I later spent eight months in harness racing with Dick Eaves. Although I never worked for him, my uncle Cedric Loone, from Spreyton, was in the trots and had some sensational horses. I remember Family Credit was one of them.

“I later moved across to Victoria and got work. I did drive in my teens and landed one winner at Yarra Glen, but I wasn’t all that good because I couldn’t judge pace. Eventually I ended up having a career in the Army.”

Sue said prior to COVID there would be at least 20 separate events each year for Smudge and Im the Boss in their Hero ambassador roles.

“Smudge Bromac has been a guest at all the country cups that he won, taking part in the double-seater. He thoroughly enjoys people making a fuss about him-he just loves it,” she laughed.

“In the lead-up to the Melbourne Inter Dominion in 2018, he and his trotting partner Waikare Aristocrat were at Federation Square. There were people on bicycles, street sweepers and you name it, but the two horses went up and down in carts and showed just what standardbreds can do. They were brilliant.

“We’ve taken Smudge into nursing homes where old harness racing people have been doing it tough. He’s also been to schools as well as the Seymour field days and had parts in movies along with the Betfair commercials. Smudge also goes in with our mares-he’s like a Nanny.

“Each year Smudge does the Santa thing all around our area. He goes down all the driveways and we hand out lollies and other goodies to the children.

“We put him in the show ring, and he won everything, but in the end he was finding that boring. But now him and I’m The Boss are under saddle and going to Canberra to compete. If they go okay, the Sydney Royal could be next.

“Everything Smudge earns goes straight to Motor Neurone Disease Association – if clubs make a donation or if people give us a contribution for having a pat or a double-seater ride, it all goes back into MND, in memory of John.”

By Terry Gange for Harnesslink