Emotions flow after fairytale win

Victorian harness racing trainer-driver Nick Beale hopes he wins bigger and better races in future than a Cranbourne country front maiden trot – but he’s certain none will be more emotional.

Diminutive four-year-old mare Kimberleys Tree (Danny Bouchea) was having her first race start for two years – and the second of her career – on Sunday night (Mar 23), when she recorded an all-the-way win by four metres in the Mark Gurry and Associates Trot.

“I still get emotional talking about it, but she has just been such a journey – we were all a bit emotional on Sunday night,” Beale said.

“I just love this horse, and I don’t think I’ll ever get to win something that will usurp that – even if I win a bigger race with a better horse, it won’t have the story behind it,” he said.

Kimberleys Tree was the first horse bred by Beale and she’s part of the small team he trains with his partner Kaitlin Boddy.

“She’s only a tiny little thing – she’d be around 14.2 hands now, and when she had her first start as a two-year-old she would have been lucky to be 11 hh, but she’s all heart, no height,” he laughed.

“We got an extra small girth for her with extra holes, and we had to drill extra holes in the sulky to get it to fit! She has the best nature, though, and everyone who has anything to do with her loves her.

“She’ll finish her work and put herself away in her box and you go and get the next one.  She’s the coolest little pony, basically a pet, not a racehorse! Her biggest issue is that she wants everything done yesterday.  She’s a bit sassy but that just adds to her charm!”

Beale said he’d broken in Kimberleys Tree himself, but admitted he was always worried by her conformation.

“She had one start as a two-year-old and she blew a ligament out at the bottom of her knee. I gave her a long time off, but she had three preps over the next 18 months and basically broke down in the same place every time,” Beale said.

“This last time she had 12 months off. I brought her back into work at the start of the year, but every day it’s fingers crossed she is okay.”

Beale went into Sunday night’s race confident Kimberleys Tree was “ready” – but nonetheless nervous.

“I was still worried if she might break down at race speed – but I didn’t once consider the fact that I might break down before her!  But I did (break down emotionally) when I was clear coming to the line and I knew she was going to get that win!”

Beale grew up in the eastern Melbourne suburb of Greensborough.  His dad Gary was a breeder and owner, his uncle Glenn a trainer and his grandfather Bob Beale trained in the 1960s.  Nick’s great uncle Jimmy is remembered as an astute and talented driver.

He works for Monegeetta trainer David Miles and currently has two horses in his own team – both trotters and both recent winners, with You No Ill Be Late (Creatine) a winner at Melton earlier in the month.

“My family is really big on time and patience and soft hands with a horse – it translates well with the pacers but better with the trotters.  I’ve had pacers before, but I fell in love with trotters when I was 10,” he said.

“That win on Sunday night was such a thrill.  Kimberley’s Tree has got ability, she is not a hopeless one win ‘that was lucky’ maiden – it’s just that she is not the soundest horse.  But the moment she is unsound she won’t be going around.

“She’s still very green, but I’m a bit more relaxed now she has won a race – I have my photo!”

Watch the race replay click here

by Terry Gange for Harnesslink