Brad Davidson previews the meeting at Canterbury on Wednesday
WHEN Lauri Wray bought Allez Chival for about $5000 four years ago she never expected it would turn out like this.
The six-year-old mare has recouped her price tag 25 times already on the track but that’s only half the story.
Wray started off with just the one horse four years ago and spent the first two years trying to get Allez Chival to the races. But the sprinter’s consistency ever since has helped change Wray’s life.
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“I started with just Allez Chival and then she kept winning races and that got me Lord Kingsley and it went from there,” Wray said.
“Just the last six months I have grown and it is probably because of Allez Chival and she picks up a cheque every time she goes around.
“Now I have got about 10 horses in work and I never expected that. I was just poking along with my one little horse and it has just climbed from there.”
Allez Chival has already done wonders for Wray’s career but the honest mare will bid to continue the feel-good story at Canterbury on Wednesday.
She has been knocking on the door without winning in five runs this campaign and Wray feels a drop back to midweek grade could do the trick in the Benchmark 77 Handicap (1100m).
“It’s getting tough now the carnival is on and she loves Canterbury and the 1100m there suits her,” Wray said. “She’s been running great races every time she has gone out there (this campaign) and she tries hard.
“She has done really well since her last run and she will run well.”
As for the future, Wray is just happy to be making a career out of training racehorses.
She stopped riding trackwork for Joe Pride late last year to concentrate on her own horses and is enjoying managing a growing stable.
Wray’s health issues have been well documented. The former apprentice jockey’s career in the saddle came to an abrupt end in late 2012 when she was diagnosed with adrenal exhaustion — a condition similar to chronic fatigue syndrome.
But she has found a way to manage the condition and continue doing what she loves most.
“It took me a good 12 months to get over it and it never really goes away and you just have to make sure you get enough rest and look after yourself,” she said.
“I just love being with the horses all the time and I put a lot of time into it.
“If I could have somewhere between 10-20 horses (in work) that would be perfect and I don’t want to get too big because I like to ride them all (in trackwork) and be hands on.”
BRAD DAVIDSON’S BEST BETS
BEST BET: INVINCIBELLA (Race 4, No. 10)
Drawn awkwardly but her form last preparation was very good and she won’t be a maiden for long. Needs luck early but no one is riding better than Brenton Avdulla in Sydney at the moment and I will back him to get the job done.
NEXT BEST: ALLEZ CHIVAL (Race 5, No. 4)
Super consistent mare who should relish the drop back to midweek grade today. She makes her own luck on the speed and she will be rock-hard fit now as well.
OTHER BET: MY GIULIANO (Race 1, No. 6)
Has been knocking on the door at his past couple and he meets Allision 1.5kg better at the weights for narrowly being defeated by that horse two starts ago. His most recent run in Saturday grade was solid and he gets his chance today.
THE EXOTICS: ALL UP — Race 3, No. 4 ROSA CAROLINA (place) into Race 4, No. 10 INVINCIBELLA (place).