Up until recently, Alice Springs-based 10-year-old mare Roughly had never won beyond 1200m and had never raced beyond 1300m.
In two of her past three starts at Pioneer Park in the Red Centre, the daughter of Kaphero has defied the odds.
On September 25, Roughly (56kg), with Sonja Wiseman in the saddle, led from start to finish in open company to brain her rivals in her first ever start over 1400m.
Two weeks later, with Phil Crich aboard, she faced top sprinters over 1100m carrying 60.5kg and looked shot entering the home straight before finishing strongly to grab third place.
On Sunday, Roughly and Wiseman teamed up again and not only was the mare contesting a 1600m race for the first time in her career, which started in March 2016 as a three-year-old filly, but she also lumped 62.5kg.
A tall order, especially as she was spotting the other four runners 6.5kg.
Lining up in her 54th career start as the $1.75 favourite with Palmerbet, Roughly jumped to the lead in a race where the speed was moderate and was never headed.
From September 2020 until May this year, the mare wasn’t spotted at the races and after three poor runs for Darwin trainer Phil Cole at Pioneer Park something just clicked.
Roughly (Casey Hunter), who saluted in that race back in September 2020 at Alice Springs over 1200m (BM76), won two races over 1200m against good opposition on July 17 and August 6.
Alice Springs trainer Leah Walling-Denton inherited the horse when Cole took a team to Queensland, and Roughly continued to challenge mother nature.
Hunter partnered Roughly (60kg) on August 20 when she finished strongly for second over 1100m and when she finished fourth by half a length over 1200m on September 11 – once again at the elite level.
The ageless mare shows no sign of slowing down and Walling-Denton couldn’t hide her delight after Sunday’s win.
“What can I say, it’s unreal, what a mare,” she said.
“When she won the 1400m race, Sonja did say to me that she thought she’d get a mile and at this time of year we were probably right and she did.
“The way she pulled up, you wouldn’t even know she raced.”
Walling-Denton was naturally apprehensive when Roughly contested the 1600m for the first time, but agreed that a slow tempo enhanced her prospects.
“I had the feeling she could do it, especially at this time of year – the smaller fields,” she said.
“Personally, I wouldn’t like her in a mile with 62.5kg against good milers.
“The race she was in, she made it look easy, she made it look like she belongs there.
“Since she has been in my stable she has been carrying big weights, I think she does carry it pretty well.
“Of course, it’s not ideal for a sprinter going over a mile, but the result speaks for itself.”
Walling-Denton clearly admires the horse, who is seemingly competitive no matter if she takes a sit at the front or behind the leaders.
And no doubt Roughly, who has remarkable acceleration, is enjoying herself if Sunday’s win is any guide.
“Even down the home straight her face said it all, she just loves doing what she’s doing,” she said.
“Loves being a racehorse, she’s a professional, she just gets the job done.
“I don’t think age is worrying her right now.
“She just pulls up so well too, definitely not like a 10-year-old should.”
Walling-Denton stressed that there were no immediate plans for Roughly.
“We’ll just keep poking along like we are,” she said.
“I think in a month or so there’s another mile, whether we go I don’t know.
“We might do what we did leading into Sunday’s race – go back to 1100m in a fortnight to just have a hit out.”
Owner Paul Gardner, who once trained Roughly, has suggested to Walling-Denton that perhaps spelling Roughly for a long period of time would not be wise as it would take her longer to come up.
“Paul suggested a couple of weeks in the paddock or keep bringing her in and just playing around with her keeping her mobile, but having a break from racing is inevitable.
“I agree with him, I think when you start getting horses at that age they do take that bit longer to get up.
“As I keep saying to Paul though, I wouldn’t be looking to tip her out right now – she’s just racing too well.
“She’s blossoming, she’s got dapples throughout her whole coat – I just won’t tip out a horse that is going so well.”
Roughly has had 29 starts (9-4-5) in Alice Springs, and apart from six starts in Victoria (one win) and SA she has raced mainly in the NT having also appeared at Darwin (18 starts for four wins) and Katherine (one start for one win).
Alice Springs Race 5 Replay – 16/10/22
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