Fine weather and excellent racing kicked off the Alice Springs Cup Carnival last Saturday, but the injury to the popular Roughly on the eve of April’s five-raceday extravaganza was still a major blow.
The Paul Gardner-trained 10-year-old mare injured a tendon and was scratched on March 25 when she was due to have her 65th career start.
Her longevity is to be admired considering her racing life started seven years ago, but despite the endless injuries and long spells in the paddock the daughter of Kaphero only got better with age.
As Gardner confessed, the fact she had plenty of time to recover from her injuries was perhaps the reason why she remained so competitive and why she won so many races when most horses her age would have been long retired.
READ: Gardner admits Roughly’s career could be over after tendon injury
Gardner had envisaged starting Roughly in the $100,000 Pioneer Sprint (1200m) on Alice Springs Cup Day (April 30) and although he hopes the mare can return in the future he is also resigned to the fact that her racing days could be over.
Roughly’s last appearance was on March 11 when second in open company over 1100m.
In 64 starts – 18 wins and 19 minor placings – the mare raced in Victoria, SA, Darwin and Alice Springs for trainers Leon and Troy Corstens and Michael Hickmott, as well as Phil Cole, Carly Cook and Leah Walling-Denton in the Top End and Red Centre when Gardner stepped away for personal reasons in July 2019.
When Gardner returned in November last year, Roughly won over 1600m (BM76) – but she had been in superb touch since July and her good form only continued.
The big weights during that period weren’t a deterrent either epitomising her fighting qualities – if she got to the lead she was hard to catch.
Life now as a broodmare is certainly an option.
“Paul is going to look after her and probably make her a mum,” leading NT jockey Sonja Wiseman said.
“He loves her – he absolutely adores that mare.
“She’s been a big part of his life for a very long time.
“At least we’ve still got her and she’s still having fun out in the paddock, enjoying life.
“It’s always sad when you don’t get to see them run around again, but you’ve got to look at the positives.”
Wiseman rode Roughly on March 11.
Since 2019, the Darwin hoop had partnered the mare on 12 occasions for six wins and four minor placings.
In June 2017, Roughly debuted for Gardner in the Red Centre – she finished second over 1000m (0-64) – where she went on to have another 39 starts for 14 wins.
It’s tumultuous when injury can either end a horse’s career or life.
Wiseman was riding Mark Nyhan’s talented Trident in the Darwin Cup (2050m) last August when he misstepped at the 800m injuring his near fore.
Wiseman pulled the five-year-old gelding up immediately – sadly he was euthanised.
“Trident was heartbreaking because I also did a lot of trackwork on him,” she said.
“Roughly has been around for a long time and continued to win up until her body decided she couldn’t do it any more.
“We thought maybe she’d hit herself in the stable, but it turned out to be a bit more serious.
“It’s terribly disappointing, but at the same time she’s been such a great mare.”
Although Wiseman has rejoiced in Roughly’s recent success, it’s the past she remembers fondly.
“Roughly was one of the mares that I was riding in the early days here in the Territory,” she said.
“She was the first mare I ever rode in the Queen of the Desert in Alice Springs in 2019.
“We didn’t win, we came third, but I still remember thinking ‘my god’ I’ve got a nice horse underneath me.
“I was lucky enough to get back on her again.
“She’s just been such a good mare for me every time I fly down to Alice Springs.
“I knew she was going to try her absolute heart out, she’s just tough, very tough.”
The fact that Roughly, renowned as a sprinter, had success over 1400m and 1600m for the first time during the spring and summer also surprised.
“The first time I rode her again was when she won in September over 1400m when Leah took over as trainer,” Wiseman said.
“I said to Leah, I reckon she could go a bit further and then she stepped out to the mile and won.
“She’s just so versatile.
“I think she’s just the kind of mare where you could put her in any race and she’s always going to try for you.
“I honestly think she’s a horse that just developed – the older she got the better she got.
“You wouldn’t say that about many other horses.
“Every time she went out she was improving and I guess that’s the disappointing side of it – she probably still had a lot to give.”
Wiseman was despondent for Gardner and Roughly, but to win three races on Frilly Design ($20), Taipan Tommy ($8) and Poupee ($1.45 fav) on Saturday certainly lifted her spirits.
“It was a great day, I was absolutely rapt, especially with it being the first day of the carnival,” she said.
“Roughly’s just an incredible mare, she always looks good, always performed well – it’s just a shame we couldn’t have gone out with a win.”
More horse racing news
