The ongoing success of Chambers Flat trotting sensation Pelosi hasn’t gone to the head of her trainer Anna Woodmansey.
Despite winning a Group 1 race as a 2-year-old and recently returning from Sydney as a successful 3-year-old, Pelosi’s camp isn’t looking to expland.
Ms Woodmansey is a part-time trainer, but Pelosi has changed her life.
“She is a dream come true for me, she’s given me a lot of confidence, and she’s given me belief in myself as a trainer,” Ms Woodmansey said.
“We’ve been doing a lot of travelling interstate and that’s great too, because you get to know a lot of people.”
With a little bit of fame comes a little bit of expectation.
And for Pelosi, six wins from her first eight starts was always going to set a high bar.
This season has been tougher with four wins from 13 starts.
For her support base, this is where the unknown begins.
“As a two-year-old filly, it was all pretty straight forward, and to get a group 1 as a starter was great,” Ms Woodmansey said.
“We always knew she had ability but you’re never sure how they’ll go. She has showed she’s got the speed and toughness to compete in the big races. In her win at Menangle (the $125,000 NSW Breeders’ Challenge) she was the only Queenslander in the race, so it was great to represent.
“She’s just such a beautiful filly, and she can step up when she needs to.”
While it might be true that it takes only one good horse to set up a trainer, the Woodmansey stable is not looking to expand.
“I like to put my attention into the detail,” she said.
“I suppose I wouldn’t say no to a few more, but racing is something you can do when you get old so there’s no rush and I’m happy doing what I’m doing now.”
Ms Woodmansey has seven acres at Chambers Flat which she says isn’t quite enough to sustain a full stable.
Pelosi, owned by Ms Woodmansey’s partner Wayne Honan, does speed trackwork at Grand Dixon’s property at Mt Tamborine. Without outside help and some sponsorship from the likes of Farmalogic and Equine Flairs, it’s an expensive hobby.
Ms Woodmansey does the trackwork including the riding, and to have more than one horse loaded into a float everyday would become an excessive amount of work, she says.
Pelosi’s next challenge will be to compete against older horses in open races. If she races well, she’ll probably keep going. Otherwise, she’ll utilise her good pedigree in the breeding barn.
“Either way, it’s exciting,” Ms Woodmansey said.
“They become your best friend. I still have the first horse I trained, and he’s about 20 now.”
The racing game, she says, is one of extreme patience. Waiting through the breeding cycle, to foaling, to training, and then to the racetrack can take years before there’s potential reward.
“Racing is just the sort of thing you get a bit hooked on,” she said.
Her wish now is that the people of Logan will embrace Pelosi as the champion horse she is.
Most recently, she ran 5th at Albion Park. Summer humidity means she’ll be managed conservatively, but expect improvement the next time she returns to the track.
