Do You Have a Dollar?

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Fairytale Galloper’s
Price tag of a dollar

Owners live dream with debt still to be paid

By Susan Searle
The Toowoomba Chronicle
Tuesday 10th January, 2006.

A TOOWOOMBA racehorse trainer bought his stable star for $1 and last Saturday “Adavale Hornet” not only won in Brisbane, but also took his earnings to $76,705.

It’s one of those fairytales the racing industry is renowned for.

Ivan Duke and his wife Debbie are living the dream even though the $1 debt is still unpaid. But Mr. Duke is confident his old Charleville school chum Mark Currie doesn’t mind.

“I might buy him a burger instead, that costs more and he likes his food,” he joked yesterday.

The unwanted, unraced four-year old gelding – named after Debbie’s hometown of Adavale, “population of 15, three hours out of Charleville” and a football team – had a reputation and had been a handful.

“He’d cause a bit of a stir when he’d wheel around on the training tracks and go the wrong way,” the former truckie, now mechanic, said.

He called on trackwork rider Paddy Ryan to stand over the horse and made him work 10 laps – two laps is usually enough. After one week, the hornet had lost his sting. And, with his stablemate, “Iv’s Chance” they hit the road.

Like Lucky Starr’s hit, “I’ve Been Everywhere”, Adavale Hornet has raced at Gympie, Roma, (and won at) Charleville, Caloundra, Tara, Goondiwindi, Surat, (won at Quilpie, Toowoomba, Chinchilla, Gatton and Bundaberg.

Adavale Hornet was one of the longest-priced winners at Toowoomba’s Clifford Park in August when he paid $122 for the win on the TAB.

In an industry that usually nurtures its steeds, Adavale Hornet has raced five times in the last five weeks for four wins and a third.

He won at Toowoomba and Ipswich, ran third in an unsuitable race in Bundaberg and then capped it off with back-to-back wins at the Gold Coast and Doomben.

“We had to wash him three times before we left for Brisbane on Saturday. And he rolled again and we had to leave, so we loaded him on the horse float all muddy. We washed him again down there.”

The win provided his novice trainer, who has only been licensed two years, and Toowoomba apprentice jockey, Corey Gilby, with their first city win.

“He’s a pet,” he said.

And while Adavale Hornet is on fire, not so his stablemate, Iv’s Chance, who also was bought for $1 and is yet to win in 41 starts. But he has earned $10,025 in prizemoney.
Iv’s Chance is off to Rockhampton on Friday and Adavale Hornet will go for a run too and then head back to Brisbane the following Saturday.

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Ok, now hands up those who still think that they have to spend thousands and thousands on a yearling to have a city class horse and a lot of fun?????

Anyone??



Helen.