Maz - A Story in the Making

We have been lucky enough to get some publicity on Maz's first start at Lismore on Monday. This article courtesy of Racenet's (www.racenet.com.au) Clinton's Payne:-


Maz is finally ready to go

Clinton PayneThursday, 16 August 2007

Racing often throws a great story and next Monday at Lismore another wonderful racing fairytale will start.

The story of “Go Maz” is a remarkable one of community support from an internet forum – The New Horse Racing Community Forum who for the last six years have followed the trials and tribulations of a gelding that will make his debut in Monday’s Marina Quays Maiden Handicap over 1100m.

Go Maz was the result of an un-commercial mating between Gatsby and Belle Hareb and was originally owned and managed by a forum member known as Fasteddy.

Maz as he has been known to his internet family and friends, lost his mum just weeks after his birth and struggled through the first six months of his life on the edge before it things took a turn for the best when he moved to a Queensland property called Massie Lodge, run by fellow forum members Luskin and Smissy.

Once at Massie Lodge, Maz slowly put on weight and started to grow, and at 18 months he had matured into a healthy colt and went to the breakers in his first real step of a true racetrack dream.

After being broken-in, tragedy struck Maz again when on a stormy night he took fright from the thunder and lightning and charged into a paddock fence, causing severe injuries and bringing about an extended stay at the vet’s.

Maz’s then suffered an almost fatal dose of the scours, with serious consideration at one stage given to him being put down however, his devoted owner Fasteddy would have none of this and with his care and the horse’s will and determination, amazingly the brown colt survived, finally returning to his paddock.

Time marched on and with many attempts to get the horse to the races failing the heavy burden of vet, equine hospital and mounting agistment costs were starting to take their toll on Fasteddy, who reluctantly was forced by debtors to list Maz in a monthly tried horse sale on the Gold Coast.

With the knackery a solid favourite to be Maz’s fate, Fasteddy’s friends at The New Horse Racing Community Forum rallied behind the Maz cause, vowing to do everything to save the horse.

Former carers, Luskin and Smissy, purchased Maz at the sale and wave of forum support grew and they formed the “Maz syndicate” with a dream of getting him to the races.

Members from Australia, Japan and other parts of Asia banded together behind the “forum mascot”, generously donating funds to support an initial racing campaign.

He was sent to Ballina trainer Phil Quinnell to commence work and to everyone’s surprise on Sunday July 29, he won a 1000m barrier trial at Lismore.

On Monday, Go Maz will realize the dream of his best mate Fasteddy and his forum family and step out at the races for the first time.

The result won’t be important the fact that a horse has defied the odds and in doing so brought together so many people in the “sport of kings” is the real story.

Go Maz!