open day

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Tallianna Cremer
Owner/Trainer; King's Park Racing

Other trainers told her she was crazy for holding these open days, letting people come into her stables and see her horses once a week for a good few hours. And sure, their worries were legitimate; if anyone was kicked or bitten, they'd probably be inclined to try and blame her. She loved the atmosphere that these days brought to the place, loved showing off what she'd built to her public. It was good for connections as well, what with plenty of her horses being partially owned by people with plenty of money but little knowledge as to how to keep a racehorse ticking over. She'd connected with a handful of these people in the early days, when she'd been eager to build up her string but lacking the money to do so. They'd helped her to get her hands on horses like Alphabetical and Spiritway (one of her favourites), Dreamtime, Byebyebirdy, Windsong, Fly By Knight...the list went on.

Many of the originals still owned shares in one horse or another, usually progeny of the horse they had helped her buy in the first place. Dreamtime's list of five or so owners, for instance, had also bought shares in Spirit Line and would be around sometime in the next few weeks to discuss her latest foal, a big colt by Are You Da One. He wasn't a big stud, sure, but they'd seemed up to taking a chance with him during breeding season. Besides, any pairing could produce the next big champion - it was as much luck as anything else.

Excusing herself from a conversation with a prospective shareholder, Tally strode back towards the stable entrance, to Pie's stall where she could check the locks on the stall door. She'd had to have a mesh top door added to his stall, to stop people from sticking their fingers, and random items of food, too close to his mouth. The grey colt was friendly and lovable, sure, but he wasn't above biting and chewing on people, two things she didn't need. Once she knew he was secure, it was on to Eidolon, the currently immobilised star of the stable. She was in the middle of one of the rows, a spot kept quiet and calm by two young stablehands who were sat outside her stall cleaning bridles. They called a friendly greeting as she approached, which she returned, leaning on the door to run an experienced eye over the dark bay inside. The filly was napping for the moment, ears drooping and nose dropping towards the floor.

Eidolon, sweet, crazy Eidolon, had fractured a cannon bone, much to the entire team's horror. It was a scenario far from what they had imagined for the tough little three year old, who had slogged through mud and high-class fields to snatch up a Virtuity Treble as the crown jewel of her two year old season. Tally could have seen this filly going all the way to the top just like her mother (or even greater). But here she was, stall-bound and out of condition. She'd calmed down since the change in workload and diet, and put on a lot of weight (to their relief, her appetite had remained, reassuring them that she wasn't suffering anything more than the leg injury). Tally hadn't made a decision on whether to retire her yet - she didn't have the heart to make it, what with the many people she had seen creep down the row to wish the filly well over the last three months. The possibility was real though. Eidolon could be joining King's Park's broodmare band by the end of the year, her career at an abrupt end.

"You two keep an eye on her," she reminded the stablehands as she stepped away, leaving the filly to her peace. "Don't be afraid to whack any particularly obnoxious visitors with those bridles."

"Sure thing," one replied with a wicked grin. Laughing, she moved on, right down to the back of the stable to offer each of her broodmares a pat and a slice of carrot, running her eyes over each of the thirteen foals she'd bred this year. Of them, she'd only sold one so far - a dark little dun thing splattered with sabino that had resulted from a cross between Constellation and Autumn Fun. The sale had been well worth it - he was off to Ferndale once he was weaned, and in return she'd gotten her hands on a Hoist The Colours baby - a blue roan colt who looked to have all the right things. She had yet to consider any deals with Flat Creek, not knowing what they had, but perhaps she'd contact John in the next few weeks and see if he was interested. They'd done a deal a few years ago, swapping four youngsters each, and she liked what she'd gotten from that - Sunshine Notes and Diamond Clock were consistent little runners, even if they struggled a little to find the winners circle, Zen Master liked to surprise and Forceful was just beginning to really find his feet and get out in front.

With a final pat for Wings, she turned back towards the entrance, wandering onward.