A remarkable labour of equine love has put Muchea galloper Candlelight Supper on a potential pathway to the $1 million Group 2 TABtouch Perth Cup (2400m) at Ascot on January 1.
But much will depend on a strategic Avon Valley stopover this Sunday, after veteran trainer Alan Mathews decided to bypass an Ascot appearance for his plucky seven-year-old mare to target the $70,000 TABtouch York Cup (1920m). Jockey Troy Turner will ride her in the race where the Michael Grantham-trained Perth Cup hopeful Opportunistic is a hot $1.65 favourite.
Mathews revealed that he had been considering retirement for Candlelight Supper because of a leg injury last year. But a dedicated recovery program that had him massaging a comfrey-based ointment into the mare’s leg every day for six months had rejuvenated a career that has already gleaned nearly $400,000 in prizemoney.
The herbal treatment was grown and made by Mathews’ horticulturalist son Ashley.
“We religiously massaged her every day for six months,” Mathews said of the half-sister to last year’s Adelaide and Launceston Cups winner Excelleration.
“Troy (Turner) rode her yesterday (Wednesday) morning and said, ‘This is the soundest horse I’ve ever ridden trotting up’. She is a pure racehorse who just tries so hard and every morning you can’t go past her yard without getting her out and working her.
“She lives out in a grass paddock and we don’t annoy her too much. But you never have to ask her to work, you just can’t stop her.”
Mathews is one of the Perth Cup’s greatest champions, having claimed the great race six times as a trainer from 1990 to 2003 with Word Of Honour, Mirror Magic, Field Officer, Palatious, Lottila Bay and Tumeric. He also claimed the York Cup with $10 shot Django in 2016.
Alan Matthews sets his sights on another Perth Cup.
Mathews said it would be a satisfying achievement to get Candlelight Supper through to the Perth Cup. Her last win came on Railway Stakes day at Ascot last year, ironically beating the 2024 York Cup winner Henchard in the process.
He said regional racing events were an important lifeblood for the industry and the wider community in general and York Racing chair Natasha Atkinson said the club would again prove that on Sunday.
Racing in the Central Wheatbelt, including York Racing, delivers $50.6 million in economic benefit to the region annually and provides for 132 full-time jobs.
“It’s the York Cup at Australia’s oldest provincial racecourse and we see it as so important for this region,” Atkinson said.
“It’s a great day of country racing – think picnic races, think a great family day out with great food and amazing views. It’s important to have events in the country areas and it is important to keep the racetrack going, especially for the people who come to work in the regions.
“It gives them and their families something fun to do and more people are realising they have to support these things or they won’t be around. And when they get there, they have such a great time and it’s so nice to bring people together.”
The first race at York is at 1.35pm.
Steve Butler
www.racingwa.com.au