In a year gripped by Covid-19, it has been business as usual for Sunshine Coast trainer Natalie McCall as she enjoys a season to remember.
McCall has trained 31 winners this season including 4 on the metropolitan circuit and has enjoyed a 30% winning strike rate at provincial meetings across Queensland. “Our season has really exceeded our expectations. We don’t have any superstars in the barn but they are all racing to their best ability and consistently, so to me I can’t ask for anymore from
them.”
A self-proclaimed perfectionist, McCall’s hard work and attention to detail has driven herself to maintaining a boutique stable in which she can develop a close bond with each horse.
She credits her success to having an intimate understanding of each of her horses including their tactical strengths and weaknesses. After riding the bulk of the work each morning, McCall spends hours analysing form and replays to ensure her horses are placed as best they can.
“Really our strike rate is something that means the most to me.”
“It’s all well and good for big stables to rack up winners with big numbers, but if you can keep your strike rate high you know you’re close to the mark as far as placement and having your horses
right when it counts.”
The Sinner has been a stable leader in recent months after scoring two metropolitan wins and placing behind Steve Tregea’s talented monster Command’n’Conquer, but it is a talented threeyear-
old which has McCall buzzing.
Undefeated gelding Platinum Euros has dominated in his two starts to date, winning both races by an accumulated 5.55 lengths and has already drawn comparisons to McCall’s sole Group One
winner River Lad.
“Euro is a very, very nice horse. I told people a good while ago he’s the best horse I’ve had since the old boy River Lad, but unfortunately he is not that sound.” “He won first up after a long break from surgery on a tendon above his knee, we had him set to run in the QTIS Jewel and he galloped with The Sinner on the Tuesday before, went unbelievably well and pulled up later in the morning with some heat in the other knee.”
“No pain but heat so we had him x-rayed and he had a chip in it. Probably could have pushed on and tried to manage it with the right meds and training program but he’s too good to ruin and I never like to see my horses in pain so we took it out.”
“He’s about 2 weeks off heading to the water walker for some slow and steady rehab.”
“Everything happens for a reason and he is still quite immature so I like to think he will repay us for looking after him.”
By Brodie Nickson