The small New South Wales township of Sofala, near Bathurst, is regarded as Australia’s oldest surviving gold town because it remarkably still attracts prospectors and fossickers more than 70 years since the last gold mine closed down.
And now a five-year-old harness racing gelding, named after the tiny township nestled in the Turon River valley, is about to chase his own riches.
Prepared by enthusiastic Shepparton training-driving couple Doc Wilson and Donna Castles, the in-form Sofala (Safari-Sass And Bling (Falcon Seelster USA) will take the next big step soon with a tilt at Melbourne’s Tabcorp Park Melton.
“The horse has certainly hit his straps in recent weeks on country tracks, so we think he deserves a chance at city racing,” Castles said.
And there’s certainly been a touch of class about his impressive recent victories at Swan Hill (mile rate 1.56-8) on March 7, then eight days later at Cobram with a 13m runaway win in 1.55-9.
While he has an impressive seven wins and six placings from 20 starts for over $30,000, it hasn’t all been down easy street for Sofala, raced by keen stable client Greg Corbett, of Sydney. Sofala will be accompanied to the “big smoke” by his stablemate, trotting mare Fatouche (Yankee Spider-U R Whatu Eat NZ (Frugal Gourmet USA), who was a last start Melton placegetter.
Donna Castles returning to scale with stable star Sofala after his recent win at Swan Hill.
Castles said the pacer had been a work in progress since her partner Wilson broke him in.
“He was so difficult to gait up and would spend six weeks in training, then go out for a bit of a spell, and then back in and out, and so on,” she said.
“Fortunately, Greg is very patient and just leaves it all up to us.”
Castles said his early ill-gaited habits still presented a chink in Sofala’s armour on occasions.
“I’ve got to watch him now and again when driving him in races because he can get his rhythm a little skewiff and lose momentum – but he’s getting better and he’s still learning,” she said.
“It could easily be a bit of a confidence thing now. I think one of the tricks to him is he loves to be out and free-running.
“A few months back at a Shepparton meeting, we drew the inside of the back row and he wasn’t comfortable one bit. He paced terrible and was a handful.”
Castles, who is a daughter of legendary Sydney horseman Jim Castles, and his wife Monica, moved to Shepparton with Wilson 16 years ago.
“We had a smart pacer at the time called Awaba, who we’d raced successfully in three States – NSW, Victoria and Queensland – and we thought he’d be our breadwinner,” Castles said.
“But it wasn’t to be as the horse broke down and that was the end of that.
“We were shattered and couldn’t call off our relocation plans because we had sold our home in Sydney!”
Before going sore, Awaba won nine races and had four placings in 14 starts during a 10-month period from May, 2002. He finished his career with 13 wins and nine placings from 35 starts for over $70,000.
Awaba now lives his life in retirement, apart from serving a few mares, at the Wilson-Castles property.
Despite being around horses all her life, Castles said that while growing up, she and her sister Sandra preferred to play sport.
“We actually hated the horses. We were right into basketball, netball, softball and swimming,” she said.
“Mum and dad would drag us off to the trots meetings and we would just lay on the floor of the car during the trips.
“Dad recently gave up driving because he’s in his 80s, but he still enjoys the training side and has one in work at the moment.
“In my early days with Doc at Shepparton I did harness them up for him and help clean boxes and that sort of stuff.
“Then I found that it was a necessity that I turn my hand to training as big WA breeder Mick Lombardo sent quite a few down to be broken in.
“So, it progressed from there and I’ve had a driver’s license for seven or eight years. I still remember my first drive was at a non-TAB meeting at Cobram because I didn’t want too many people watching in case I stuffed up! But it was all good and I finished in the placings.
“Of course, these days I do enjoy it, particularly when I can get a winner for our stable clients.”
Sixteen-year-old daughter Georgia, who is studying Year 11 at school, gives a helping hand whenever she has the time.
“And it’s much-appreciated because we have a team of 28 at the moment, which can get pretty full on,” Castles said.
“Georgia did the mini pony trots for a while with a lot of success, but she’s devoted to doing well at school now.”
The Wilson-Castles combination has been ticking along nicely this season, but it’s probably no secret they’re hoping there’s another Awaba just around the corner.
Terry Gange
NewsAlert PR Mildura