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The “Baroness of Bombala” one of Australia’s leading trainers Barbara Joseph had one her most successful days yesterday notching her second city double when Al Khafra and Mukareena scored game victories at the Holiday Rosehill meeting.
Photo by Racing and Sports
Joseph, with close to 30 years experience in the training profession, operates out of two stables, one at Bombala which is used mainly for pre-training with the main operation at the magnificent Canberra race track training complex, has been at the top of her profession for much of that time.
In the last twelve months alone, Joseph has trained 59 winners who have earned just over a million dollars in Stakes.
Joseph's first city double came on January 29th, 2000 also on the Rosehill track courtesy of classy mare Verdict Declared and game stayer Sporting.
Joseph who celebrated a Birthday on Boxing Day, is having one of her best seasons with winners flowing regularly at a number of venues.
The win by Al Khafra was particularly pleasing for Joseph who took over the training of the gelding last year. Under her care he has won six of his twenty-one race starts as well as four placings. His stakes earnings now total almost $70,000.
“Al Khafra is going very well at the moment and I plan to back him up in Sydney in another special conditions race over 1100m on the 15th January 2005”, Joseph told Racing and Sports.
The win my Mukareena was also satisfying for Joseph as he vindicated her judgement in convincing the owners to keep going with the gelding after a lapse in form following a great two-year-old season which saw him run a close second to Planchet in the Black Opal Stakes (1200m) at Canberra.
“Mukareena had a very hard two-year-old campaign and it took him a while to get over it. I suggested to the owners the horse go for a good spell and we start afresh with him after that.” Joseph explained.
“The strategy worked well because he has never been better winning three of his last four starts. Mukareena has a new zest for racing and loves the new synthetic training track and swimming pool recently opened at the Canberra racecourse.”
Mukareea’s win in yesterday’s Transitional Handicap over 1100m was full of merit.
After doing all the hard work up front leading from the jump, the gelding breezed home in a slick 33.70 seconds for the last 600m.
Joseph says Mukareena who has won almost $200,000 in stakes, will have his next start in an open handicap at Rosehill on 8th January.
Two of Joseph’s’ stable stars in Ain’t Seen Nothin’ and Commands Nothin’ are back in work and pleasing the leading trainer.
“Commands Nothin’ has been back in work for about ten weeks but she was very big in condition as she needed a long spell after injuring her knee following her excellent run in the Kindergarten Stakes in March,” Joseph told Racing and Sports.
“I intend giving her a barrier trial at Canberra this Friday and after that possibly a first up run in Sydney on January 8th, but it all depends on how she comes through the trial”.
Even though Commands Nothin’ has shown no further signs of any problems associated with the knee injury, Joseph is keen not to overtax the filly taking her along carefully with one possible target the Light Fingers Stakes at the end of January.
Class mare Ain’t Seen Nothin’ has come back bigger and keener than ever according to Joseph.
“She went to the spelling paddock in good shape after running second in the Matriarch Stakes (2000m) at Flemington but I was amazed at just how well she has done. When she came back into the stables about a fortnight back she was in sensational condition.”
No firm plans have been laid out for Ain’t Seen Nothin’ but one likely target is the Group One Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill during the Golden Slipper Festival.
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