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Travers to saddle-up first metro runner in Highway

3 minute read

Michael Travers-trained four-year-old Mathrin will be the first metropolitan runner for the dual-license holder.

Dual-license holder Michael Travers will saddle-up his first metropolitan runner this Saturday when Mathrin lines up in the Highway (1400m).

The four-year-old has placed in all of her seven runs this campaign, including back-to-back wins after joining the Wagga-based horseman's stable three starts ago.

It's a great achievement for Travers, who has only had 50 starters since beginning his training career in 2020.

Travers said it's exciting for both the trainer and owners, whose goal is to race in Highway's.

"I predominantly only train for two people, a husband-and-wife team," he said.

"Their ambition is to buy tried horses and they'd just like to get one to have a run in a Highway.

"That's what they buy to get, and it's great to be able to achieve that for them.

"They're the backbone of the stable."

Travers is Mathrin's third trainer in just 14 starts, but if the Wagga-based horseman had his way he would've trained the mare nine months ago.

The dual-license holder tried to acquire the four-year-old when sold in an online auction in

November, outbid by Peter Knight who is now one of Travers' biggest supporters.

"I actually tried to buy Mathrin myself when she went through the sales and that's how I came to have Mr. Knight and Ms. Tatham as owners," Travers said.

"I actually rang them and asked if I could train the horse for them.

"Unfortunately, they'd already placed the horse with Andrew Dale at that time, but she's eventually made it to my stable nine months later and we've had a bit of luck with her since."

The daughter of Deep Field will be on an eight-day back up after finishing a close second in a Class Three at Albury in her most recent start.

Travers is confident his cranky mare will handle the back up well at Kembla Grange on Saturday.

"She's going really well, I don't do a great deal with her," he said.

"She just doesn't take a lot of work. She doesn't like going to the track, so we don't take her there.

"She's just very, very cranky. Kicks the walls, kicks at everything, kicks at other horses, things like that.

"She doesn't like being there, so we don't take her.

"She worked nicely this morning and so she's on track to head down to Kembla."

Travers has trained five winners in his training career to date, being aboard for all of those wins.