Horse trainers are known for being a resilient bunch, but they don’t come much tougher than Tracey Bartley.
Having already battled and overcome cancer several years ago, Bartley found himself facing another health battle in March when what started as a routine check-in on a couple of horses turned into a life-threatening struggle after one of them kicked him.
“I was rugging horses in a paddock and one horse went to kick another and I just got in the way,” Bartley said.
“Your main instinct is to get out of there, so I got out of the paddock and crawled my way back towards the house.
“I was in ICU for two weeks and had three stents put in to stop the bleeding.
“But I’m good now, back to normal.”
Not only is the Group 1-winning trainer back to normal, he is preparing to make the trek from Wyong to Scone to saddle up three talented horses at the annual May carnival, including debut winner Chilada.
A giant filly who stands at over 16 hands and weighs 650kg, she was a dominant when leading throughout at Wyong and Bartley, who put the polish on multiple Group 1 winner Sniper’s Bullet, believed she could be something special.
He scratched her from an easier race on Friday when she drew wide and will instead throw her into the deep end in Saturday’s Listed Denise’s Joy Stakes (1100m).
“It has been a long time since I have saddled one as good as her,” Bartley said.
“Greenness may come against her a bit but with her racing pattern, she will put herself there just behind the leaders.
“I think she’ll be a better horse following something and I really think she’ll be savaging the line.”
Stablemates Barossa Rosa and Mabel both have their work cut out from wide draws, Barossa Rosa coming up with the outside gate in the Group 3 Dark Jewel Classic (1400m), while Mable will jump from barrier 14 if the emergencies don’t get a run in the Muswellbrook Ford Handicap (1100m).
Bartley said both would be ridden quietly and given a chance to finish off, warning punters to forgive Barossa Rosa her last start unplaced effort at Hawkesbury.
The mare was having her first run in over a month and in hindsight Bartley said, “she got a bit fat on us”, then copped a late check to boot.
“Jason Collett said she was going as well as the horse that ran third when she got knocked over and it just put her out of play,” Bartley said.
“I trialled her the other day and I reckon that has just topped her off.”
Bartley says Mabel also continues to thrive and can feature in the finish with luck from the draw.
