Despite being less than a year old, training partnership Malua Racing showed why it is regarded as one of the most exciting training set ups in the country with the opening of its Ballarat stables on Wednesday.
Officially launched by the Victorian Minister for Racing Dr Denis Napthine, the Ballarat stables have been designed to complement the existing Malua training facility at Flemington.
Set on a 12 acre property, the site features sixteen sizeable boxes in a high-ceiling barn with its own wash down facility, loft and feed area. In addition there is a state-of-the-art ten horse walker, fourteen sand yards and twenty paddocks that allow the stable the flexibility to freshen a horses mind mid preparation.
The telling factor in both John Sadler and Troy Corstens deciding on Ballarat over a raft of other regional training centres was its access to the spanking new, 1400 metre, uphill Pro Ride training track.
“Ninety per cent of injuries in training happen when horses are going around a corner and the straight track at Ballarat really alleviates many of those concerns” said Corstens.
“The surface is also great. With the steep uphill track, you can get more work into a horse without putting as much pressure on them”.
Besides improving what was already proving an extremely successful training partnership, the opening was a real coup for the local community as highlighted by the Racing Minister Dr Denis Napthine.
“Not only is it great for jobs in Ballarat, but it’s a real vote of confidence for Ballarat as a horse training facility that Malua Racing has chosen to open their new stable facility here”.
To help celebrate its new partnership with the Ballarat Turf Club, Malua Racing sponsored the main race on Wednesday’s program the $50,000 “Malua Racing Gold Nugget Handicap”.
Highlighting the significance of the occasion, Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu was also on hand to present the winning connections with their trophy as well as spruik the Liberal party’s commitment to the sport, especially in rural areas.
With Malua’s leading spring hope, the highly promising son of Giant’s Causeway, Flat Chat, set to resume at Cranbourne on Sunday, it is worth noting that Corstens believes the stables best chance over the weekend lies with the lightly raced Savoy, set to line up in Race 7 at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
That aside, what punters and owners alike can be assured of is that Malua Racing is a stable going places and a brand worth paying close attention to in the coming months and years.
Written by Ben Asgari
