Blowes' Boy a big learning curve for Cleary's charge
Just this week, Todd Blowes's horse was installed as the Country Championships favourite. Ask him what it means, he just shrugs. Doesn't bother him. Ask Joe Cleary what preparing a horse like Noble Boy means to Blowes, the larrikin Queanbeyan trainer laughs.
"It's just changed his whole persona about horse training," says Cleary, who employs Blowes as his right-hand man for his own stable while Blowes has his own licence.
No fuss: Queanbeyan trainer Todd Blowes.Credit:AAP
"Toddy is one of these guys that wanted everything to happen yesterday, but since he's been in a laid-back environment like our stable it's helped him. I said to him, 'you're going to run out of horses before you run out of races'.
"It's sunk in now he's got a decent horse. He's dots his I's, crosses his T's and asks for advice. He's enjoying the ride and I reckon this next six weeks is going to be awesome for him."
In a concept which is made for the little-guy-done-good, Blowes might not just be the betting favourite but also the sentimental favourite in the build-up to the Country Championships this year.
He's a former footballer for the Queanbeyan Blues who has taken a couple of old teammates along for the ride with Noble Boy, unbeaten in three starts and set to make it four in the Highway Handicap at Warwick Farm on Saturday. The boys have been ringing every day this week to check on the horse's health.
Toddy is one of these guys that wanted everything to happen yesterday, but since he's been in a laid-back environment ... it's helped him.
Joe Cleary
According to Cleary, Blowes was a "tough little bastard" on the rugby league field. Queanbeyan folk love their rugby league and racing. His switch was a natural one. But Blowes has been more dedicated as a father, and dedicated to his craft. The minute he joined Cleary's stable, he only had eyes on becoming a horse trainer. It was a battle, but he's there now.
After Noble Boy won a Highway late last year, there were a few interesting phone calls about buying the horse. Blowes didn't seriously entertain any of the approaches. He'd just finished celebrations with his mates who grabbed him in a headlock after a win with his first Saturday runner and they weren't about to let go of the best horse they might ever have.
They know racing's a fickle game, particularly for those who live and breathe it.
A few days ago, Braidwood trainer Richard Clarke suffered a horrific morning accident when he was found unconscious while tending to a horse on a walking machine. He was airlifted to hospital for emergency surgery with a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain. Blowes used to work with Richard's son Aaron and knows the family well.
"I've been on the phone to the boys over the last couple of days," Blowes said. "They still don't know exactly what happened. It's just horrible news. Fingers crossed he pulls through and makes a speedy recovery."
It might only a be a little tonic, but Noble Boy can bring a few smiles to racing faces around the nation's capital this week. Then he will march on to the Goulburn Country Championships qualifier in three weeks time.
"It doesn't [worry me that he's Country Championships favourite], to be honest," Blowes said. "I just do my own thing and make sure he's right and let everything else take care of itself. He's only 90 per cent and I've left a little bit in the tank to top him off for the Goulburn run.
"I picked this race out a long time ago for him and it's perfect having the three weeks into the qualifier at Goulburn. He's just crying out for the 1400 [metres of the Country Championships final]. You can see in that December run how far back he got and he finished over the top of them. Not much has changed with him.
"After his last run he had a few days in the paddock and then on the water walker before he came back into the stable. He's been ticking over nicely and he had a private jumpout a few weeks ago. He's coming along well."
Blowes has called on Hugh Bowman to take over on Noble Boy to replace the Melbourne-bound James McDonald on Saturday; a win would only cement his standing in the Country Championships pecking order.
And Cleary, for one, won't be a tiny bit surprised to see him collecting the Country Championships spoils on April 6.
"He's been working for me about 18 months and he's had one passion: to be a horse trainer," Cleary said. "He's a darn good horseman, but he's a champion bloke to go with it. He did lack a bit of self-confidence, but he's chilled out now."
Adam Pengilly is a Sports reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.