How many times have you heard things like “no jockey is riding better.”
So much so that - “they’d win on a broomstick.”
Fun fact (as an aside): they never will! Why?
Well, the name "Broomstick" has been “internationally protected” since 1901. Can’t tell you why, it just is, along with an outrageously long list of others that you can view here International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (ifhaonline.org) from which I also know I can’t call one "Bruce" either. If I wanted to.
Anyway. What about the hot trainer. You know, “the stable is on fire”, heard that many times before too, right? And of course, it isn't literally, but a cheap cliche sometimes easily suits.
Look at Malua Racing, named after a horse, that knew a thing about winning, try this CV - Oakleigh Plate to a Melbourne Cup to a Grand National Hurdle to a stud career that provided a Cup winner as well.
So somewhat surprised that Leon and Troy Corstens got the brand name through, the horse’s name isn’t on that protected list but good luck to anyone thinking they’ve got another Malua, but then The Malua Corstens are enjoying a run their namesake would be proud of.
Ok, so Sunday was a rare recent wipe, none from two runners at Swan Hill, but a winner (and a second) at Flemington Saturday (from the only two they saddled up), a double at Swan Hill Friday (including the remarkable story of Baraqiel that we will touch on), one from two at Sandown last Wednesday, one from one Sandown the previous Saturday. A SR of 30% looks good on paper. (We will get to what translates to the bottom line shortly.)
Spot fires are consumed as well in the Malua heat.
Why it even engulfed a Malua tenant, Denis Pagan.
The dual AFL Premiership coach, coached by Troy Corstens when he thought a hobby of buying then training horses who can’t talk but cost big dollars, was easier than talking to players who make them, was swept up like kindling in the Malua backdraught when Georgie Get Mad won at headquarters, and the same day North Melbourne landed a rare win at the footy.
Spooky hey and coming on near four years since Pagan was in the winner’s room at Flemington the only previous time, that when Johnny got (Get) Angry won its only race, the Victoria Derby no less, as a $21 chance.
There is no magic wand, or it would be waved furiously, not just by the Corstens, but by every trainer who are telling the sales companies they will sort the outstanding and the feed merchant, that the cheque is in the mail.
“I suppose so many trainers go through it, and when you do it just seems that every decision you make, is the right decision,” Troy Corstens said.
“It’s that rare time you don’t second guess yourself, your confidence level climbs, and you hope it just continues.”
And that hope is not just Mornington today where Picky runs for Malua, but more so at Eagle Farm next Saturday where they hope it's a "Bittercreek" day.
That's Bittercreek, bought at the top end of stable's financial reaches at $375,000 to trade, but then couldn’t attract a real bid, passed in nowhere near the $750,000 reserve. He now runs for a multi-million potential stallion payday in the Group I J J Atkins Stakes. (He’s the $9 second favorite behind Godolphin’s $1.7 hotshot Broadsiding.)
But perspective in racing, as in life, is a real thing.
As Troy was embracing the hottest of stable runs, he and the Malua family, were also dealing with the loss of a former employee Johann Albornoz Gonzalez, who he announced by a Facebook post on Saturday night had succumbed a challenging fight for life to a severe stomach illness when back home with his family in native Chile.
“He was a true horseman,” Corstens said.
“Everything is put in perspective in times like these. He was such a gentle man, a proper horseman, got on anything, just had a knack with them like few others. He was with us for about six months and spoke about coming back, he had a young family, it’s just tragic.”
If there is a horse that is pinned to the Malua run it is Bennett Racing’s Baraqiel. Trotted up by three-and-a half lengths Friday at Swan Hill, unbeaten from three, as a late five-year-old, but of course you sense that’s not the whole story.
Which trainer would say they'd train your unraced injury prone horse (try three career threatening injuries) for free? Well, that's Troy Costens, to the consternations of Malua business manager Jason Sawford, and that horse is Baraqiel (meaning an angel of lightning).
He is also the horse that sparked Troy's punting abstinence when he finally debuted at Sale last month, won by four lengths, (defied the over’s god too, Troy got $5, it started $2.15) and then he swiftly returned to responsible gambling, that is none!
Baraqiel was a $150,000 purchase for Nathan Bennett’s highly successful syndication company but two tendons and a hind leg injury, tested everyone’s patience and faith.
Even today, the three-quarter brother to AJC Oaks winner Autumn Angel, has a five percent share sitting on the Inglis Digital online sale (2024 JUNE (Early) Online Sale | Inglis Digital Online Auctions) and the last bid was $13,000 at the time of writing, so let’s value off that at $260,000 the “owner reducing racehorse shares.”
This after Corstens, as frustrated as the owners, said he’d rehab the horse at his own cost and finally his beliefs in the horse's ability, well proven with three dynamic wins from as many starts. But that he got to start at all is testament to Corstens and the Malua team.
Corstens had learned a relatively new German method he had tried with success via other stable horses Brasada, Spring Choice and Sojustkoby, but Baraqiel would be the big test.
So from November 22 last year after being pencilled in for a Geelong debut, came that latest injury and the offer.
So initially Baraqiel for the initial recovery period boxed at Bangtail, Malua’s Lurg farm near Benalla, that was 23 says before 60 days of free agistment, 35 days of free training there and then 25 free at Flemington before the official green light came April 12 when he trialled at Werribee.
“Sure, he’s been one of the most satisfying results I have ever had with a horse,” Corstens said.
“Now every time he goes to races, I don’t sleep well that night before and he’s the first horse I check on the morning after he races just to see he’s ok.”
“When he won that maiden at Sale, it was an average race, I even had a bet, first time in years, saw they put up $5 or something like that, I’m not a punter. But it was a very special win for the stable just to get him there and to get him through it.”
But does success breed success?
Malua has 40 boxes at Flemington, 30 at Geelong and 20 added recently at Benalla. There are 35 full time staff that need to be paid each week.
“The economy today is the toughest it has ever been for us selling horses,” Corstens said.
“I’m happy to say most of our clients are mums and dads and syndicates and I pride myself on value for them, but when times are tough the first thing that they give away is their hobby and that is their horses.”
“We’ve adjusted our business. We went from buying 40 yearlings a year to sell down, to 18 and we were still stuck with five or six with shares in them which means less money coming in for training fees, so we cut back again but were lucky with some fantastic clients who gave us their orders,” he said.
One of those is TyreTraders king Shane Morrissy who bought into Bittercreek, a long-term stable supporter, (he has a share in Saturday’s Flemington winner Lady in Pink) and spent up on quality fillies at this year’s Magic Millions sale that keep the Malua barns filled and ticking.
“All I can say is that heading into winter here, I’ve never seen our horses looking so healthy, if I’m trying to find an answer why they are doing so well, maybe that is it.”
They will be looking much better if Bittercreek, carrying Rupert Legh’s colours as part of the loyal Malua syndicate strikes pay-dirt in the JJ, where the horse that couldn’t attract a trading bid at the Magic Millions Ready To Run sales, finishes with a $10m price tag on Saturday.
And without Troy needing to have a bet.
PS: BARAQIEL made it four straight wins when successful again at Caulfield on Saturday (June 29) where a group of the owners celebrated their patience and luck.
And the hot run of MALUA RACING had not abated either at the point of writing.
FOXYKOBY won on the same day for stable apprentice Chris Pang at Wodonga. Stable stalwart LOOK SHARPISH recorded its seventh win the previous day (Friday) while SIGN FROM ABOVE delivered on the Tuesday.
LADY IN PINK won the previous Saturday at Flemington, leaving 11 winners from the stable's previous 50 starters.
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