Aalaalune not happy

[Maximus 429]

32 minutes ago, Baz (NZ) said:

When owners dictate to trainers they sometimes have no choice. I imagine the Ruakaka race was a fresh up run to get her ready for her 3yo campaign against her own age group. I'm guessing the Tarzino was the straw that broke the camel's back? Hence Aalaalune was removed from the Jacob McKay stable? Anyway at the end of the day...it's the owners perogative to do what they want and they did. 

If memory serves, she was quickly removed from Jacob's stable straight after the surprise narrow loss fresh-up at Ruakaka ($1.40)  and sent to Team Rogerson. Failure in the Tarzino was the first of many unplaced starts ad she has only won one race - a maiden at Te Rapa. And here she is rattling round R65 fields in the summertime of her 5yo season. Wouldnt surprise me if Team Rogerson put her over the sticks before she retires. And I'm only half joking...

[Jacob_ 15]

23 hours ago, mr_gee said:

like a guy said to me at the  trots the other day she was poorly placed at jacobs too yes he is a young trainer but horse needed time not thrown in to deep end like a lot  do  she was stuffed before she got to rogies that run at rukaka showed  was poorly placed 

Interesting opinion, she had 6 starts as a 2yo, performed in all of them and all in black type. Usually with a week off in between runs and she never did any more than 3/4 pace in her work, was a good eater and never went shin sore, she did everything on natural ability building towards her last 2 runs for the season being the group 1s where she was beaten .1L and .9L

 

Then as a 3yo and I was beginging to be dictated to where she should race. I was wrapped with her run at ruakaka, she was up a month earlier than I wanted her to be, over a distance and track that didn't suit her and she runs the fastest 600 of the day. You would have had to be a mug to back her that day at $1.40 after that I wanted to wait with her and wasn't prepared to run in the tarzino as a result lost the horses. I wish them all the best, at the end of the day it's their money they can run her in whatever race they want but I didn't want it to be under my name. Im no star trainer but proud of how she performed under my care and can hold my head high knowing I lost the horse because I wanted to do what I thought was best for her, not because she was 'stuffed' 

 

Cheers, Jacob McKay

[Maximus 429]

On 2/25/2021 at 8:56 AM, Jacob_ said:

Interesting opinion, she had 6 starts as a 2yo, performed in all of them and all in black type. Usually with a week off in between runs and she never did any more than 3/4 pace in her work, was a good eater and never went shin sore, she did everything on natural ability building towards her last 2 runs for the season being the group 1s where she was beaten .1L and .9L

 

Then as a 3yo and I was beginging to be dictated to where she should race. I was wrapped with her run at ruakaka, she was up a month earlier than I wanted her to be, over a distance and track that didn't suit her and she runs the fastest 600 of the day. You would have had to be a mug to back her that day at $1.40 after that I wanted to wait with her and wasn't prepared to run in the tarzino as a result lost the horses. I wish them all the best, at the end of the day it's their money they can run her in whatever race they want but I didn't want it to be under my name. Im no star trainer but proud of how she performed under my care and can hold my head high knowing I lost the horse because I wanted to do what I thought was best for her, not because she was 'stuffed' 

 

Cheers, Jacob McKay

perfectly said, Jacob. Many of us who watch the industry quite closely (but dont / cant know all the ins and outs) could see what was going on with her placement. It must be quite difficult for you to see the way her career has unfolded thus far after she showed such potential as a youngster. Good luck for the future. You have the right attitude.

[Memphis3 1,261]

Yes it’s always a guy I met at the trots whose bro knows a guy who owned a relation of Phar Laps ble ble 

[Baz (NZ) 1,722]

Kudos to you Jacob! A bouquet too for the way you handled the whole situation under what looked to be a very stressful time.
Not only losing the majority of horse's from your small stable but on a personal level also dealing with your young daughter's health issues.
I hope one-day you can get the support to be back training full-time as NZ Racing can an ill-afford losing young talent such as yourself.
All The Best.
 

Young horse trainer's shot at success 'a big lift' after daughter's shock diagnosis

26 Jan, 2019 05:00 AM minutes to read

McKay's daughter Isabelle was diagnosed with Hemimegalencephaly, a rare disorder that affects the brain, when she was around a year old. Photo / Supplied

By: Alice Peacock

alice.peacock@nzherald.co.nz@amarypeacock

Jacob McKay was rocked to learn his daughter Isabelle had a rare disorder.

A budding horse trainer has opened up about what motivates him off the track, ahead of New Zealand's richest race meeting.

Matamata trainer Jacob McKay is working for Lotto winner Lou Te Keeti who has invested huge sums of money in thoroughbred horse racing after winning over $10 million in 2017.

The pair are entering Aalaalune, a 2-year-old grey filly in the Karaka Million at Ellersie today.

The race has come at a time when McKay, 25, was in need of a lift.

Just a few months ago his 1-year-old daughter Isabelle was diagnosed with a rare disorder called hemimegalencephaly, which affects the brain and causes frequent seizures.

The diagnosis threw McKay's life, and that of his former partner's, into disarray.

"It's been an awful few months really," McKay told the Weekend Herald.

The disorder meant one part of Isabelle's brain was slightly bigger than the remainder. She developed normally until she was around 10 months old but then the seizures began.

"When she started having the seizures they went from being about one a day," McKay said.

"But then it got to the point where she was having 15, 20 seizures a day. "Doctors tried different types of medication, but when nothing appeared to work the family opted for a hemispherectomy- which disconnected the side of her brain driving the seizures.

Isabelle is currently at home for a couple of weeks rest before going into rehab at the end of the month. Photo / Supplied

McKay said his little girl might have some physical disability as a result of the surgery, but it would also enable her to lead a more normal, independent life.

"She's progressing as well or better than expected since the operation and has been back to her happy self," he said.

With training Aalaalune while coping with issues in his personal life was a balancing act, McKay believed working towards a goal helped him through.

"Getting up each morning was just made that little bit easier, having a target coming up rather than just feeling like I was battling away for nothing."

"Obviously the race doesn't change what's happened or what she has to go through, but it's given me a boost at a hard time."

McKay has been surrounded by horses since he was a tot - his dad is the first-ever winner of the Karaka Million, a feature race for 2 year olds.

His parents tried to keep him and his brother away from the world of racing, but by their mid-teens they were well involved through their own accord.

"At some point we both fell in love with it and decided that's what we wanted to do with our lives," McKay said.

His brother was a jockey, while McKay was into his third year as an independent horse trainer.

A turning point came for the 25-year-old around a year ago when he met Lotto winner and avid horse racer Lou Te Keeti.

Te Keeti, a Tauranga local, struck it lucky when he picked up a winning Lotto ticket and scooped $10.3m in the Powerball jackpot. In the year following his big win, the racing enthusiast dropped $2 million on 19 racehorses.

He came across McKay a year ago at the Ready to Run horse sale - Te Keeti was looking for horses to buy while the young trainer was helping sell.

"I didn't know he'd won the Lotto or anything when I first met him - i just kept chatting to him, figuring you never know where business is going to come from," McKay said.

Initially McKay had no idea he was talking multi-millionaire, but said the discovery didn't change anything.

"The fact that he's got money or whatever doesn't worry me," McKay said.

"I really appreciate that he's given me a chance.

"The horses I'm working with, he's spent good money on. They're not just cheap horses, they're well-bred horses."

McKay said today's race would be a family affair. His brother was Aalaalune's jockey and his parents would be there, too.

While he was excited at the prospect of a victory, the journey getting there was half the win, he said.

 

"To be fair, I'm pretty proud just to have a horse that's made the race."

 

[gubellini 3,995]

Jacob McKay congratulations on winning the last at Matamata yesterday with Mighty Connor. Ironic that Vittachi could only run 9th.

[Maximus 429]

2 hours ago, gubellini said:

Jacob McKay congratulations on winning the last at Matamata yesterday with Mighty Connor. Ironic that Vittachi could only run 9th.

yes, well done well deserved, Jacob.

[Ragamuffin 122]

On 2/25/2021 at 8:56 AM, Jacob_ said:

Interesting opinion, she had 6 starts as a 2yo, performed in all of them and all in black type. Usually with a week off in between runs and she never did any more than 3/4 pace in her work, was a good eater and never went shin sore, she did everything on natural ability building towards her last 2 runs for the season being the group 1s where she was beaten .1L and .9L

 

Then as a 3yo and I was beginging to be dictated to where she should race. I was wrapped with her run at ruakaka, she was up a month earlier than I wanted her to be, over a distance and track that didn't suit her and she runs the fastest 600 of the day. You would have had to be a mug to back her that day at $1.40 after that I wanted to wait with her and wasn't prepared to run in the tarzino as a result lost the horses. I wish them all the best, at the end of the day it's their money they can run her in whatever race they want but I didn't want it to be under my name. Im no star trainer but proud of how she performed under my care and can hold my head high knowing I lost the horse because I wanted to do what I thought was best for her, not because she was 'stuffed' 

 

Cheers, Jacob McKay

You've ALWAYS done your best & had the horses' wellbeing uppermost & will continue to do, you have a good mentor from a very good trainer in your father & others you take heed of.  You can hold your head high in what you have & continue to achieve in all aspects of your life.  I take my hat off to you & others who've found themself in the "shoes" you've chosen to "fit" & wear, it's no easy task raising children & you've undertaken more than most would, I so admire you for not heading for the hills, it's a real testament to who you are, the love you have & share with Isabelle. Kia kaha e hoa. You will do well whatever path you chose to walk