people
QUEEN OF
THE CUPS
NARROMINE TRAINER
KYLIE KENNEDY HAS
PLENTY IN COMMON WITH
RACING’S FIRST LADY, GAI
WATERHOUSE - THEY ARE
BOTH CUPS QUEENS!
words: MARK BRASSEL
PICTUREs: JANIAN McMILLAN
»
Kylie Kennedy with her favourite horse ‘Spec’
www.racingnsw.com.au
3
4
people
G
ai Waterhouse may have
enjoyed her finest moment
in November when Fiorente
captured her first Melbourne
Cup, but there is another ‘Cups Queen’
in New South Wales.
Kylie Kennedy has been busy stocking
her mantelpiece with trophies during the
past couple of seasons with victories in
the Tullebigeal Cup, Grenfell Picnic Cup,
Mudgee Picnic Cup, Tomingley Cup,
Warren Cup and the Japan/Cowra Cup.
That’s not a bad effort from less than
a dozen horses in her stable!
Kylie was destined to make a career
out of horse racing, it’s entrenched in
her bloodlines.
Her father is Wayne Collison, a
successful jockey for more than 25
years before retiring to take over the
family training business formerly run
by Kylie’s mum, Robyn Douglas, for
15 years.
And many of Kylie Kennedy’s warmest
childhood memories are from days at
the races with her parents as they rode
and trained winners. This was to be the
catalyst which would forge her career.
“Once I left school I became foreman
for Dad and fine tuned my horse
husbandry skills,” she recalled.
Kylie, 44, is now married to fellow
horse trainer Lindsey Kennedy who
is well known around the Narromine
region as a top class horse breaker and
educator of horses as well as training a
small team of around eight gallopers.
She has boxes at Narromine
Racecourse and believes in a handson approach to each of her horses to
ensure they receive the upmost care
and attention.
“At the moment I have 11 horses in
training. I occasionally ride trackwork
but do most of my work off a lead car,”
Kylie explained.
“I don’t do my babies off the lead car
but all the older horses love it; I find it
helps with hard pullers and horses with
leg problems as I can keep the weight
off their back. They still get ridden a few
times a week though.”
Kylie has trained 50 winners and last
season was one of her best, producing
18 winners.
Kylie’s good friend Courtney Foord,
partner of jockey Andrew Woods, had
nothing but praise for Kylie Kennedy.
“Kylie has had some great success
over recent years and she enjoys taking
on tried horses that other trainers are
www.racingnsw.com.au
Spectacular Iam (Codey Hodges) coasts home at Coonabarabran
struggling with and giving them a new
opportunity to shine under her care,”
she said.
“One of her great
achievements was the
turnaround of Spectacular
Iam. When the grey came
to Kylie he was always
finding ways to injure
himself.
“Kylie has done a remarkable job
getting him to the track injury-free and
the results are amazing.”
Now a 10-year-old, Spectacular Iam
has won 11 races under Kylie’s guidance
including the Wellington Town Plate and
now holds three track records.
“’Spec’ as well call him had numerous
injuries and accidents including a broken
neck, damaged hocks, and having been
in a float when it’s tipped over,” Kylie
said.
“His main owner Bob Butler gave him
to me to train for the syndicate. All Bob
said to me when I picked him up was ‘I
just want to see him get to the races in
one piece’. He was Bob’s pet.
“Sadly Bob only got to see him win
three more races and was emotional
with every win.
“Bob would be so proud knowing he
has won another eight races since his
passing.
“Spec’s also won the Western Racing
Association’s Horse of the Year two
years running.
“Spec is a very timid boy who does
not like to let me out of his sight; we
have a very special bond.
“He follows me everywhere and
it’s an ongoing joke around here that
when he retires he will move into my
backyard.”
Kylie enjoyed an excellent 2012-13
season, winning the Queanbeyan
Quickie, Coonamble Sprint and the
Coonabarabran Sprint with Spectacular
Iam; the Warren Cup and the Japan/
Cowra Cup with Pennyforyathoughts;
the Tullibegeal Picnic Cup and Grenfell
Picnic Cup with Dr Remlap, and the
Tomingley Picnic Cup and the Mudgee
Picnic Cup with Millenium Hawk.
“My most memorable moment was
when Spec won the 2012 Wellington
Town Plate. He was returning from a
spell and after being born and raised
in this area, it was fantastic to win such
a big race in my own area with my
favourite horse.”
Kylie has another handy horse in
Shadow Force, a half-brother to Group
winner News Alert.
“Courtney [Foord] and I bought him
for $1200 at the Sydney tried horse
sales. In just two preparations he has
won four races, been placed six times
and holds the track record over 900m at
Coonabarabran.”
Courtney Foord added: “Kylie is a
very hands-on trainer and does all the
ground work on her own.
“I’m really proud of her achievements
as I know how much hard work she puts
in, and she has a real love for her horses
and passion for racing.”