SOME racehorses have the knack of being able to win when the trainer and or the owner need them to and that’s the story of former star sprinter Well Timed.
The classy sprinter-miler was owned by the Richards family of Hobart and he was trained by Julie Richards.
When Well Timed finished racing with a record of 11 wins and seven minor placings from 31 starts and almost $120,000 in the bank there was never any doubt about where he would spend the rest of his days.
These days the Tolomeo-Lady Eclipse gelding, who turned 24 last August, plays a grandfather role to many of the young horses that find their way into the paddocks of the Richards’ property at Roches Beach.
Well Timed was originally purchased by the late T. J Smith for $170,000 at the 1989 Sydney Yearling sale.
Part-owner Gary Richards says Well Timed is “part of the furniture” at his family’s homestead.
“Well Timed is a legend in our household,” Richards said.
“He was one of those horses that always tried and his record speaks for itself.”
“Whenever the family needed a winner Well Timed chimed in and often against all odds,” he said.
Well Timed won his first four starts.
He opened his account in a class one handicap over 1100 metres in Hobart in the Autumn of 1991 leading throughout to defeat Currently (dam of champion Conquering) by almost three lengths and he came from barrier 16.
He placed 2nd in the 1991 Newmarket at Mowbray at his 7th start beaten a short half head when grabbed on the line by Dedicated.
Well Timed went on to win the weight-for-age Thomas Lyons over 1240m in Hobart at only his 12th start and he was ridden by Chris Munce in track record time.
He held the 1140m and 1240m Elwick track records until the track was redeveloped.
At his 13th start he won at Flemington and ran the 4th fastest 1400m time ever recorded on the track defeating multiple group one winner and placegetter Princess Pushy.
He followed up with a courageous effort in the group 1 Futurity Stakes but he was knocked over on the corner and finished 7th behind star gallopers Mannerism, Planet Ruler and Sydeston.
However he retaliated with a win at MooneeValley defeating group 1 winner Street Ruffian.
When the Richards stable was going through a lean streak, where winners were few and far between in late 1993, Well Timed turned the tide.
He won the 1993 Tasmanian Newmarket Handicap at Mowbray jumping from the outside barrier.
It was considered by most pundits as one of the strongest ever Newmarkets that boasted seven interstate metropolitan-winning sprinters.
The deserving fairytale ending didn’t eventuate for Well Timed but it came close.
At his last start he finished a game second in the 1994 Thomas Lyons on Hobart Cup day.