Sentimental Hero has already surpassed Kalgoorlie trainer Peter Fernie’s expectations and now he also has cause for optimism about the future of racing in his home town.
Long-time trainer Fernie, like the wider Western Australia industry, is concerned about the immediate future of the sport in Kalgoorlie due to water shortages that threaten racing’s existence in the mining town.
However, there appears to be a possible move to break the impasse, providing Fernie and his peers from the city with reason to plan ahead, but more pressing for the trainer is the chances of his Perth Cup fancy Sentimental Hero, a mid-year $50,000 pick-up who has already returned triple his purchase price in prize money.
Co-owner Andrew Inglis bought the Bob Peters-bred and raced gelding in July to target the Listed Hannans Handicap, one of Kalgoorlie’s premier races each season.
He finished runner-up in the 1400m feature race, but since then he has excelled in racing over longer distances, winning the AJ Scahill Stakes over 2100m in November and runner-up in the ATA Stakes over 2200m on December 18.
In his 19 starts for Peters, firstly with Grant and Alana Williams and later trainer Michael Grantham, Sentimental Hero never raced over further than 1600m.
Fernie credits a change of scenery for rejuvenating the seven-year-old gelding who has not finished further back than four in his past six starts for new connections.
“He wasn't that expensive for what he was, I didn't think, and we bought him for the Hannan’s Handicap and we ended up in a Perth Cup,” Fernie said on Tuesday.
“He's always been trained in the sand and I don't train in the sand. That's the only difference I can put it down to and he'd never been tried up over ground, either, which is very unusual for one of Bob's horses.
“He's a big strong boy. He's got a lovely big stride.”
A $5 third favourite in early betting behind the Peters-owned and Grantham-trained Diamond Scene, Sentimental Hero will be ridden by Lucy Fiore in the $1 million Perth Cup.
Meanwhile, Fernie has 35 horses in the paddock who will soon be ready to return to work if the Kalgoorlie racing season goes ahead.
The trainer hopes authorities will soon provide certainty to participants based in and around Kalgoorlie about whether racing will go ahead in 2025.
The Straight first reported in early December that racing in Kalgoorlie was facing a crisis, owing to a shortage of recycled water that would allow the turf track to be maintained.
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Sources at the time suggested that a water quota given to Lynas Rare Earths in the past decade to operate a minerals processing plant in Kalgoorlie-Boulder has created a shortage and impacted community facilities.
A deal struck between the council and a mining company over allocation is believed to have been at the centre of a recycled water shortage.
“I think it's (the water shortage issue has) changed around in the last few days. I think there's a bit of light at the end of the tunnel at the moment,” Fernie said.
“I can't say too much, but I think it's looking a little bit brighter.”
Last week, Kalgoorlie mayor Glenn Wilson revealed city officials had met with stakeholders in a bid to find a solution that would allow racing to resume in the town next season, an industry that contributes $54.5 million to the local economy annually.
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The WA state government needs to tick off on the proposal put forward by the City of Kalgoorlie Boulder and that is expected to occur in the New Year.
It is believed that recycled water that is unused by mining companies will be redirected towards the supplies for Kalgoorie, including the race club’s turf track.
Councillor Wilson said he remains “optimistic and looks forward to a positive outcome”, a welcome change of position compared to
“During a briefing last Tuesday with the KBRC, Water Corporation, Racing and Wagering WA (RWWA), Member for Kalgoorlie Ali Kent, and the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, stakeholders were informed of the KBRC’s current water storage levels and the detrimental possibility of holding the racing season in other locations,” Cr Wilson said on December 23.
“Following this meeting and updated information, the CEO briefed Councillors and the mayor Thursday morning on a potential solution that would require State Government support to ensure preparations for the KBRC’s 2025 racing season can proceed.
“This City-led solution also ensures parks, schools, and ovals can continue to be watered.”
Fernie has been based in Perth for the past two months during the Kalgoorlie off-season. His son Luke is taking giant strides in WA training ranks out of his Ascot stable.
