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Sport

3 July, 2024

Holly smoke! Mount Isa trainer celebrates her first winner

Holly Robertson saddled up Mishani Eagle to victory on Saturday.

By Matt Nicholls

An elated Holly Robertson with jockey James Baker and three-year-old gelding Mishani Eagle at Buchanan Park.
An elated Holly Robertson with jockey James Baker and three-year-old gelding Mishani Eagle at Buchanan Park.

Holly Robertson was nearly lost to horse racing after a bad fall during trackwork, but her journey back to the industry was made all that much sweeter on Saturday when she saddled up her first winner.

It turned out to be a massive weekend for the 26-year-old, who also won her open barrel race in Mount Isa the following day – on a former racehorse.

You couldn’t wipe the smile off Robertson’s face on Saturday as Mishani Eagle crossed the line to win the Maiden Plate (1200m) at Buchanan Park.

It was her 13th runner as a registered trainer, having first saddled up a horse of her own in February this year.

Since arriving in the North West after being sold to Robertson by Cairns trainers Peter and Trevor Rowe, Mishani Eagle had hardly set the world alight.

He finished second last in two of his runs for Robertson, while he managed a fourth – beaten by 10 lengths – in his other start.

A weaker race and the right distance proved the right formula on Saturday as Baker led from start to finish on the three-year-old gelding.

Robertson, who drives trucks for a living for Followmont, said she didn’t do much celebrating that night, opting for dinner with her family.

The young trainer said she walked away from racing for several years.

“I’ve been barrel racing since I was a little kid in Richmond,” she said.

“I moved to Mount Isa when I was about 13 for high school and that’s when I got into horse racing.

“I worked as a stablehand for Jay Morris and then I started to go for my apprenticeship (as a jockey).”

However, when a horse bolted on Robertson, throwing her to the ground, she was left unconscious for the best part of five minutes and ended up with a severe concussion.

“I got away from it for a long time and then I went to the races one day and ran into Mel (Bieri) and Jason (Babarovich) and they asked me if I wanted to buy into a racehorse,” she said.

“So I did and I told them that I used to ride and then I ended up riding trackwork for them for two years.”

With her confidence back, Robertson then successfully applied for her trainer’s licence.

She had her first runner on February 28 – Bubble Bath ran second at Mount Isa – and has had to be patient to notch up her first win.

Robertson hopes her second won’t be as far away as she eyes a race for Mishani Eagle at the upcoming Mount Isa TAB meet.

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