Funny how things work out in this unpredictable business called horse racing. Kembla Grange trainer Theresa Bateup readily admits that Crackalacka was no Via Sistina, but an honest mare who endeared herself to every member of the stable staff. The daughter of Poet’s Voice had won a maiden for Kris Lees before landing on the Inglis Digital auction in the middle of 2021. “We were able to secure Crackalacka for just $9000 and went on to win another four races with her on the south coast including the Narooma Town Plate and the Moruya Cup,” Theresa recalled. “Just after the Moruya Cup win we received a call from Fergal Connolly who was in the process of establishing Valiant Stud in the Hunter Valley. Fergal was keen to tell us he had an unbroken yearling half brother to Crackalacka available for sale.
Ridden to perfection by Molly Bourke, Crackalacka claimed victory in the Moruya Cup 2023 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
“The colt was by Dracarys, a son of Snitzel who certainly wasn’t commercial at that time. I quickly discovered Dracarys had raced only seven times for two wins including the Gr 3 Up And Coming Stakes. We negotiated a deal with Fergal, and next thing a gangly and very immature rising two year old arrived at my Kembla Grange stables. We quickly assessed that he’d need plenty of time and how right we were. I decided to retain a share and syndicated the remainder among friends and stable clients. That raw and backward colt is now the four year old gelding called Direct Fire who opened his city account with a gutsy win in Saturday’s Midway at Rosehill Gardens.”
Direct Fire is a big boy with a stride to match. He jumped well on Saturday but took a few strides to find his rhythm, and they’d reached the first turn by the time Amy McLucas was able to cross to the lead. Direct Fire was no sooner there than Putt For Dough announced his presence. Conrad settled one out one back on the outside of Byron with African Violet handy. Many horses don’t take kindly to the “eyeball” treatment. Some switch off completely. Because Amy McLucas had allowed Direct Fire to stride freely throughout, the big horse wasn’t put off his game by Putt For Dough and gave his rider a great “kick” at the 300m. Monte Supreme looked dangerous for a few strides at the 100m but Direct Fire was doing his best work on the line to score by over a length.
Amy McLucas looks the part as she sools Direct Fire to the line in Saturday's Midway - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
“It’s obvious he’s just now putting it all together,” said Theresa. “Amy McLucas had ridden him on one previous occasion and told me she can feel the horse getting better as he learns his craft. We have very few city runners, and it was a great thrill to win another one at Rosehill. I don’t think I’ve seen a more excited group of owners. If you have a look at the Sky Racing footage immediately after the race you’ll see I was in grave danger of being strangled at one stage. My congratulations to part owners Jason, Greg and Maureen Glover, to Sonya Toogood, Troy Moloney, James Finlayson and Ross Duncan.”
Theresa tells a good story about Direct Fire’s very first barrier trial at Moruya on October 19th last year. “He’d turned three but was still as green as grass,” recalled the trainer. “He contested an open trial over 920m with Jess Taylor on board and surprised me when he found the lead fairly quickly. Despite running about down the straight he beat them for fun under a tight hold. When they put up 31.72 for the last 600m, local trainers laughed out loud. How could you believe he’d run that sort of sectional under restraint. It was obviously not correct but Jess did tell me he was really motoring the last 200m.”
It was no surprise when the raw three year old skipped his maiden and won a Cl 1 first up on November 2nd at the Sapphire Coast. The big fella was tardily away and settled one off the fence behind the leaders in the 1000m scamper. Jess Taylor pointed him towards a rails opening after straightening but Direct Fire had absolutely no idea what to do with that opening. He stopped and started for a few strides before finally extending and drawing clear to win comfortably.
The near black gelding posted two seconds from his next four starts before scoring a strong all the way win for Kayla Nisbet in the Canberra Guineas Preview beating a couple of handy horses in Everido and Miss Ghent. He was unplaced in the Albury Guineas at his next outing followed by consecutive seconds at Wagga (MTC Guineas Preview) and at the Sapphire Coast. He was then unplaced after pulling hard in the Murrumbidgee Turf Club Guineas and the paddock beckoned. “His runs were well spaced right through that first campaign but he had been in work for a long time,” said Theresa. He’d furnished considerably by the time he came back into work. He resumed with a good fourth at Kembla on Cox Plate day and then aimed up for Saturday’s Midway. Believe it or not his coat still needs to clean up a little. I’m sure there’s further improvement.”
Direct Fire Scores an Easy Win for Kayla Nisbet in the Canberra Guineas Preview 23/02/2024, Beating Everido - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Theresa Bateup’s love affair with horses began in childhood days on the family farm at Stockinbingal where her earliest days in the saddle were not without incident. Her first pony Buddy would unseat her at will, more of a game than malicious intent. She climbed back on board so many times the pony began to respect his young rider. From there Theresa transitioned to Arab horses destined to become very adept in the dressage pursuit. Perhaps the youngster’s fascination with racehorses began on Saturday afternoons when her father Steve was a regular listener to the radio racing service. Her understanding of the gambling aspect of the industry evolved when she’d sit in the back room of the Cootamundra TAB branch where her mother Colleen worked as a race day operator.
Theresa’s not sure exactly what ignited the spark, but before long her bedroom was plastered with photographs of many high profile horses of the day and she began to paste newspaper clippings into newly acquired scrapbooks. The desire to plan a life with thoroughbreds was bubbling under the surface as she passed her HSC with honours, picking up a scholarship in the process. She settled on a Bachelor Of Commerce at the University of Wollongong and decided on a move to the southern city in order to focus on the upcoming four year grind. A little later she moved to a house not far from Kembla Grange racecourse where her thoroughbred infatuation took its inevitable path. Before long she was riding trackwork for Debbie Walters, Diane Poidevin-Laine and Kerry Parker. The die was irretrievably cast.
Theresa bought her own Arabian before beginning her Uni course. She and Moongalba Raalik became a great combination in the show ring.
Theresa Bateup had a very limited bank when she arrived at an Inglis tried Stock Sale at Newmarket in 2003. She proudly counted out the cash to pay for an eight year old gelding called Casiraghi who’d been knocked down to the budding trainer for the princely sum of $250. Casiraghi had won a number of Victorian races early in his career for Tony Noonan but had been winless for two and a half years. He was having his fifth start for Theresa when he provided the “rookie” trainer with her unforgettable first win in an open event at Queanbeyan. She raced the old horse very sparingly and it took him two years to win again, this time at Moruya in his eleventh year. It’s not hard to imagine what the old gelding meant to the horse mad twenty five year old from Stockinbingal on the South West Slopes of NSW.
Casiraghi quietly launched the training career of a lady who has a profound understanding of the horses in her care, and that number remains constant in the mid thirties all year round. She’s now approaching 250 career wins, largely provided by inexpensive horses. Her all time favourite is Monegal, a $3000 “steal” at the 2017 Scone Yearling Sale. The chestnut Lope de Vega mare was retired in 2022 with a record of 58 starts for 10 wins, 10 placings and $686,000. Her four city wins included the Gr 3 Epona Stakes at Rosehill in March 2022, Theresa’s most exciting moment to date. Monegal was at her very best on a rain affected track.
Monegal (Rachel King) cruised home in the Gr 3 Epona Stakes at Rosehill in 2022 - Courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Another stable favourite was The Guru who remains Theresa’s dearest yearling purchase to date at $50,000 on the Gold Coast. The consistent Rubick gelding raced 54 times for six wins and 14 placings for $337,000. He won races at Randwick and Canterbury and also snared a Midway at Kembla on Gong day 2021. The Guru retired earlier this year and quickly emerged as a top eventing prospect. He performed creditably at a high level on the recent Equimillions programme.
Theresa chats with the Sky Thoroughbred Central team after a win with Titaness at Newcastle 2017 - Courtesy Bradley Photographers.
The Kembla trainer is hopeful four year old gelding Master Riley will continue to go forward after two Newcastle wins, and is equally optimistic about lightly raced Rubilace who finished a close second in a Super Maiden at Warwick Farm last preparation. Of the unraced brigade currently in the stable, Theresa is quietly hopeful about the prospects of Deni Lass, an unnamed three year old gelding by Belardo out of Wannabe Royale, and a couple of unnamed two year old fillies - one by Star Turn from, Fast Hussy and the other by Anders from Linky Dink.
In the unlikely event of this lady ever opting for a life away from horses, she can always dust off the Bachelor of Commerce Degree which is neatly framed and proudly displayed in a prominent spot at home. She also fondly recalls having made the Dean’s merit list after her first year at Wollongong University. In the meantime, she’s happy to work on her long held belief that you don’t need a University Degree to train racehorses. She says the necessary prerequisites are horse sense, patience, gut feel, dedication and the tolerance for massive working hours. Theresa Bateup qualifies on all counts.
(Banner image - Amy McLucas comes back on Direct Fire. A very proud strapper Taneesha King is about to take charge of her stable favourite - courtesy of Bradley Photographers.)