You’d expect a bush trainer who’d just won her very first race at Royal Randwick to be treating herself to a lazy Sunday morning. There was also the small matter of a nine hour round trip from Wingham to Randwick with four year old mare Fay’s Angels on board, accompanied by miniature pony Rambo. Add to that the euphoria of a special day, and you’ve got the ingredients for a well deserved sleep-in. So what was Karen Owen doing when she answered her mobile phone at 9.30 on Sunday morning? She had just dismounted from maiden galloper Crown’m after a thirty five minute trail ride with her friend Jane Shaw on six time winner Seething Seb. Trail riding is one of several methods employed by the trainer to give her racehorses a complete change of routine.
The odd couple! Fay's Angels with travelling companion Rambo in the race day stalls at Royal Randwick.
Fay’s Angels is one mare who responds to Karen’s way of doing things. Although placed only ninth in a Rosehill TAB Highway on February 3rd, she was only 1.7 lengths behind winner Lensman after being buffeted between horses at a crucial stage in the straight. Stepping up to a much more suitable 1800m on Saturday and drawn to get the right run, the mare started a well supported second favourite at $5.50. Karen’s daughter Maddy upheld her end of the bargain by giving Fay’s Angels the most perfect of runs. The twenty two year old had her cruising in fifth spot on the fence approaching the 600m but elected to nudge out when Proud With Pride started to struggle directly in front of her. She eased across the heels of favourite Brok Cafe coming up the rise and set sail for the judge. Fay’s Angels put them away emphatically to win by over two lengths from Leica Storm and Brok Cafe. It was her fourth win and her second in town following a BM72 victory at Warwick Farm last August.
Maddy Owen rode Fay's Angels perfectly to score an easy win in the TAB Highway - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Less than 1500 people live in the tiny hamlet of Lake Cargelligo some 560 km west of Sydney. Most of them knew Fay’s Angels was running at Randwick, and very few missed the television coverage or radio broadcast. The local interest was generated by breeder and part owner Ed Meadows who’s currently in a local nursing home after recently suffering a leg fracture. Horse loving Ed almost lifted the roof off the place when his improving mare dashed clear with the race in her keeping at the 200m. That broken leg has been a massive inconvenience for the remarkable 97 year old who’d been caring for himself up to the time of his accident. Ed has been dabbling in thoroughbred breeding for many years with moderate success on country tracks. A Randwick win with a homebred mare gave him the thrill of a lifetime.
“I’m so lucky to be training this mare,” says Karen Owen. “I worked with Ed’s granddaughter Jane Shaw during my latter years with the NSW Mounted Police. When I retired from that role and decided to try my hand at professional horse training, it was Jane who recommended me to her grandfather as a likely trainer for his Anacheeva filly. How lovely it was that Jane actually handled strapping duties on Saturday. The way Ed named the mare touches the heartstrings. He and his late wife Fay had three daughters who were always described as angels by their loving mother. To be racing Fay’s Angels with his daughters Carmel Hill, Chris Johnson and Glenda Browne brings great joy to the veteran in his twilight years.”
A charming snap of mother and daughter after Saturday's Randwick win with Fay's Angels - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Getting back to Karen’s distinguished career with the NSW Police - a career embracing thirty three years, most of it with the famous Redfern based mounted unit. As a probationary constable she was required to spend the first twelve months on general duties at Darlinghurst Police Station. “This meant most of my work was on the streets of Kings Cross when the famous precinct was much livelier than it is today,” said Karen. “I obviously saw the worst side of life on occasions, all of which toughened me up for the years ahead. When the time came for my transfer to the Mounted Division, all of my childhood dreams came true. I was one of only three females in the unit at the time. Today the Mounted Police have over thirty horses on duty at all times and the majority are ridden by girls.
Here's Karen on duty at the Sydney Royal early in her career with the Mounted Police.
“Most of my work in the saddle comprised crowd control, traffic duty, musical rides, and ceremonial work while on a few occasions I was called up during riot activity. In 2005 I was right in the thick of the race riots at Cronulla which spread into other suburbs the following day. I had to dodge a few flying bottles at the height of the melee. It was eventually quelled with many arrests. The whole horrible event shocked Sydneysiders to the core and left me with a very unpleasant memory. On a brighter note I should mention I was often rostered on race day duties at Randwick. There’s no doubt this was the catalyst for my interest in racing. I loved the whole buzz of the track.”
Karen (left) and great friend Jane Shaw (second from right). Jane was expecting at the time and out of uniform.
Karen’s interest in racehorse training intensified when she met and married veterinarian Adrian Owen who himself had aspirations to train. He did in fact work a small team of horses at Rosehill for a number of years before making the move to Hawkesbury. He combined his veterinary work with hobby training at both venues. He was fortunate to have Karen’s services as trackwork rider for much of the time before she too had to hurry off to her day job with the Mounted Police Unit. It’s clear the Owens survived on a minimum of sleep in those early days. They were rewarded with numerous winners on the provincial circuit, but city class horses were few and far between.
When Karen called time on her career with the Mounted Police in 2016 the time was right for a move to country NSW. At the time of her departure she held the rank of Sergeant, having been the first woman to attain that distinction. In 2014 Karen was one of nine officers to receive the Australian Police Medal. Family and friends had little doubt about the direction Sergeant Owen would be taking once she quit the metropolis.
Today she and Adrian live on a picturesque 150 acre property at Killawarra near Wingham. Karen trains between seven and ten gallopers most of the time, and uses whatever spare time is available to pursue her love of the dressage pursuit. She has a small team of warmbloods in work and attends Sunday competition on the mid north coast when free of racing commitments. Adrian in the meantime has built a busy veterinary practice in the region looking after the needs of racehorse and performance horse trainers. He’s on the road much of the time, but finds time to keep a close watch on his wife’s team of thoroughbred and dressage horses.
The couple are the proud parents of Damien whose riding skills have been obvious from an early age. A few years ago he was riding regular trackwork for Anthony Cummings while pursuing a university degree in Science and Teaching. Today he’s a full time school teacher but still enjoys the opportunity to sit astride a thoroughbred from time to time. Younger son Callum rides very capably but has developed alternative interests as young men do.
Maddy Owen is currently on loan to the Anthony Cummings stable and is hoping Saturday’s Randwick win generates a few more opportunities. Her mother agrees she’s a very laid back young rider who handles pressure like a much more seasoned jockey. Her winning ride on Fay’s Angels was testimony to her composure. So too was her very patient ride to win the Taree Gold Cup on her mother’s horse Sound And Vision last November.
Karen and Maddy after Sound And Vision's Taree Gold Cup win last November - courtesy Trackside Photography.
Karen’s looking at a Warwick Farm BM72 over 2100m on March 6th, as the next assignment for Fay’s Angels. The trainer says the mare is fairly even tempered and a pleasure to ride, but can be cantankerous at the races. “I warn people to watch out when walking past her race day stall,” says Karen. “She’ll often lunge to the end of her cross tethers and try to bite passers by. It’s all about adrenaline. She just wants to get on with the job. Once you put the bridle on, she’s all business. If she keeps racing as she did on Saturday I won’t mind putting up with one bad habit. It might seem odd to many trainers, but part of her routine at home is to help round up our small herd of Angus cattle when we need to run them into another paddock. She just seems to know what’s expected and isn’t fazed by the bull whenever he’s on the farm for a brief visit. That’s the way we do things at Killawarra.”
Not many Randwick winners get to help out with the roundup! Here's Fay's Angels with Karen on board mustering the Angus herd.
Karen raised a few eyebrows in April of last year when she decided to run Fay’s Angels in two major fillies races during The Championships at Randwick. To that point in time the filly had raced ten times for a maiden win at Coffs Harbour and two country placings. “I put a plan into action in early March when she finished strongly to run third in a 1706m BM58 at Grafton,” said the trainer. “With ten runs under the belt I knew she was solid enough, and I was confident she’d appreciate the longer trip at Randwick. Most importantly I felt it would be an enormous thrill for Ed Meadows at Lake Cargelligo. She finished 7th about 7 lengths behind Arts in the Gr 3 Adrian Knox at odds of $101.00, and followed up a week later by finishing 6th of 15 runners about 8 lengths behind Pennyweka in the Gr 1 Australian Oaks at $101.00. What an honour it was to run in such historic races, and our girl was far from disgraced.”
It occurred to me during a lengthy chat with Karen on Sunday morning, that this lady is a podcast guest in waiting. There’s much more to her story than the points we’ve raised in this article. Next time we’ll talk about career highlights including her participation in an Australian Equestrian Eventing Team in NZ, and the opportunity to ride before Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip during Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012. She’ll also reminisce about some of the better known ex gallopers to become police mounts. Keep your eye peeled for a Karen Owen podcast in the near future.
One of the aforementioned highs! Karen is presented to Queen Elizabeth at Windsor Castle in 2012.
This was Karen's final Musical Ride - Sydney Royal 2016.
(Banner image - Fay's Angels was easing up on the line in the TAB Highway - a great result for Karen and Maddy Owen - courtesy Steve Hart Photographics.)