Millicent Pony Club member Stacey Edwards was overwhelmed with emotion after she and her pony Napoleon won the National Pony Racing Series finale at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
With her jockey sister Jenna Edwards as her strapper, Stacey and Napoleon stormed home to be crowned the best duo in the small pony category.
“It hasn’t really sunk in yet,” 13-year-old Stacey said. “He definitely came home strong and charged to the line well and I was really happy.
“I think he was born to be a racehorse. He’s always thought he was a racehorse, so all of his dreams came true.”
Stacey and her mum Kaye, who’s a trainer based in Casterton, made the trip to Sydney with Napoleon and companion pony Bubby.
“It was such a long trip and we couldn’t just bring one pony because he is too silly on his own. We had to bring Bubby who is a little companion pony who goes to all the races.
“Napoleon is my sister’s pony and they got him as a two-year-old at the sales. He’s pretty feral and always since I’ve had him he’s been pretty quick. Anything to do with speed that’s his go and he’s pulled up really well,” Stacey said.
The family have around six horses in work on their property and Stacey has been riding for as long as she can remember.
It was a bonus that her older sister who’s based in Queensland was able to join them at Randwick and celebrate Stacey’s 13th birthday the following day.
“She was originally just going to come down for my birthday and then she thought she couldn’t because she had the races and it would be too rushed. But then the races got called off the day before so she could come down.
“Jenna decided to be strapper and watch the race and then she took me out and we did a few things in Sydney for my birthday,” she said.
Stacey is still a year away from being allowed to officially ride trackwork but has grown up on thoroughbreds.
Visits to Godolphin and Warwick Farm in the pony racing finals build-up, not to mention the race down the famous straight at Randwick served as an inspiration.
“When we went to Godolphin that was a really really good experience and we got to choose a horse out of their stable to do a bit of research about them – how much they’ve won and how they are. And I chose Red Card a lovely Little Mare.
“We got to see them work around the track. And I made some good friends that I’ll always be friends with,” she said.
“At the moment I have some thoroughbreds that I’m educating and getting up to showjumping to sell off.
“I do a bit of showjumping. I’d always like to go to the grand prix with show jumping and then maybe one day be a jockey,” Stacey said.
