Hello. My name is Beryl. Please excuse me but I’m not too sure about this diary business however I have been asked to tell you something about myself and my life.

My racing name is Knucklette – that’s because my mother’s name was Gold Knuckle. My father’s name is Sports Works but I don’t know him – that is normal with us horses, so I’m told. I was born on 2 September 2002 and I just ran second in my second race – lots of twos.

I used to live out at Meriden with Lyn and Bob, my human parents, with lots of other horses. My older brother Nugget used to live there too – people say I look a lot like him. Anyhow he went off to learn to be a racehorse and I never saw him again – I’ve been told he’s dead which is a pity as it would have been nice to race against him and show him how I’ve come on.

I now live in stables at the Canberra race course, which is called Thoroughbred Park. Gail tells me I’m a thoroughbred and that I have to be a great racehorse because my great-grandfather was a horse called Northern Dancer. Gail is the one who gives me carrots – never enough and sometimes she makes me wait ages for them – she says I have to work first which I think is a bit mean. I’ve got several other human team members – there’s Steph, who grooms me and makes me look very pretty, and Garry who rides me a lot and encourages me to run fast, and Simon who rides me in the races and a lot of people who come to watch me practicing running and swimming and things.

My first practice race was at Queanbeyan on a lovely sunny afternoon – I thought it was like our normal galop around the track until Simon told me to snap out of it and run fast so I took off then. Nobody told me I had to run fast all the time.

My first real race was also at Queanbeyan, on Queanbeyan Cup Day. Steph spent ages getting me ready and walked me around in front of all the people to show me off – it felt really good. There were an awful lot of horses in that race and I just ran along with them and then Simon said we had to get moving round the bend and we were just getting going when this horse almost stopped in front of me and I had to nearly stop or I would have fallen over or gone through the fence and so I had to pick myself up again and race after the other horses as they were all getting their noses and worse – their backsides - in front of me. Unfortunately Simon said I had to stop after what he called the post because I wanted to keep on running until I was in front.

Last Friday I didn’t have to go in the float anywhere – just walk up to the main track. I got to wear a beautiful new blue rug – it’s got white piping round the edges and goes beautifully with the Godolphin bag that Gail brought back from Dubai which carries all my bits and pieces in it when I go racing. We sure looked the real deal!

This time I understood it was a race right from the start. Simon and I were out on the edge of the track so I couldn’t get behind another horse to follow it, and then when we got round the turn the other horses started to go really fast so I thought “this is fun” and off we went – we got past all of them and then another horse came down along side us and we had to go even faster – it was great fun – this horse would get its nose in front and then I’d get in front but in the end he just got in front of me, and again Simon said I had to stop as I wanted to keep going after this horse.

Anyhow all my humans seemed to be very happy with me. I felt happy too. Steph took me back to our stable and Gail came down to give me some carrots (only four but the other horses were jealous) before I went on the walking machine to wind down. My food tasted even better that evening only as usual there wasn’t enough of it, but I’m told that is what happens when you are in boarding school.

Tuesday 4th July 2006

Hello again. It’s me Beryl back. Life has been pretty busy in the stables of late. A couple of weeks ago the Bureaucracy colt went to Queanbeyan for the first time (I’ve been there twice) and won his first race. He was so full of himself after that he said we all had to call him “Mister” because his racing name is Mister Kapyong. Us girls had a bit of a joke and said what would we call him if he got gelded – Ms?

After that Weekend Wonder and I went to Goulburn and it was awful – cold, wet and raining. I didn’t like it at all, and when it was my race I didn’t feel comfortable and I was scared to run really fast. Simon said it was OK but I couldn’t do it. Weekend Wonder didn’t even get to run – they cancelled the races before his go. He wasn’t very happy about that and was quite shirty all the way back in the van.

Pete has come back to the stables. He’s been on holidays back at the farm (he’s Nuggets half brother too but because they had the same father) because he had a sore leg. He says he’s much better now, so it will be nice to see if I can run faster than him.

But last Friday I went racing again at Canberra. This is cool as I just have to walk down to the stables on the track to get dressed. I had a new jockey this time – Mick. He seemed quite nice and he helped me to get a good spot for the run home. I enjoyed that, but there was another horse in front of me who won. Gail tried to tell me beforehand it was a kiwi, but I know kiwis are birds that don’t fly (I’m not stupid) and this thing really flew so I don’t know what she was on about. After the race everyone seemed very pleased with me. I went back to the barn and got my nice rug on to keep me warm. Gail came down and brought me three carrots – I ask you. Only three carrots after all that work? And I’m told my owners won money so why they couldn’t afford to buy me a decent feed of carrots I don’t know. Anyhow they’ve told me I don’t have to run on wet and sloppy tracks again – at least not for now – and I may get to go racing in Canberra again soon. Weekend Wonder was in the race two after mine. I didn’t see it but he said he ran third so I think Garry would be happy with both of us. Steph seemed happy too so it was nice to think that we all had such a happy day.

I’ve heard my owners have a song about me, but I won’t get to hear it till I win. I’m longing to hear it so I suppose I had better win soon.

Us horses just want to remind people that we have our official birthday coming up on 1st August. That’s to give you time to find us nice presents.

Tuesday 12 September 2006

Hello again – this is me – Beryl or Knucklette if you are being formal. I’ve had a very busy time of it lately. After my last race in Canberra I only ran fourth and I was feeling really tired so I went home to the farm for school holidays. I had a bit of a cough too so Jan the Vet came and gave me injections and I soon felt better.

It was nice to see my baby sister Janet again and to be with her and my aunties. My cousin Macka has grown into a nice looking horse and baby Gloria isn’t a baby any more. I’m told Janet is going off to learn to become a race horse too, but she won’t be at my boarding school just yet.

On 1st August all us horses had our official birthday. Gail says we are like the Queen who has an official birthday. They say she has horses too and follows racing – I’m not sure what else she does as I’ve never met her. The following Sunday there was a big party at the farm with a barbecue and carrot cake – I had a bit but it wasn’t as good as the real carrots. I had my real birthday on 2nd September and I didn’t get any special presents but Lyn says that’s because she had to buy me a new rug because I’ve grown so much.

My Aunt Pamela is looking after a baby foal called Ebony – her own foal died and Ebony’s mum died so our vet Jan asked Lyn to ask Pamela to look after Ebony and Pamela said yes and they are getting along really well – they even had their picture in the newspaper. I wrote a piece for the newspaper in honour of the horses’ birthday but they didn’t put my photo with it. Maybe next time.

My trainer Garry has gone away – up North, the say – so when I went back to boarding school last Monday I started in a new house with a new trainer – Nick. He seems very nice and hasn’t got me working too hard so far. Also there is another horse there who is a sort of brother of mine – we have the same father but he says he never saw our dad either. There’s a very nice filly in the stall next to mine and she won the first race in Canberra last Friday. That was quite exciting, and then Gail appeared with a whole crowd of people – she said they were Chinese but humans all look the same to me. They were studying something with Gail at the University. Anyhow they all made a big fuss of me and took lots of photos and Gail let them give me carrots (I notice she didn’t give me all the carrots however!). I think she gave some to Rebecca (who is helping to look after me) so I hope she didn’t eat them all. I saw Steph the other day when I was on the walking machine – she said she is going up North too – I hope she enjoys it there. I think it must be further away than the farm – Steph said it was a very long journey.

In case you are interested, this is what I wrote for the Canberra Times:

Ten things about my life by Beryl (Knucklette) aged 4

1. I turn four today as it is the horses’ official birthday (I hear we are like the Queen who also has an official birthday).
2. My real birthday is 2 September. I was born in 2002 and I have run second twice in racing, once was in my second race. That’s a lot of “2s”.
3. At present I’m at home on the farm for school holidays which is nice as I get to see all my family including my sister Janet and my Aunt Pamela who just had a foal but it died so she is looking after an orphan foal who is cute.
4. I go to boarding school at Thoroughbred Park and I live in a boarding house with lots of other horses including my cousin Pete (Swashknuckler).
5. My trainer is called Garry and he rides me around when we practice racing so he really understands me.
6. I’ve got lots of people who look after me at boarding school including Steph who treats me like I’m her special horse.
7. We get fed twice a day but I’m quite a big girl and I reckon I should get more than that. Gail brings me carrots (never enough) and helps me with writing my blog as computers aren’t my thing.
8. We get to do a lot of cool things like walking in the machine that goes round and round, and swimming in the pool which I love, and practising racing.
9. Why do humans all have the same name? My first trainer was Mick, I had a jockey called Mick, one of my owners is Mick and two others are called Bob.
My racing name is Knucklette and all of us horses have individual names for racing.
10. I love racing and I get to wear a smart blue rug which I’m told makes my chestnut coat look good, but I don’t like it when the ground is all wet and slippery.

Now I have to go to the walking machine – I’m not sure when I am going racing again but Nick will let my owners know – Nick even has his own web site – it’s www.nickoliveracing.com.au - so he might mention about me there!

Tuesday 21 November 2006

I haven’t been writing much lately because I’ve been very busy training hard. But the great news is that I am going to get to wear winkers – I think they look so cute and I hope they will be blue – it’s my favourite colour although my jockey wears green and black but I’m told blue suits me.

Every day I’ve been doing a lot of walking and swimming and running and on Saturdays I would do some fast running on the big track and my owners would come and watch me and if Gail was around she’d have carrots – some of the others only bring me a bit of carrot or none at all which I think is very off. Gail even came down on Melbourne Cup day and gave me carrots through the fence as the door was locked so I did appreciate her efforts.

The Thursday after Melbourne Cup day I got to do a jump-out – that’s like a practice race. Luke was riding me and it was good fun – I was up there with two other horses and I finished just behind them but it wasn’t very far and I think I could have got them if it was a bit longer.

And on Friday I got to travel on the big horse float with some other horses and we went to a place called Gundagai – about two hours from home. Everyone was singing a song about Gundagai but it didn’t mean anything to me. I got to run in the first race and my jockey this time was Jeff – he seems to know what he’s doing and although I was probably a bit slow at the start he managed to get me through the traffic and round the bend on the outside and then we had a great run, but I found myself in front without any horses next to me so I wasn’t sure about things and then I heard this horse come down outside of me and he just pipped me at the finish. That was a bit of a downer as I thought I was going to win. I suppose I will just have to wait till next time. After the race all my owners said I had done very well and that was when Nick said he would get me some winkers. He says they will help me to concentrate. I don’t care about that – I just think they look cool.

I got a whole heap of carrots after that – they tasted so good. I know Gail had more in my bag but she wouldn’t give me any more and she even came back with cake and only gave it to the humans. She gave the rest of the carrots to Bec to take home as she said Nick didn’t want me to get car sick. But I wasn’t travelling in a car – I was in the big float. I don’t really understand humans!

I’m told it is going to get even more busy now as I will be doing a lot of racing – that’s fine by me as I enjoy it and I think I am enjoying the travelling as well.

My former trainer Gary was at Gundagai – he said hello to me and told me he now lived a long way away. It was nice to see him again.

The weather has gone back to being warm which is nice – I don’t think I like cold weather all that much and fortunately I don’t sweat up too much when I race and I like to think I can keep looking good. By the way on Friday Bec groomed me rump so there were starts on it – I couldn’t see them myself but I was told it looked very pretty.

Friday 8 December 2006

I’m keeping pretty busy these days so it’s hard to find time to write. Since I came
back from Gundagai I’ve been practicing with blinkers. I don’t think they look as nice as winkers and on Sumday in Queanbeyan there was a horse in Sally’s race that had nice green winkers and a purple sheepskin band across the top which went nicely with his jockey’s colours. Maybe it was a bit fancy for a boy but I would have preferred something like that.

I went to Queanbeyan for the races on Sunday which was nice. I hadn’t been there for ages – in fact not since my first race. Nick wasn’t around until just before the race so Bec and Nick’s Dad looked after me and saddled me and everything. Gail was there and I thought she was bringing me carrots but she said not until after the race which was a bit mean as I was quite hungry. There were lots of people – my owners and friends and all came to see me race. Bec didn’t tell me I was favourite – I mean I know my owners all like me but I didn’t know that other people liked me too and wanted me to win until after the race. Maybe if I’d known I would have got a better start but somehow I seemed to take too long to get going – Jeff was telling me to go faster but there were a lot of horses around and after the bend he tried to take me to the inside but they wouldn’t let me get through so I had to go right round the outside again – I
wasn’t quite sure how far outside I had to go at one stage but then we were in the clear and I beat all the other horses except two which I guess meant that I came third.

It was only 1200m so I didn’t feel too tired after and it was a nice day – not too hot
but sunny. And Gail did have carrots for me after – the boys – I think their names are Jack, Luke and Tom all gave me a carrot too. Sally was there as well in the stall next to me so we had a bit of a chat – she arrived after me and I left with some other horses before her race but when she came home she told me she had won and that it was quite a big race and people were taking her photo and things and that Nick was very pleased. I think I shall ask her for some tips about winning because I’d like to win.

I don’t like other horses getting in front of me so perhaps I need to practice staring
a bit more. I’m sure Luke will help me but he says he is going to Hong Kong to watch some races and that is where Gail is going too. So why can’t I go too?

However Nick has just told me that I may go to Wagga Wagga for my next race. He says it is a longer journey than Gundagai but it’s a nice track. That should be good fun so I don’t care so much about not going to Hong Kong.

Saturday 16 December 2006

Well I mean to say what is going on? There I was at the stables in my box, doing everything right – Lyn had even put a gold star on my door – and there they all were making a fuss of my little sister Janet and Gail was even giving her one of my carrots! And Janet is only learning to be a race horse – I mean - hello? Who won a race at Wagga on Thursday? Is this how you treat a super star on the way up? Gail and Bob did come up and talk to me again but there weren’t any more carrots and a kiss is no substitute for carrots – sorry Gail but that’s how it is.

It hadn’t been like that on Thursday. I had a nice ride in the van again even though the horse next to me played up the whole way down and kept kicking the sides of the box. I had a new jockey this time – Peter – he seemed to know what he was doing. We had a good start but they went quite fast at first – Peter said just settle down and keep up so we did and then we got going round them and the rest was easy – Peter was very kind and only gave me a slight touch with his whip – not a real hit – and I knew it was just to tell me to keep going so I did and we left all the other horses way back. It was a nice feeling winning and everyone made a big fuss of me and we had photos taken and Bec took me to this place where I had to pee – I didn’t even feel like it but when people whistle it does something to horses’ bladder control and we pee. Then I could go and have a shower which was nice as it was quite warm, and finally Gail turned up with the carrots. It took her some time but by then I was really fancying them and she did leave some more in the bag for me to have when we got home. I’m told I won by 4 3/4 lengths and that the time wasn’t too bad - better than some of the more experienced horses did in their race. I was a little bit tired after but it wasn’t too bad and all the other horses were happy for me.

Luke is back in the stables too – he said he had been to Hong Kong and that Gail had been there too – I’m not sure where that is but it must be further away than Wagga as he was away for a few days.

It has been nice to see my little sister Janet but she hasn’t even got her racing name yet and isn’t even galloping fast. She has grown a lot though since I last saw her. She doesn’t really remember our brother Nugget and our mother died when she was born so she didn’t ever know her. Our aunt Annie looked after her when she was a little foal and taught her horsey things but she had to have her milk from a bucket as Annie couldn’t give her milk.

So I am now getting on with my training and I don’t mind the blinkers so much although I still think the winkers look better. Maybe if I win another race Nick will let me wear winkers. Nick says I can go back to Wagga after Christmas – I’m not sure what that is either but it sounds like it could be fun – everyone is talking about it in the stables however I suppose I shall find out in due course.

Sunday 28 January 2007

Hello everyone – I’m back home at the farm on school holidays, together with my baby sister Janet and my cousins Pete and Macca, and my aunt Joanne has come home with a new little colt called Nikko. Little Gloria is growing up fast and she’s in my paddock now. My Aunt Pamela is there too as the little foal she was fostering has gone home to her farm. There’s not much grass but Lyn and Bob are giving us some nice lucerne hay.

All my owners were out at the farm the other day and Janet’s owners too so we got quite a few carrots. Gail told us that Nick (Janet’s and my trainer) wasn’t there because he had just become the father of a little filly called Chloe. Her mother is Lynda and Gail says I have to refer to her as Nick’s wife and not his brood mare and the filly as their daughter and not their filly – humans are so status conscious!

I did a lot of travelling in my last term – I went back to Wagga after Christmas but they went too fast for me in the first part of the race – it was over 1200m – and although I came home well I only got 4th. Then we went to Sydney – that was good fun. There were some tough horses there but a few of us from around here were able to show them a thing or two. Although my race was over 1400m they were still too fast for me at the start and I ran like crazy down the straight but only got fifth, however everyone said that it wasn’t too bad for my first time in the “big smoke”. The winner broke the class record and the horse that beat me in Wagga won the last race.

Last weekend Gail was back again (this time with a decent supply of carrots) with a little girl called Madeleine – I’ve met her before – and her baby brother. He smelt quite nice but he can’t even walk and he’s the same age as Nikko and Nikko can canter already. I wonder if Nick’s filly will come and live in the stables with us – certainly us girls would look after her - after all I look after Janet except when she tries to take too many of my carrots. I’m not sure when my next term starts but Nick says they will be racing in Canberra then which will be nice. I don’t mind the travelling (except when I’m with some stupid horse that kicks the whole way) but racing at home is cool.

Boarding School, the prison cells, Saturday 24 March 2007

I’ve only been back a boarding school for a couple of weeks and I’m in punishment. I wasn’t all that bad – just a bit bored – so I’d started having a chew on the wood in my stall – it wasn’t all that tasty but it was fun, so I told the other horses about it and they started copying me.

Nick read the riot act at me and I’ve been put out in Thoroughbred Park’s equivalent of Guantanamo Bay- the outside yards. There’s a couple of other horses out here too but they say they are not in punishment. I mean I’m like a prefect now and to be treated like this is a bit rough. My little sister Janet is being very smug about the whole thing. I do go into the main stables for my shower after track work and I do get the same food but I’m missing out on the gossip!

Fortunately a lot of my owners came to visit me and Janet this morning and Gail came with a big lot of carrots so that made me feel better. Maybe they can intercede on my behalf and get me back inside before it turns cold. I’m doing everything right otherwise like my school work and things and I’m trying to look after my little sister so how about it Nick? You could try giving me a TV and see if that stops me getting bored.

February 2008

Hello Everyone – it’s now 2008 and February so I’m told. I am now back in boarding school after a very long holiday on the farm – in fact I was surprised when I came back here as I thought I was just going to stay on the farm now that there is some nice grass there to munch on during the days, but no, shortly after Christmas they came with the truck and back I came to my boarding school at Thoroughbred Park. Since I am now older and considered a good example to the others I’ve got a choice stall right at the end on the right hand side so I can keep an eye on everyone on my side of the block. That makes me sort of like a line captain (like they have in dancing) or a head prefect. I’m enjoying my life anyhow especially when Gail comes and visits and brings me carrots. It took her ages before she came and saw me (she said there hadn’t been any racing on our track) but I don’t regard that as a valid excuse nor do I regard only about 5 carrots as suitable compensation – I mean I am now a lady and a large one at that although my figure is in very good proportions – and 5 carrots????

My baby sister Janet was here when I first came back which was nice but then she got sick and has gone home to the farm. At the farm we have a new baby cousin Alfie – he’s really cute and all us girls liked to help Joanne his mum look after him. That was the nice news but we had some bad news with the other young cousin Nikko – he had a terrible accident and I’m told he died. That’s really sad as he was a nice, respectful little colt.

I was at the farm for such a long time as I had been sick (but I feel fine now) and then there was something called EI for which we all had to have lots of injections from the vet. This doesn’t worry me but baby cousin Gloria really played up – she’s getting to be grown up enough to know better.

I hear our other cousin Macca (Macknuckle) is doing really well with his racing. I hope I can see him again soon as we always got on well. Gloria was awful to him even though she is younger and she would pull the hairs out of his tail so it looks funny. I hope it is growing again for him as he’s a nice looking young man.

Gail brought her fairy god-daughter Madeleine to visit me recently – I do remember her from before. I guess she is growing but human’s take such a long time to grow so she still looks pretty small. Anyhow she helped to give me carrots and I was very good and only took small bites so she could hold on to the carrot. There was another little human with her – I’m told a brother – but he was asleep and I don’t remember him coming to see me before. There were some other people too who helped to give me carrots. Gail said Mohammed hadn’t met a horse before and I guess I hadn’t met a Jordanian doctor before either. Well, I’m off for my swim now so bye-bye for now.

22 August 2008

I've been so busy lately there hasn't been time to write my blog. I went back to boarding school at the end of January and I was promoted to the head prefect stall where I can keep an eye on all the horses down my side of the stables. It was quite exciting recently as we had a celebrity horse there called Archie - I believe his racing name is Takeover Target. Everyone made a lot of a fuss over him and if I didn't let my people know who they should be greeting first they would stop and talk to him. He even ate some of my carrots but Gail said she'd bought extra - I'm not too sure about that really but he was a nice polite horse and they say he'd met the Queen in England whatever that means but it seemed pretty important.

So I had my first start back over 1200m which they know is too short for me but I ran 6th which wasn't too bad, and because it was Easter I got some extra carrots - I'm not sure what Easter is really but if it means more carrots it must be OK.

Then I went to the beach -well, I didn’t get to run on the sand or go in the sea - just the race track which was quite nice and I won which felt really good. Not many of my people were there but Gail came next morning with more carrots.

Soon after this Archie left - he said he was going to be doing a lot of travelling - much further than I had been - racing in Singapore and back to England to see the Queen so either she must like horses or he must like her but he is a gelding so it would be just friendship I suppose.

Then it was back to Goulburn - I really don't like that track and I was drawn so far out it was ridiculous. After that it was back home to Canberra but with a nice young jockey and he was told to just settle me but he settled me too far back and we couldn't catch up with the others.

Then it was back to Wagga but such a lot of horses in the field. I felt I did OK coming 6th since I got blocked for a run a couple of times by some of these butch Sydney horses.

And then it was Goulburn again - Nick explained that there weren't many places where he could find races for me so I thought Oh Well, what the heck, and ran third.

But my feet were starting to hurt - I tried to tell Gail but she didn't seem to understand. She thought I wanted more carrots because I was having to share with my baby sister Janet and my cousin Pete who have joined me in boarding school, but I wanted to tell her my feet were sore.

I tried telling the two little cats but they said they were only specialists in catching mice and rats, and couldn't help with feet. Maybe they are too young yet. They are growing very fast - one is called Makybe and the other Mumbles but I'm not sure which is which. The other day they caught a rat which was nearly as big as they were.

So when I went back to Goulburn AGAIN I meant to do OK but as soon as I
jumped out of the gates it hurt and I'm not sure what it was but I couldn't let down and tried a bit but it was no good. Poor Ty was trying so hard too.

Because nobody could see what was wrong since I could walk OK I was sent home for a short break. Gail and Lyn visited me on the Sunday after I got back and I could hardly walk over to get my carrots. Gail was saying things like "stone bruise" and wanted to look at my left foot but I knew she would work that one out and wanted them to look at my right foot. Lyn cleaned it out a bit and said it was warm and she called the farrier who came the next day and did a couple of things and now my feet feel much better. He said there was an abscess in my right foot.

I'm sharing a paddock with my cousin Joanne who is pregnant and we have fun racing up the hill and then racing back down the hill. So I will probably be going back to boarding school again soon - I was feeling very fit except for my feet and I hope there will soon be some nice sunny spring days for racing, and Joanne is getting fat so she won't be doing so much running around soon.

Little Alfie is getting quite big - he's now in the top paddock with Annie looking after him and she doesn't stand any nonsense from him.

I will try and be a better blogger especially since it is my real birthday soon and I'm hoping I can get some nice presents!