Pride of Alice, he's joined the wild bush horses

A HUGE horse hunt has been launched in Alice Springs after the town's leading racehorse escaped and teamed up with a herd of wild horses roaming the outback.

The owners of the aptly named Not Abandoned are trying to track down their missing galloper, thought to be learning bush survival skills with some local brumbies.
As soon as his disappearance was discovered, the syndicate of six, led by Stephen Smedley, chartered a helicopter to scour the bush.
When that failed, the group began sending photographs of the 12-time winner to local farmers. Then they posted a reward for him.
"He's brought everybody a lot of good times, and we're very keen to get him back," Mr Smedley said.
"He was having a break at his trainer's property when it was discovered that he'd somehow got out. We sent a helicopter up to look for him and, in all honesty, we thought that he'd probably be spotted dead somewhere, as he's a racehorse, not used to being allowed to run wild. Thankfully, that didn't happen, and we now think he's somewhere in the bush with the brumbies that run around the hills outside Alice Springs.
"In truth, he could be pretty much anywhere, as he's been missing since mid-January. I've sent photos of him to people who live in the properties around the area, and I've got my fingers crossed that he'll show up."
The winner of some of the Northern Territory's biggest races, and with $215,000 in prizemoney to his name, Not Abandoned's plight has gripped Alice Springs, with the town's papers, TV and radio stations chronicling his mysterious disappearance.
Many locals would have picked up cash when he plundered a series of races at the town's Pioneer Park.
Andrew O'Toole, the chief executive of the Alice Springs Turf Club, expressed the hopes of many when he said: "Not Abandoned is one of the best horses to have raced here, and lots of people are talking about what he may be up to now. I, along with everybody else, am keen that somebody spots him and he can be caught."
The seven-year-old has overcome the odds before. As a yearling he was given away in a lottery, only for the winner to take one look at him and put him up for sale. Mr Smedley bought him for $8000, but was quickly told by trainer Viv Oldfield that he could barely move quicker than a walk.
Keen to offset some of the cost of training, Mr Smedley tried to syndicate the horse but struggled to find partners, given Mr Oldfield's bleak appraisal.
It was only when the horse stunned his connections by finishing second in his first barrier trial that his other owners stepped forward — hence his name, Not Abandoned.
While some may fantasise that he escaped for the freedom of the countryside, and is now sowing his wild oats, the truth is that is no longer a possibility. He was gelded as a youngster.
Even so, there's a good chance that he could be having the time of his life, according to Victoria Racing's veterinarian, Paul O'Callaghan. He told The Sunday Age: "There's a good chance that he could be doing very well and living happily if he's joined up with wild horses.
"They will no doubt lead him to fresh water and grazing land, and as long as he finds that, he should be able to survive.
"However, as a thoroughbred he may need up to 30% more calories a day than a brumby which has become used to its environment after generations of living wild.
"I believe there's been quite a bit of rain around the area in recent weeks, and that has to be a huge help in his survival."
As for how Not Abandoned left Mr Oldfield's property in the first place — his escape remains something of a mystery.
Some locals have suggested that horse rustlers may have sneaked him away in the hope of running him in scrub races, others that he was taken by somebody jealous of Mr Smedley's success.
His disappearance come almost 20 years to the day after English Derby winner Shergar was kidnapped by the IRA. So far, though, no ransom demands have been made.
As for Mr Smedley, he believes that something far more prosaic may have happened.
"I reckon that some bikers may have been riding through the paddocks and not shut the gate properly," he said. "It's very annoying, but hopefully we can get him back soon.
"He's got a large white blaze running down his face, and somebody may recognise him by this."
If Not Abandoned is eventually traced, it's possible he may be retired after his exertions in the wild.
In fact, Mr Smedley has already earmarked a paddock for his star, as long as he doesn't escape again.

Horse flu costs Tabcorp

TABCORP Holdings' ability to contain costs will be in focus on Thursday with the gambling group tipped to book a $240.6 million half-year net profit.

Tabcorp has already flagged the outbreak of equine influenza will shave about $30 million from its wagering division's pretax earnings.
Analysts expect solid gaming revenue, based on recent industry statistics showing 4 per cent growth in Victoria, with the introduction of smoking bans having a limited effect.
A major focus is likely to be cost control after the fiscal 2007 results were hit by a cost blowout, forcing Tabcorp to scrap international expansion plans.
Chief executive Elmer Funke Kupper was appointed in March to replace Matthew Slatter after the profit slump. Tabcorp has targeted expenses growth within inflation.
Before equine influenza, management guidance was for a full-year flat net profit, before significant items, of more than $515.6 million for the year.
"We expect Tabcorp will be able to maintain or nominally upgrade its previous full year 2008 guidance for flat earnings adjusted for the impact of equine influenza," ABN AMRO analysts said in a note to clients.
Citi has forecast a net profit of $241.6 million for the six months to December 31, which it says is just shy of consensus at $240.6 million, up 7.4 per cent on the $224.1 million reported a year ago.
Consensus expectations for the full year are for a net profit of $495.7 million, according to Thomson Financial survey of 11 brokers.

St Pat's warns horse flu immunisation must be underway

Interstate trainers who have not yet immunised their horses against equine influenza will not be able to attend this year's St Pat's race meeting in Broken Hill, in far western New South Wales.
Under Racing NSW regulations, horses need a vaccination certificate saying they have been immunised and have had their first booster shot.
St Pat's club secretary Cheryl Krutli says with just three weeks to go until the meeting, if this process is not already underway, it is too late.
It's getting very late now, they're past the time where it will give them the opportunity to have their vaccination and their first booster, which is [an] absolute minimum three weeks after the initial injection," she said.
Meanwhile, the club hopes to fill any shortfall in racing numbers from within NSW.

Bankstown pans EI breach claims

BANKSTOWN Harness Racing and Agricultural Society president Les Bentley has scoffed at claims his club faced a $44,000 fine for breaching Department of Primary Industries equine influenza prevention protocols at its meeting last week.

"That was the rumour going around, but we've never had anybody speak to us," he said.

"It came from a complaint from someone at Harold Park. First we heard of it was when Bill Cable [steward] called on Monday morning."

Bentley admitted his club had no extra separation barriers or human hand and foot washes in place that night. "We were never told by the DPI" he said.

The Sun-Herald spoke to three DPI officers before one could confirm that race clubs in the purple zone agreed to "separate the public from horses" when registering their events. The officer said clubs must also follow NSW Harness Racing Club procedures at Harold Park, where a fence two metres from the outside rail, hand and foot disinfecting sites, and restricted stable-area access were in place.

Bankstown is scheduled to race on Thursday.