Star's Life After Racing

As a young trotter she didn't live up to her name on the racetrack.

But Tamra's Star is certainly getting the "Star" treatment off it.

Now 24, "Star", as she's known, is a regular at the Ashburton Raceway where her chief minder and thoroughbred trainer Tracey Hickey is based.

"There wouldn't be many trainers at Ashburton where she hasn't led babies around the course proper," says Hickey.

"She just goes around with them, she can canter with them even though she's not as quick as she was."

"She's a lovely horse to have around."

So how did Hickey get involved with the horse?

"I stole her," she laughs.

It was actually her partner Ross Skinner who acquired the unraced daughter of Armbro Invasion as a "three or four-year-old" once it was decided she didn't have a racing future.

"He went trekking and hunting with her, and even shot pigs off her," she says, "there are not many places around the South Island she hasn't been."

For the last 12 years Hickey and Star (and Skinner) have been a tag team.

"She's so good, she'll stand on the float when others are being loaded - she has this rapport with other horses, they seem to love her."

"Kids often come over too and learn to ride on her."

She can be a bit cheeky as well.

"At the Timaru races (trainer) Pam Robson was eating a raspberry bun and she was a bit partial to that too."

Even at 24 the mare, Hickey says, is in great shape.

"Two or three times a week we'll do something with her .... unlike a lot of horses her age she is fat and shiny as a fat thing ... and dapply!"

And yes after all these years together, Star has found her forever home.

As Hickey says : "She isn't going anywhere!"