Maree Smith was about two thirds of her way from FORBES to Newcastle, and still with about two hours to drive, when the warning signals literally lit up.
Maree and her passenger, the brilliant greyhound Miss Ezmae trained by her and husband Jack, were in the tiny rural town of Sandy Hollow and her vehicle had decided it had had enough.
Miss Ezmae was headed for LADBROKES GARDENS where she would not only contest, but was favourite for the inaugural running of The Ladbrokes 715, the world’s richest distance event, worth $500,000 to the winner.
“I was going well until a few little signals randomly came on in my car at Sandy Hollow,” Maree explained. “I pulled over (into a service station) and asked someone to take a look at it for me and he said, yes, the motor is cooked you can’t move it.
“I did the usual thing of ringing the NRMA but that can take a while, and in Sandy Hollow there are no taxis, there’s no hire car service, there is not much at all really.”
Maree called the track to alert them of the situation, and Greyhound Racing NSW Deputy CEO Wayne Billett instantly hopped into his car ready to make the 300km round trip. But before he could even get on the road, there was a rescue.
“After a little cry and pulling myself together, I then accosted this poor young fellow called Jesse Heinz from the Central Coast and asked him where he was going. He said he was going home to the Central Coast so I said: “Can you take my dog and I to the Gardens because we are in the biggest race of our lives?” He said, yes he would.
“He was an absolute gentleman and I am forever thankfully to Jesse.
“I called Jack and I think he was more in shock than anything. Yes, we are in the biggest race in our lives, we’re in box 1, we’re the favourite, and I’m at Sandy Hollow … but once I organised the ride, everything was fine.
“Miss Ezmae was fine through all of this. She doesn’t care as long as she’s comfortable and she can have a sleep.”
Maree and Miss Ezmae arrived on track just before the first race around 6pm, still plenty of time before her race, but in her haste to get Miss Ezmae kenneled, she slipped over “in the proverbial.”
“Things just kept getting better,” Maree joked. “But they say it’s good luck and it certainly was.”
Four hours later, the final chapter of a remarkable day was written when Miss Ezmae led throughout to win The Ladbrokes 715m, in what may be her final race with her owner keen to embark on a breeding career.
Clocking 41.65s, Miss Ezmae had a length and a half to spare over the gallant Frank Hurst-trained Sound Of Silence with that pair a further 4¾ lengths in advance of third placegetter, JODIE Lord’s Cawbourne Magic.
“This is very special, being the inaugural Ladbrokes 715, that’s special in itself, a race worth $500,000 is just unbelievable and that we can share it with the owners in another great thing,” Maree said.
“I’m just so happy for my husband Jack, it’s the pinnacle of his racing career, hopefully there is lots more to come, but you can’t get much better than this.
“It’s wonderful that they (owners Lyndall McIntyre and her father Lindsay Niccol) trust us with their precious dogs and know that hopefully we will do the best for them, and get the best out of them, and we have proved that tonight.
“It’s their decision to make (about retiring Miss Ezmae) and we’ll be happy whichever way it goes, we have got her around safely, she has won the biggest staying race in the world, and she is the queen of the world … what a great way of letting her retire.”
The Smiths have had some racetrack stars over recent years including Golden Easter Egg runner-up Brad Hill Billy, the brilliant Feral Franky who was part-owned by Lyndall McIntyre, and more recently outstanding sprinter Jungle Deuce.
Selecting one above another is like picking your favourite child.
“If you were talking to Jack, he would not choose, but for me, you’d have to say pretty well she’s at the top,” Maree said. “She is really just amazing, a beautiful quiet girl. She’s easy to train and she’s just a dream.”
Miss Ezmae, who just 13 months ago registered her maiden win at the Bathurst track, took her record to 28 starts for 17 wins and six placings, and has now earned $662,590.
As for the trip back home to FORBES, Jack and Maree’s daughter Mel came to rescue.
Mel had been on holidays last week but had returned to Sydney and was planning to surprise her mother by driving up to Newcastle for the race, when she got the call asking for a lift, saving her mother eating into the winnings with what would be six-hour Uber trip.
