Cover image courtesy of Sportpix
Davies picked out the son of Wanted from the draft of Bell River Thoroughbreds at that 2016 Sale for just $7500, an amazing bargain when you consider he has already won over $500,000 in 18 starts.
He was named because Davies felt she was just about the only one at White Park that day to spot his potential, an instinct that has been vindicated by his racetrack performances ever since.
James Ferguson, Angela Davies and Andrew Ferguson | Image courtesy of Angela Davies Racing
"He was by an unwanted sire at that stage and it seemed very few people at the Sale seemed interested in looking at him. But he was a lovely athletic type and sometimes you take a punt," she told TDN AusNZ.
"Back then I only had three or four horses in work. I was only purchasing for myself because I didn't have much money and there was always that very tight budget of about $10,000.
"I just loved him when I saw him, I pulled him out the box about 10 times to have a look at him and kept annoying them and asking to walk him again and again."
"I just loved him (Through The Cracks) when I saw him. I pulled him out the box about 10 times to have a look at him and kept annoying them (Bell River Thoroughbreds) and asking to walk him again and again." - Angela Davies
When he did go through the ring as Lot 145, it was clear pretty quickly that Davies would be the one to get him.
"That's why we named him. We thought he'd fallen through the cracks and his mother was More Than Acracker. I thought Through The Cracks would be a good name for him. So that's how it all came about," she said.
There was a little bit to recommend him on pedigree. His dam, More Than Acracker (More Than Ready {USA}), a city winner herself, had produced a couple of winners and a sister/half-sister to five winners including the stakes-placed Letter Of Intent (Commands). Multiple Listed winner King Lotto (Bellotto {USA}) also featured on the page.
Letter Of Intent when racing | Image courtesy of Sportpix
Davies sold 10 per cent shares of $750 to a group of local lads, and kept a share herself.
Promising beginnings
Davies was in no rush to get him to the track, but she noticed he could gallop as soon as she put him in work. Debuting as a late 3-year-old, he broke his maiden at Taree at his second start. Wins at Scone, Port Macquarie and Newcastle followed, ensuring he had well and truly repaid his purchase price.
A first city win at Warwick Farm, where Through The Cracks defeated subsequent Group 1 winner Think It Over (So You Think {NZ}) on January 2020, saw Davies raise her sight towards the $500,000 Provincial Championship in the April of that year.
Through The Cracks | Image courtesy of Racing NSW
He stormed home under Jenny Duggan for a fairy-tale success, giving Davies a result she could barely believe. It was his sixth win in just 12 starts. He returned in the spring, winning a race at Newcastle and then running fourth in the G2 Villiers S.
However, a subsequent fetlock injury threatened his career and saw him sidelined for 12 months.
"He had an operation on it and they cleaned it up a bit, as he had some cartilage that he'd torn. They tidied up the joint, so hopefully he continues to hold together," Davies said.
"He (Through The Cracks) had an operation on it (the fetlock) and they cleaned it up a bit, as he had some cartilage that he'd torn. They tidied up the joint, so hopefully he continues to hold together." - Angela Davies
The trainer admitted she was holding her breath a little bit when he resumed in the Listed Christmas Classic at Canterbury earlier this month and was relieved to see him motoring home late to finish third, beaten just 1.5l.
"I was quietly confident but knew that he was a little bit big in condition first-up, which he usually is. He has returned in the same way he was at most other preparations when he has kicked off," she said.
"I was confident that he would run well, but off a long break, you do worry about their condition petering out. He went super and he's further improved since then."
Staking a claim
With the 7-year-old in great physical shape and showing all the right signs that he very much still wants to be a racehorse, Davies heads to the races Saturday with a sense that it can be his day to register that first stakes success both for him as horse and her as a trainer.
"I think it's a great race for him, 1400 (metres) at Randwick. His last win at Randwick was the Provincial Championship over the 1400 metres. It’s a track he likes. It will be a little bit soft which he will love," she said.
"It would be wonderful to win a stakes race with him. It would be wonderful for all the connections."
"It would be wonderful to win a stakes race with him (Through The Cracks). It would be wonderful for all the connections." - Angela Davies
Through The Cracks, a winner of three of his four starts second-up, is favourite for the race. Should he win, then it sets up plenty of options as the racing heats up heading towards the autumn.
"We are taking it one step at a time. There is the Gardenia Mile after this at Randwick (February 5) and then we will see how he goes. If he continues to go well and has no soreness, we will just keep going," Davies said.
As much a pet as a racehorse, when his racing days are done Through The Cracks will be assured of a forever home.
Through The Cracks racing at Randwick | Image courtesy of Racing NSW
"He's a gem. He's been spoilt for quite a few years and he has never been in any other stable. He's been very well cared for and he gets out in yards with grass and he really does have a nice life," he said.
"My girl who rides him at trackwork, he’ll go home with her for the rest of his life."
