Rebecca Mollica records memorable maiden victory

By Jordan Gerrans

The first victory of every trainer’s career is always extra special.

But, for Rebecca Mollica to do so with a galloper she refers to as her ‘baby’ and ‘pet’ – it meant a little bit more to the Ipswich horsewoman when Back 'Em Black got the money at ridiculous odds last Friday afternoon.

Back 'Em Black still has some racing in front of him but Mollica has declared the gelding will have a forever home with her as long as he likes.

Mollica and her five-year-old son of Lonhro both won their first races of their time in the racing industry on Friday on their home track.

The 33-year-old Mollica has only prepared two horses in her training tenure - Back 'Em Black and Intercapitalexpres – and she grabbed her breakthrough triumph at just her eighth attempt.

“It was great as he is our baby,” the young trainer said.

“We bought him from Magic Millions online sight unseen. He was such a weedy looking horse and I was worried about what I had bought when he first arrived. He has a big old scar on his knee and he has had two operations.

“He is like our pet now and will be with us forever. Just to see him win on a personal level, it was really good as we do love him.”

The five-year-old brown gelding caused a serious boil over to hand the trainer her maiden triumph.

Racing Australia lists his starting price as $91 and he touched $101 at one stage.

He was as much as $160 with some bookmakers.

The Mollica stable had a tidy collect on the result.

Mollica’s partner pocketed more on the punt than what the race was worth.

Mollica and Back 'Em Black‘s owner Brodie Cosgriff shared in the $16,800 prize on offer for the provincial maiden.

The gelding had four career starts this year before turning up to Ipswich last Friday.

The results had been up-and-down and Mollica made the call to keep him fresh after he finished down the track in a city maiden in early September.

“He really needed a spell after his last run at Eagle Farm, he was getting sour,” Mollica said.

“He ran poorly on that day and before that you could tell he needed to go out.

“But, from what the jockeys were saying to me was that he needed more education because he was very green.

“We thought we would give him one more run and then tip him out because he needed it. He came in this next time on fire.”

Jockey Wanderson D'Avila did the steering on Friday and they scored by almost a length.

Back 'Em Black and Intercapitalexpres both race in unique silks: bronze, black lightning bolts with white outline, hooped sleeves and black cap.

Intercapitalexpres retired after three fruitless career efforts.

They were designed to honour the late father of Cosgriff.

“The first horse we had, Intercapitalexpres, was named that because of Brodie’s dad that had just passed away when we were racing him,” Mollica said.

“That was the name of his truck so we named the horse that for him.
“He made the colours like his truck and we have kept using them with this horse as well.”

After winning over 1350 metres on Friday, Mollica says there is another suitable race over the same journey on Sunday at the Bundamba-based track.

As well as training her small team, Mollica has been in the industry for several years breaking in horses, riding track work as well as working on the ground for other trainers.

The local Ipswich conditioner previously worked for fellow Ipswich trainer John Hubbard.

The emerging trainer completed a Bachelor of Equine Science at the University of Queensland.

“I have trained on and off and that is what I have done for a long time, breaking in horses,” she said.

“Breaking in is how I started in the racing game as well as riding work at Washpool.”