Twin Magic Millions runners give Cindy love for racing and mends off-track relationship
After hating racing for 20 years Cindy Mclauchlan is now a proud owner with two runners in the Magic Millions Guineas — and new love for her husband.
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CINDY Mclauchlan hated everything about horse racing.
She hated the tone of the racecallers, the whips and the extra responsibility that came with her husband Robert’s hobby.
“I was sick of the kids fighting in the back seat of the car as Robert would say I’m only going into the TAB for a minute’,” Cindy recalled.
“Every Saturday was race day. He would get into my car and change the channel on the radio station, all I would hear is ‘and they are coming down the straight’ and I just hated the sound of it.
“I absolutely hated horse racing for 20 years.”
Fast forward to the present and Cindy is in love with the sport of kings.
It comes as the first two horses she has part-owned, Vienna Royale and Fixation, get set to line up in the $1 million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (1400m) on the Gold Coast this Saturday.
Robert could well be the envy of every man in the country. Tired of his wife whingeing about his love for the punt, he thought it was about time to get her on-board.
“I figured the best way to convert her was to buy her a racehorse,” he said.
“As soon as they own something they love it and that was the plan.”
And boy has the plan paid off.
Cindy is now a confessed racing tragic. She keeps newspaper clippings on both of her horses in separate scrapbooks and never misses a race they contest.
She even has Facebook pages for both Vienna Royale and Fixation.
“She has mates over in Dubai that are friends with the horses and I think the horses have more friends than me on Facebook,” Robert quipped.
But this is more than just a story about a woman learning to love horse racing.
Cindy’s two horses have been just as important in helping reconnect this every day couple from Kingston.
Cindy, 49, and Robert, 50, were divorced for 12 years before they remarried in 2013.
With Cindy working days as a teacher’s aid at Kuraby Special School and Robert working nights as a mail officer at Australia Post, they needed something to bond over in their time apart.
“We knew we had to do something different because one of us work days and the other one works nights and we needed a common interest,” Cindy said.
“The horses have had more than the desired effect and it has turned out to be great.”
Robert agrees and said the journey with Vienna Royale and Fixation has been the best thing for their marriage.
“The horses have definitely brought us closer together,” he said.
“Now she doesn’t get annoyed when I turn on Sky Racing.
“We were just at home last Saturday listening to Sky and she was down in her room and there was a mention on the television about the market for the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas coming up.
“The next minute her ears pricked up and she says to me, ‘have they said anything, have they said anything?’
“Once upon a time she would turn her ears off to the horse racing but her ears certainly prick up now and should wouldn’t have even known what the 3YO Guineas or the Magic Millions was years ago.”
This Saturday will be the second time the Mclauchlans have been part of the Magic Millions race day.
Last year they had the thrill of being part of the day’s feature race, the $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic, when Vienna Royale ran a brave sixth in the race.
But having both of their horses in a $1 million race this weekend is even more special.
“We are battlers and we are pretty much always on the bones of our arses,” Robert said.
“It was $1800 to (buy a 5 per cent share in) Vienna Royale and then we bought a (10 per cent) share in Fixation with the prizemoney we received from Vienna Royale.
“It just goes to show you don’t need an expensive horse to run in a $1 million race.”
And you get the feeling if either horse wins the big race on Saturday then there will be an almighty celebration.
“It was the most amazing atmosphere last year and we went there all dolled up and walked out looking pretty shabby,” Cindy said.
“I can’t wait for this weekend and I’ve already said to Robert can we get a third horse if one of them wins.”
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