The usual storyline is that racing people have the sport in their blood. But it’s not the case at Mahtoum Lodge, the training base of Kim Waugh and her hands-on husband, Mark.

Kim came into racing after training and driving harness horses, a career starting at Sydney’s Bankstown track in the mid-80s, when she was just 16.

Mark has barely sat on a horse his entire 54 years, but has spent a near-lifetime immersed in racing, as a zealous form student and punter. Besides that, he also played 128 Test matches – finishing as Australia’s sixth-highest Test run-scorer -- and 244 one-day internationals, winning a World Cup in 1999.

After his international playing days ended in 2002, Waugh met Kim Moore, an aspiring trainer apparently going places, at Rosehill races.

First Mark took a share in a horse she trained, then the two decided to share their life. They were married in 2005, capping off a wild week in which the bride became a Group 1-winning trainer, through Mahtoum (Suave Dancer, USA) in the Sydney Cup.

While Kim had at first trained at Rosehill, some 10 years ago the couple set up Mahtoum Lodge, a rambling property just a five minute drive from Wyong racecourse, 100 kilometres north of Sydney.

Having started with a boutique operation, Kim is now one of the most keenly followed trainers in New South Wales. She boasts an enviable strike rate with a team of 40 horses in work, including such leading lights as Our Century (Montjeu, IRE), Uptown Lad (Manhattan Rain) and Goathland (Teofilo, IRE). Watch out, too, for the emerging three-year-old Erno, by Rubrick, who Kim feels is “a bit special”.

Trotters and cricket to thoroughbreds

It was a roundabout path to this point for Kim, who was involved with pony clubs growing up in western Sydney. An uncle, Robert Smith, trained a small team of harness horses at Bankstown.

“I used to love helping him when I could,” she says. “I’d drive them in work, and I got involved with the training.”

Kim graduated to race driving, then gained her trainer’s licence when just 18. Working with standardbreds was a different, more frugal world to the galloping stages of Randwick or Flemington where she’d later see action, but was a good grounding.

“I learnt a lot, because you’ve got to learn to do everything yourself,” she says. “They don’t have vets coming round every day. You just can’t afford it.”

Meanwhile, emerging just a stone’s throw away was Mark Waugh, and his twin brother Steve, who both played club cricket for Bankstown. Cricket superstardom was on the horizon, but for Mark, racing was never far away.

“My dad was a keen racegoer, as was his dad,” Mark recalls. “Dad used to take us to the western Sydney tracks, Warwick Farm for the gallops and Bankstown for the trots."

"Steve was never that interested, but I loved it from a young age. It’s either in your blood or it’s not, and you get hooked on it. I guess it’s about the excitement, but I love animals too, and horses are just beautiful athletes.”

A gentle approach

While Kim enjoyed some success in harness racing, feeling a decline in the sport, she acquired her thoroughbred trainer’s licence in her early 20s, setting up with just two horses at Rosehill. One was the handy Never True, winner of the 1990 South Grafton Cup, among other things. Kim’s transition was impressively smooth.

“Standardbreds are as tough as nails. They’re thick-boned compared to thoroughbreds,” she says. “Put it this way, one’s a rap dancer, the other’s a ballerina. One is tough and hard, the other is quite elegant, so you’ve got to be more gentle on them.

“I’d had friends who switched over like I did, and learnt that the hard way. They went out and hammered them. But I’d known some gallops trainers and so I was quite gentle on them. Starting off, I was probably too gentle. It took me a while to get that balance.”

Kim had some exceptional teachers around, chiefly Dr Geoff Chapman, who prepared such early 1990s stars as four-time Group 1 winner Dr Grace (Sir Tristram, IRE).

“I used to talk to Bart Cummings any time I could, but I got to know Doc (Chapman) quite well,” Kim says.

“He was a very good trainer. I loved how he was so structured. Everything was so organised and clean, and he had a really good system going. Some trainers over-worked their horses, but Doc was quite kind to them. I swayed towards his way. It’s worked for me.”

Early success came with Catapult (Luskin Star), who was kept going to win 11 races over six years, three in black type. Greater success came in 2005, with Mahtoum’s Sydney Cup.

“It’s a different league, winning a Group 1,” Kim says. “You do wake up feeling different the next day, though to be honest I hardly slept. Those things don’t happen easily – after all, I still haven’t won my second Group 1. So you’ve got to enjoy it when it comes.”

Different kind of sporting test

Mark Waugh had faced danger batting against such lethal fast bowlers as Curtly Ambrose, but having a live chance in a Group 1 was a different world of nerves.

“When you’ve got a runner in a big race, it’s a bit like going in to bat in a Test match. You do get pretty nervous,” he says. “There’s a few parallels between cricket and racing, mostly regarding what Kim does as a trainer. The attention to detail, the work ethic. If you prepare properly, you give yourself a better chance.

“But with cricket, there’s more things you can control when you’re out in the middle. In racing, there’s so much you can’t control. You need luck in both sports, a bit more of it in racing.”

Many wives might bemoan a husband’s obsessive memory for horses and form (at the expense of forgetting such trivialities as paying bills). In this couple’s case, it’s a plus. Mark plays a vital role in acquiring horses for the stable, keeping an eye out for cast-offs from the “bigger fish” like Godolphin, or Lloyd Williams.

“I’m not a natural horseman. Mostly I find they’re pretty big animals!” he says. “But I do have a really good memory for horses’ form.”

“He knows every horse, everywhere,” says Kim, citing her husband’s role in snaring ex-Williams pair Our Century and Goathland. “Lloyd’s good like that. If he doesn’t think his horse can win a Melbourne Cup, he moves it on. That doesn’t mean it can’t win other nice races for a stable like ours.”

Another Mark-led acquisition was Forget (Exceed And Excel), an ex-Godolphin horse in whom he convinced former cricket teammate Ricky Ponting to buy a share. Forget more than repaid the cricketers’ faith, winning seven races including Newcastle’s Group 3 Cameron Handicap in 2015.

Bully the star

Still, perhaps her biggest stable star will never even race. A few years ago, Kim spotted a donkey foal, lying close to death in the middle of a neighbouring paddock, after his mother had rejected him. With the property’s owners overseas, she took the donkey home and nursed him back to (very robust) life.

Bully the Donkey is now a four-legged celebrity, popping up regularly on Kim’s social media feeds. But does he think he’s a racehorse?

“He thinks he’s everything. He thinks he’s the boss of the world,” Kim says.

“Everyone falls in love with him because he’s just got the funniest character. He chases my dogs, plays with the horses, chases people. He’ll give you the odd nip on the bum. He’s got Mark a few times.

“Basically he just gets everyone in hysterics. No wonder I get so many visitors these days!”

And then there’s the other unusual stable resident – Diamond – a large python, who keeps the rodents down.

“He’s just beautiful,” Kim says. “Mark’s a bit scared of him, but the horses don’t mind. Usually they’d be scared of snakes, but probably the kind who move faster. Pythons are so calm and do everything slowly. You’ll often see him curled up on a ledge in a stable, right next to a horse, and the horse is fine with it.”

With her own, somewhat quirky, property, Waugh can better transact a training style which is largely based on avoiding monotony for her horses.

“We really mix it up with them,” she says. “They’ll be racing one day and the next day they’ll be on the farm, bucking and running in a paddock. That’s a happy horse, and that’s the key to it all.”

Godolphin's stars have shone on a busy morning of trials at Rosehill, with dual Group 1 winner Avilius (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) showing he is right on track for a likely racetrack return in the G1 Winx S. later this month, and Osborne Bulls boosting his chances for the Godolphin Everest slot.

Avilius, having his second trial for the campaign, stepped out in the day's opener for Group and Listed winners over 1000m and finished off impressively under Blake Shinn to win by half-a-length in a relatively moderate time of 1:02.40.

Trainer James Cummings has indicated the G1 Winx S. on August 24 is the likely kick-off point for the import's spring campaign as he looks to build on an impressive Australian record which currently reads eight wins from 11 starts.

"He's obviously returned in great order. He found the line really well today, it’s a pleasure to ride such an impressive horse and I think he's in for a terrific spring carnival," Shinn told reporters after the trial.

Richard and Michael Freedman's Listed Scone Cup winner Special Missile (Smart Missile) was second in the trial with Bjorn Baker's Rodrico (High Chaparral {Ire}) third in a promising first hitout since running in the G1 Sydney Cup.

Chris Waller's quartet filled the final four places in that opening trial, but the champion trainer would have been pleased with all four, Group 1 winners Unforgotten (Fastnet Rock) and Patrick Erin (NZ) (Gallant Guru) as well as stayers Eastender (Tickets) and Dealmaker (Dundeel {NZ}).

Cummings' G1 Golden Slipper S. winner Kiamichi (Sidestep) took significant improvement into her second trial this time in, leading all-the-way over the 1030m, again under Shinn.

Beaten a length by Meryl (Epaulette) in her previous trial, Kiamichi turned the tables on that mare, who was 1.3l behind her on Tuesday, with Harper's Choice (Street Cry {Ire}) splitting that pair in second.

"Her form speaks for itself. She's a Golden Slipper winner from last season and she's a very impressive horse," Shinn said. "She jumped very well. She's a high-speed filly. She showed that speed today and was super strong through the line."

Kiamichi is headed towards the G1 Golden Rose on September 28 with her path through to the $1 million race likely to begin in either the G2 Silver Shadow S. or the Group 2 Toy Show S. on August 24.

Cummings would have also been delighted with Osborne Bulls' (Street Cry {Ire}) first trial back as he charged home from the rear of the field in Heat 6 over 900m under a firm hold from Hugh Bowman to finish fourth behind stablemate Wren's Day (USA) (Medaglia d'Oro {USA})

Osborne Bulls, a runner-up in five consecutive Group 1 races last autumn, is possibly destined for a second shot at The Everest, a race he ran third in last year.

Godolphin has a slot to utilise, but won't make a decision on which horse gets it until its array of candidates have had a chance to show themselves. Osborne Bulls is set to resume in the G3 Concorde S. on September 7.

Imports shine first-up

Wren's Day, making his first appearance in Australia, showed plenty of dash to lead-up in the trial and score narrowly. He boasts a Group 1 second behind Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in France when trained by Andre Fabre.

Fellow recent import from the Fabre stable, Beau Ideal (GB) (Exceed And Excel), finished third in his trial, closing off well less than a length behind Broken Arrows (Smart Missile).

Cummings' Group 1-winning miler Best of Days {GB}) (Azamour {Ire}) was also third in his trial, Heat 2, just ahead of progressive stablemate Deprive (Denman). That pair were some six lengths adrift of impressive trial winner Samadoubt (Not A Single Doubt).

The Bjorn Baker-trained Samadoubt, a winner of the Listed Canberra Cup last campaign, ran his trial some 2.3 seconds quicker than Avilius did in winning over the 1000m of the course proper ten minutes earlier.

Night's Watch (NZ) (Redwood {GB}), making his first public appearance since transferring to Chris Waller's stable, finished off well for second in that trial, while G1 ATC Oaks winner Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) did what was asked of her, finishing fifth.

Stablemate Kings Will Dream (Ire) (Casamento {Ire}) got through his first hitout since suffering a life-threatening injury in last year's G1 Cox Plate, finishing seventh in that trial.

Caliburn (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) has been bought on behalf of the Te Akau chief and his wife Karyn by bloodstock agent Paul Moroney and the couple will race him with company clients. Matamata trainer Jamie Richards will take charge of the entire, who will make his Australian debut next month.

However, the 4-year-old will firstly require a name change as Warrnambool trainer Symon Wilde is currently having success with another Caliburn, a recent winner at Murtoa who is, coincidentally, also a son of Camelot.

“I think our horse will be called Te Akau Caliburn,” Ellis said. “Paul was the agent that bought the horse for Karyn and myself and we’ll race him with some good clients of Te Akau.

“It’s pretty exciting, I’ve bought a yearling in Europe before and this is the first proven horse I’ve bought,” Ellis said.

In 2013, he purchased Torcedor (Ire) (Fastnet Rock), who is out of a sister to former champion European stayer Yeats (Ire), for 70,000 euros at the Arqana Deauville Yearling Sale and he won the G3 Sagaro S. and the G3 Vintage Crop S.

He also finished runner-up in the G1 Goodwood Cup and the G1 Irish St Leger and finished third in the G1 Ascot Gold Cup before his sale last year to German interests.

Moroney’s brief was to secure a staying prospect to chase the lucrative prize-money in Australia and filled it with the former Andrew Balding-trained entire, who has won twice up to 2400 metres and has three placings from his nine appearances.

“I told Paul that I wanted a horse who could measure up at Group 1 level in Australia, whether it was this spring or a horse that had the potential to improve and be competitive in the big races next year.

“Whether we get to the Caulfield Cup or the Melbourne Cup this year who knows, but I’m pretty confident the following year we can run in all the big cups.”

Form franked

At his most recent appearance last month, he finished runner-up at Newmarket over 2800 metres behind King’s Advice (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who is the current favourite for England’s richest handicap – the 1 million pound Ebor H. at York.

“He went into quarantine in Newmarket last Friday and he’ll be there for two weeks and then he goes to Werribee and has two more weeks in quarantine,” Ellis said.

A programme has already been locked in for the entire with his early performances to decide if he continues on a spring cups’ path this preparation.

“We’re thinking that he’ll run over 2500 metres at Flemington on September 14 as a nice lead-in to the Bart Cummings,” Ellis said.

Tattersalls graduate

Sold for 155,000 at Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in 2016, Te Akau Caliburn is a son of the Listed Leopardstown Knockaire S. winner Enchanted Evening (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}), whose four foals to race are all winners and includes the stakes performer Taexali (Ire) (Raven’s Pass {USA}).

Out of the multiple North American Group 3 winner Glen Kate (Ire) (Glenstal {USA}), Enchanted Evening is a half-sister to the Group winners King Jock (USA) (Ghazi {USA}) and Perfect Touch (USA) (Miswaki {USA}) and the family of the three-time Group 2 winner Katdogawn (GB) (Bahhare {USA}).

Te Akau Caliburn will likely be joined in Melbourne by stablemates and G1 Cox Plate hopefuls Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands) and Te Akau Shark (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) while Avantage (Fastnet Rock), In A Twinkling (Fastnet Rock) and Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel) are also in line to make the travelling party.