Kim Renner, a knockabout builder from Geraldton, reckons they should make a movie about his beloved Black Heart Bart, who emerged from retirement to claim a sixth career Group 1 win in Sunday's G1 Underwood S. at Caulfield at odds of $101.
Certainly, it’s a script that could only be written in racing, with the then 8-year-old retired last October after a disappointing performance in the G1 Toorak H. It had been 18 months since he'd won a race and it was clear he was not the horse he once was.
"We had $10,000 worth of vet bills and we still couldn't tell what the problem was. After we gave him four months in the paddock and brought him back (for that last campaign) you knew that something was bothering him. After that last race, I said that was the end of him and we retired him," Renner told TDN AusNZ.
But a couple of months later, an eagle-eyed Renner had spotted something on a vet's bill which may have indicated why the veteran had not been at his best.
"I saw Darren Weir when he was over here for the Kingston Town S. I said to him that I noticed that he'd inoculated the horse for Hong Kong and maybe that had knocked him about," he said.
"He said I might be on to something, and he said he'd do a deal with me and we'd bring him back slowly and have another crack. We shook hands on it and that was it."
"He said I might be on to something.... and we'd bring him back slowly and have another crack. We shook hands on it and that was it." - Kim Renner
However, six weeks later, Weir was placed at the centre of a major racing scandal which saw him suspended for four years. Renner assumed the comeback was over, but Maddie Raymond, who worked for Weir at the Warrnambool stables and was now working for Lindsey Smith, rang him out of the blue.
"She said, are we still good to do that deal? I said, fine, it wasn't hurting the horse. Her and Lindsey were both keen to keep him going and away we went again," he said.
Maddie Raymond was keen to press on with Black Heart Bart
All parties knew the comeback was contingent on Black Heart Bart retaining his love for racing and staying sound. He had a history of feet problems which needed to be kept an eye on, but it was evident pretty early on he was relishing life back in the stables.
"Lindsey said he walked straight back into his same yard, happy as Larry. I was over there a couple of weeks ago and just seeing him, you could tell he was bright as a button. He just loved being there, he pranced into the round yard with his ears pricked," he said.
The backlash
What Renner wasn't quite prepared for was the backlash when it became public that Bart was making a comeback. He admits much of it stung.
"People need to understand they are racehorses, that's what they are bred to do, especially the really good ones," he said.
"As far as I'm concerned, there are too many 'greenies' in this world at the moment and they have never owned a bloody horse in their life so they wouldn't know."
While the social media commentary was largely anonymous, Renner said it was the criticism from closer to home that hurt more.
"I got told I was cruel by a woman I know two weeks ago, but she had to eat her words yesterday pretty quick. She came and gave me a hug and kiss yesterday and to her credit, she said 'You were right, I was wrong'.
"People need to understand I love the horse. Especially a horse that has won me over $4 million. He's like my dog I've got here with me, I'm not going to hurt him.
"It was just stupidity what went on."
Bart and Brad
As Bart's comeback momentum built, Renner relied on the feedback of those he trusted, Raymond and jockey Brad Rawiller, who had been aboard him in his previous five Group 1 wins.
"He's one of the most dedicated and loyal jockeys I have ever met and I've met a lot of them. Since his first Group 1 win on him, we have had a very strong bond," he said.
"I had a good mate that died a couple of years ago and Brad flew all the way from Melbourne to go to his funeral and stayed with me. There's a bit of history there."
Brad Rawiller knocked back rides aboard Alizee and Hartnell in favour of Black Heart Bart
Loyalty shone through at the start of Black Heart Bart's comeback campaign, with Rawiller knocking back the rides on Godolphin contenders Alizee (Sepoy) and Hartnell (GB) (Authorized {Ire}) in the G1 Memsie S. to partner the now 9-year-old.
He would finish eighth in that race, beaten 4l, but Rawiller's feedback was that he was on track again. Even when he finished 11th, beaten 6.75l in last weekend's G1 Sir Rupert Clarke S. Rawiller told Smith to stick with the horse and back him up in the Underwood, a race he had won three years prior.
The thrill of a win
Back in Geraldton, Renner had confidence in his jockey and horse as he tuned into the race with a few friends over a couple of beers.
"I was at home with a couple of mates. They had to pick their jaws off my tile floor when he won. I think they might have cracked a couple of tiles," he joked.
"I was at home with a couple of mates. They had to pick their jaws off my tile floor when he won. I think they might have cracked a couple of tiles." - Kim Renner
Asked where he felt this year's Underwood S. win sat in terms of his other successes, Renner said it felt like vindication for his belief in the horse.
"It was a very similar feeling to when he ran second in the (G1) Newmarket (in 2016). It was similar because it was a big gamble and I sent him over there to Darren's thinking he was half a decent horse. He faced similar criticism, and people thought he didn’t belong there against horses like Chautauqua," he said.
"He finished second, but it was a huge effort at his first run over there, I was there that day, and it was about the same sort of feeling."
Kim Renner knows Black Heart Bart is a good horse regardless of who he is trained by
Given everything that has happened with Weir, Renner also feels Sunday's win dispersed any clouds which hung over the horse from his wins under his previous trainer.
"He was a good horse before Weir, he was a good horse with him and he's a good horse after him," he said.
The future
And he is adamant that Black Heart Bart is far from finished with the spring. He would love another crack at the G1 Cox Plate, after his preparation for his previous tilt in 2016 was impacted by feet issues, but that would require a late entry fee.
"I don’t think he was at his top yesterday. I reckon two more runs would be just about spot on," he said.
Renner also feels the G1 Mackinnon S. would be suitable as well as possibly the G1 Railway S. and the G1 Kingston Town Classic back in Perth.
As he reflects on Sunday's success, while filling up his bin with beer cans, much of which he admits were drunk by him in celebration on Sunday night, Renner faces a welcome problem.
"I'm running out of spots to put the trophies," he joked. "He's just the most marvellous horse. If you met him, you'd love him. He's just got that much character."
"He's just the most marvellous horse. If you met him, you'd love him. He's just got that much character." - Kim Renner
