It’s the classic Cinderella racing story to be played out in what promises to be an interesting Voyager Coaches Two Year Old Maiden (1100m) at the Australian Jockey Club meeting at Wyong tomorrow (Thursday).

The unwanted yearling, bought back by her breeder and prepared by a little known country trainer versus expensive, impeccably bred blue bloods from some of Sydney’s leading stables.

Cloudcatcher (Catcher in the Rye-Cloudlet) was bought back by breeder Don Beard for just $1000 after she failed to attract any interest at last year’s Scone sale.

Ironically her two previous yearlings, by General Nediym and King of Kings, were each sold for $50,000. Beard bred the filly on the Middlebrook Valley Stud but he has since sold the stud and retired to Ballina.

However if Cloudcatcher wins or runs a big race tomorrow Beard will be heading back to Scone later in the month to watch her run in the $80,000 Inglis Challenge for Two Year Olds on May 23.

Trainer Peter Bloomfield, who prepares the filly at Scone, took her to Taree earlier this month where she ran a close second in a 1000 metre barrier trial to the three year old Royal Alias.

Robert Thompson, just 30 wins short of Jack Thompson’s Australian record of 3322, rode Cloudcatcher in the trial and will ride her tomorrow.

The filly is up against the likes of the Graeme Rogerson trained Asset Rain which was passed in for $335,000 and retained by her breeder; Packing Supreme from the Grahame Begg stable which cost $380,000 and the Clarry Conners trained Court ($180,000).

Then there is the Alan Denham trained Afairgo, to be ridden by Jeff Lloyd and the Albert Stapleford trained Tellyas, which is third emergency.
They are also trying to qualify for the Inglis Challenge.

Afairgo, by Desert Prince, was bought for $50,000 at the Scone sale and ran a close second to the three year old The Astronomer in a Rosehill trial earlier this month.

Tellyas is the most experienced of any of these runners with a third at Gosford last December and a luckless fifth at Quirindi when favourite and resuming.

The Brahms filly was bought for $20,000 at Scone.