"SHE wasn't exactly born to be a champion," says Kyneton trainer Sue Naylor about Paris Gem.
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But for a horse, who cost a mere $800 as a weanling, Naylor adds the now six-year-old mare is doing more than just fine.
The daughter of Von Costa de Hero and Jeweller's Gem was rewarded for her consistency with a fast-finishing win on the Ballarat Synthetic on Tuesday.
Paris Gem showed a ton of heart, coming from back in the field to claim the lead with 150m to travel, before running away to win by three-lengths over the well-supported Symon Wilde-trained mare Ginny Ann, with Telemarketer back in third.
It was the Sue Naylor-trained galloper's third win from 36 race starts and her second on a synthetic track.
Few trainers or jockeys left Ballarat happier on Tuesday than Naylor and apprentice Will Price after landing victory in the second-last race on the program.
"She's a limited little mare, but that was no doubt one of her better runs. She's starting to get a bit better as we go along, actually," she said.
"This prep she has been very consistent and probably a bit stiff a couple of times.
"We're very happy. We paid only $800 for her as a weanling, so she wasn't exactly born to be a champion, but she has done a great job."
While her record might paint Paris Gem as a horse that doesn't win out of turn, that assessment is somewhat misleading.
The mare has been placed on five occasions and has finished fourth an extraordinary seven times throughout her career.
Her more recent record includes a pair of wins and three placings from her last eight starts.
"That's spot on, that was only her third win from 30 something starts, but she has probably finished top five in at least half of those," Naylor said.
"She's never too far away, so it was good to get her head in front.
"James (Fowler) and I own her ourselves and she is such an honest little horse.
"You can never be too disappointed with her, she just goes out there and has a crack and if the luck goes her way she is right in amongst it."
While the synthetic tracks have their share of detractors, Naylor felt they had been a blessing for some of her stable, including the seven-year-old Flaming Bel, who won at Pakenham in June.
"I've only got two horses racing at the moment and one has bad feet and likes the synthetic, while the other one, Paris Gem, doesn't like the wet," she said.
"So she has had to settle for the synthetic as well, but as it turns out they both seem to quite like it better than the grass.
"And it's not like we train on it or anything, we only see it when we go to the races."
Naylor said Flaming Bel was headed for a spell after being diagnosed with a foot issue following his last start at Pakenham Synthetic on Monday, while Paris Gem would likely have one more run on the Ballarat Synthetic later this month.
"She (Paris Gem) can spend the spring in the paddock while a lot of the good horses are going around and can come back in over the summer months," she said.
"She's been up for ages, but basically after she races she has a week in the paddock and a few days on the water-walker - she has a pretty charmed life.
"Even I haven't had a day off in over a year and she has a week off after every run, so she is not doing it too tough."
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