Allender loving her busy life in FNQ

By Glenn Davis

Innisfail’s Krystin Allender leads a busy life as a mother, part-time administrator and hobby trainer.

Her day begins early each morning taking her growing team of eight to trackwork at the local Innisfail racetrack before feeding and mucking out the stables.

It’s part of the daily chores for any trainer, but for Allender she then has to head home to get her six-year-old son Bailey ready for school before starting work as a part-time administrator.

“I used to be a teacher’s aide, but I gave that away last year and I now work part-time for a plumbing company,” Allender said.

“It’s good as the owner, Kevin Hall, is a part-owner in a few horses I train.

“He knows training comes first and being an administrator for his company fits in well with training.

“I still take Bailey to the track each school morning, so I don’t stop, but I love it and the job is very flexible with no pressure.”

The 33-year-old Allender hails from Victoria where she started off as a stablehand for John Sadler and Troy Corstens.

She learnt her craft off many trainers before she successfully applied for a job as a trackwork rider at Innisfail in the state’s Far North.

Allender has saddled only six starters this year and is hopeful her next winner will come from Starmeira in the Ratings Band 0 - 55 Handicap over 1250 metres at Cairns on Saturday.

Starmeira was also nominated for the Class 3 Plate over the same distance, but Allender felt she was better placed in her own grade.

The five-year-old mare had her first start for Allender when she finished third to the Trevor and Peter Rowe-trained Accept Power over 950 metres at Cairns last week.

“She ran fabulous at her first run for me,” Allender said.

“She drew wide and raced wide the whole trip, but she really let down well.

“Her run really surprised me and it’s good Ivo Fry is riding her again as she’s not the nicest horse to ride and he had a lot to do with her before I got her.”

Allender is hopeful the meeting will proceed on a heavy track.

She believes a wet track and an extra 300 metres will favour Starmeira.

“She wasn’t stopping last start over 950 metres so an extra 300 metres will suit her and she’s pulled up well since her first-up run for me,” she said.