Patience pays with Miss Elotan and Karen Natole

By Jordan Gerrans

Miss Elotan has been a work-in-progress for Rockhampton horsewoman Karen Natole over the last few years and the hobby trainer was ecstatic to see the mare finally win a race at Thangool on Saturday.

The four-year-old’s race name, Elotan, comes from her trainer’s last name spelt backwards.

Many decades ago, Natole’s grandfather and other family members did something similar with a horse they owned, so she was inspired to follow suit after purchasing the daughter of Sir Prancealot.

Acquired through the local Capricornia Yearling Sale, Miss Elotan was initially targeted at the rich bonus races that come from the popular Rockhampton sales series. 

The sprinter did not aim up to that level after battling a number of injury concerns and setbacks.

But, after plenty of love and care from Natole, she found a suitable race to break through at Thangool on Saturday in the QTIS Maiden Plate over 1200 metres.

“I took her out there thinking that she was a pretty good thing,” the trainer said.

“And, she raced really well. It was a good effort. It's been a long wait, but we finally got there. 

"She's good, she seems to be pulled up really fine.”

Miss Elotan won at her 10^th career attempt after first being seen publicly in October of 2024.

She had placed twice before breaking through. 

The mare and Natole have battled with numerous hiccups in the years since, with the 62-year-old horsewoman once thinking Miss Elotan wouldn’t race again following her injury trouble.

“It was huge to see her win because so many people just told me that I love the horse too much,” she said.

“People would say stuff to me like ‘I can't believe you're still going with this horse’.

“It was just a relief to know that I actually was right and she would get there and win a race. 

"She's at a stage now where I can keep going with her.

“There have been several injury issues over the journey and we didn't even know if she'd race again.

“There was one thing after another, just a problem, but she always showed ability.

“She'd worked well with a couple of horses that had won four and five races.”

Prior to the Thangool win, Natole’s son Matthew Powell rode the mare to finish third at Gladstone, with Chris McIver saluting aboard Miss Elotan on Saturday.

Miss Elotan will chase the second win of her career at Yeppoon Turf Club on the first of next month in a Ratings Band 0 – 50 Handicap over 1200 metres.

The Central Queensland-based Natole has previously trained at Ballina and the Sunshine Coast earlier in her tenure within the industry.

Now in her early 60s, Miss Elotan’s victory was Natole’s first during her stint in Rockhampton.

While the official records are not well kept from many decades ago, she says she prepared winners across the Northern Rivers of New South Wales and around the Caloundra region earlier in her life.

Natole is married to fellow Rockhampton conditioner Robert Stenhouse and she rides all their trackwork.

She previously assisted fellow local trainer John Wigginton with his trackwork, but has decided to focus on her own family’s horses in recent times. 

Natole also previously worked for top trainers such as Liam Birchley, Stuart Kendrick and Kelly Schweida.