Mclellan plays the long game with new stable star Cracker Essgee

Photo credit: Mike Mills

By Jordan Gerrans

When trainer Michael Mclellan walks past Honest Natalie in his Townsville stable every day, he always makes sure to give her a loving pat.

He adores his small team of horses in north Queensland, but if it was not for Honest Natalie and all the time and effort spent with her – Mclellan would never have acquired new stable star Cracker Essgee.

When Honest Natalie made the move north in late 2018, she had gone almost 20 starts in the south-east of the state without breaking through for her first career win with former trainer Rochelle Pereira. 

Owned by Megan and Steve Goodair, Mclellan had to explain to the connections why he wanted to take on the maiden mare.

“I had to give them my credentials about why I wanted to buy some of the horse and what I wanted to do,” he recalls.

Just over a year later, Honest Natalie had four wins to her name with a few other close finishes that could have easily been victories.

“Megan was pretty impressed with how the horse was winning and the way we had worked her out,” he says.

Mclellan’s reward for taking on and then finding the winning formula with Honest Natalie, was a son of Hvasstan - Cracker Essgee.

A winner of five from 13 starts, as well as five other minor placings, Cracker Essgee is shooting for four wins on the bounce when he will be one of the leading hopefuls in Saturday’s $105,000 Northern Jewel QTIS 3YO Handicap at Mackay.

Mclellan, a former amateur jockey in the 1980s, thanks his lucky stars every day that he fought to take on Honest Natalie when her career looked to be nearly over.

And, that the Goodair’s had the faith in him to then give him Cracker Essgee, one of the best gallopers he has ever had in his barn.

“The owners kept talking about this youngster they had by Hvasstan, and I had never heard of Hvasstan before, so I was scratching my head as he was not a sire I knew,” he said.

“They kept sending me photos of him, I took him on and he has now become “Cracker”.

“Every time I walk past Honest Natalie, I give her a good pat, she does not realise what she has done.

“She has formed my stable into what it is today.”

‘Cracker’ was bred, reared, broken-in, educated at Clear Mountain Fairview at Greenmount.

Honest Natalie, now a six-year-old mare, is likely to have a few more starts in her career before finding a second lease on life in the dressage game.

It does not stop there either as Mclellan has recently picked up a full brother to Cracker Essgee, who he says is a little bigger than the one he has in his stable now but shows plenty of similarities.

Mclellan is a third generation racing participant, growing up around Cluden Park in Townsville, his father training and winning premierships in the north of the state.

He says Mishani Redman, a seven-time winner from 51 starts, was the only horse in his stable over the years that could "really" gallop, before Cracker Essgee arrived.

The bay gelding meets a cracking field for Saturday’s $105,000 Northern Jewel 3YO Handicap at Mackay, with the best three-year-olds from the provincial areas in Queensland descending on the sugar city.

Respected Tolga trainer Roy Chillemi brings Robig from FNQ and coming the opposite way up the highway is Sunshine Coast trainer Tom Button, who has several chances nominated.

“It’s a nice race for her and is worth $60,000 to the winner,” Button said of promising filly Cool Intelligence, who is just one of his chances in the race.

The connections of Cracker Essgee have booked up-and-coming apprentice Zac Lloyd for the ride, the first time the talented teenager will sit on the horse.

Cracker Essgee has won his last three, all being at Townsville, but also has an outstanding record at Mackay, never being outside the money in four starts for two wins.

“What his best attribute is, is toughness,” Mclellan said.

“There were a few questionable rides in him early days so we could easily have a better record win wise than he does right now, if they had gone his way.”

With the annual Jewel Race Day on the Gold Coast amongst the highlights on the Queensland racing calendar, the Northern Jewel is expected to attract its own following in 2021 and beyond.

“The Northern Jewel will support our highly successful QTIS program and will allow those in the north to race for metropolitan-level prize money,” RQ CEO Brendan Parnell said.

“It complements our Summer and Winter carnivals and provides a real incentive to those who are supporting racing in the Sunshine State.”