Nonconformist

I have to admit Shawy he is not one of mine, but if this was the 1990's that would have been considered the best Caulfield Cup trial and he would be near favorite for the race.

Danielle Henwood doesn't know what she'll whisper in Nonconformist's ear when she lets him onto the track for Saturday's Caulfield Cup (2400m).

She thinks it'll probably be something simple like 'come home safe boy'.

He's far exceeded anything she had ever hoped and dreamed for the homebred son of Rebel Raider and the enormity of the fact he's lining up as a genuine contender in the $5 million race isn't lost on her.

Henwood is the breeder, part-owner, track rider and strapper of the five-year-old. She does it all and is living the dream with Nonconformist, whose five wins and seven minor placings have netted more than $830,000 in prizemoney.

It's one of the great fairytales of this year's race but one that almost didn't happen.

Henwood was born into the industry with her family heavily involved in breeding and training thoroughbreds.

But with rising costs and limited success, there came a point where her father was ready to call time on their little venture.

He ordered his daughter to disband their broodmare band, although she convinced him to let her take a punt on a modestly performed Hold That Tiger mare, Good Thinking.

"We tried to create a little dynasty of our own and they weren't super horses, but they held their own in the bush," Henwood said.

"Good Thinking was out of a mare called Rowenchelle, who was a Last Tycoon mare that we kind of ended up with by default because the owners didn't pay their bills.

"She's only a pit pony, she'd be lucky to stand 15 hands on her toes.

"She had a few foals for us, all of which won races and they ranged from 1000-metre horses to milers and up to Good Thinking, who ran over 1800m and 2000m.

"He's very business-minded my father and one day he got his bill for the mares that were on agistment and he said to me that we had to get rid of the horses and that he'd had enough.

"We managed to get rid of the majority of them, but I put my hand up to have Good Thinking because she was such a beautiful mare - she was a big, bay mare that would've stood about 16.2hh.

"He was happy to palm her off to me as long as he didn't have to see any of the bills."

Determined to breed a stayer and armed with only a modest budget, Henwood decided to send Good Thinking to dual Derby winner Rebel Raider, who had sired some handy progeny but no stars.

The result was a nice foal - nothing spectacular - but one that quickly started to assert his authority.

"He was a lovely foal - he's not 100 per cent correct but that's OK," she said.

"Mum (Good Thinking) got colic so he spent the first 10 days of his life in hospital with her.

"But right from the outset he looked like he had a bit of quality about him.

"Once he was weaned off mum, he had a bit of authority about him and he was pretty much a horse that took control of his paddock mates."

A lifetime in the industry has tempered Henwood's expectations for her horses and she admitted she would've been rapt with having a horse capable of tackling mid-week races.

But under Grahame Begg's patient tutelage, Nonconformist has improved with each run - he was a city winner at his fourth start and landed the Group 2 Alister Clarke Stakes (2040m) two starts later.

The gelding has soared to new heights this campaign, booking his Caulfield Cup ticket with a win in the Naturalism Stakes (2000m) and going within a nose of overhauling Probabeel in the G1 Might And Power Stakes (2000m) last start.

"When we took him to Pakenham for his first start, he was ridiculously green and wayward but he boxed on to hit the line very well for third, so I thought to myself that we might have been half a chance of getting a horse that could maybe win a mid-week race," she said.

"So I cannot for the life of me get my head around what he's gone on to do.

"It probably hit home when first-up this preparation we kicked off in a Group 2 race.

"Who would've thought that a homebred who was by a stallion that stood for $4000 would be kicking off in Group races.

"To have been beaten by Probabeel the other day, given the quality of the other horses behind him, I could never have imagined anything like that."

And what does her dad think about Nonconformist's success?

"There's not a day that goes by now where I don't hear about it from Dad," she said.

"I had so much trouble syndicating the horse, so Mum and I ended up retaining a majority share in him.

"I asked Dad if he would like a share in him and he said it wouldn't run before it was five and he had no interest.

"Every time we've been able to get together or we watch the horse race, I get reminded that I should've offered him a share in the horse."

According to a interview with Racenet, this sounds like a sensible plan for 2022.

Why wouldn’t they run in the Victoria Handicap this weekend?  At 1400m it the same distance as the All Aged Stskes.  Sure he’d get a top weight in the handicap at Caulfield, but it would at least have still be a reasonable starting point rather than aborting the entire winter campaign that would include so many ideal races for him.

Graeme Begg on radio this morning announced proposed 6 start Spring program for this horse

Worked home strongly last 100 , just what they wanted , ambitious plans ahead , so its steady as she goes .

The grey was a better run but he went well!

Huge return. Bring on the Aus Cup

Yep , great return , Beggs on fire , buts its Harry  what an amazing young man he is . 

What do we make of this guy ?  moody perhaps , gay deceiver , needs everything to go his way ? last start only looked fair dinkum last 200 hundred metres , I like the change of jock today , hope he digs him out of the gates and have him handy , may change his luck , may. 

Love the idea of Graeme Begg keeping young Harry Coffey on this horse , there would be no greater satisfaction in my life if this racing treble can manage a Group 1 , best of luck Harry in the run up to the Caulfield Cup. 😎

A marvelous young man who thoroughly deserves every success that comes his way.

Look like he needs 2 miles. 

You'll be in front if you back him every time you see him in a 1 1/2m or longer race