53 starts – 9 wins, $87, 039 stake money to date
Racing Name and Breeding: "Alien Waits" 2003 7 B g Sundon-Ceevette
Stable
Name:
"Sammy"
Owner(s): N L Champion, Mrs J L Champion
Breeder(s): D A Price,Mrs T J Hutton
Background:
Current highest earner in White Star Stables
From the moment the original owner labeled Alien Waits as a horse with potential while still in the paddock as a foal, he was always destined to be an achiever.
Broken in by Brent Donnelly at Cambridge, “Sammy” qualified at Cambridge Raceway on 1 February 2007. The career had commenced!
His first start was at Alexandra Park in Auckland on 22 June 2007 where he finished 7th. He had another start at Auckland on 6 July 2007 and then raced for the first time on his home track at Cambridge on 12 July where he won by 1¼ lengths. He won again at his next start on 20 July 2007. Back to Cambridge on 8 November, he headed the field home once again. Two more wins came at Auckland on 7 December 2007 and 25 January 2008.
As a 4 year old, Alien Waits qualified for the Jewels at Cambridge in 2008 where he finished a very courageous 4th against the highly talented Springbank Richard. However, prior to the Jewels he injured himself and he had to be nursed back to be fit enough to compete at the Jewels. Nicky had access to a water walker for three weeks prior to the Jewels meeting and it was a great effort for him to finish so close to the very talented winner.
After that run in the Jewels he was spelled and given a chance to get over the ailment he had which could not be fully determined by Nicky or her vet.
Back as a 5 year old Sammy still had problems which no-one could identify, but he kept on winning. Nicky took him to Christchurch where he ran 2nd on 19 February 2009 and the owner(s) decided to keep him down there and leave him with Phil Williamson. However, Sammy did not settle down South and it was decided to return him to where he commenced his career and he came back to Nicky again.
Sammy has been through the mill when it comes to health checks, he has had Bone Scintigraphy (or bone scanning), and a chiropractor to try and find out what ailment he is suffering from but even with the setbacks, he has managed to win 8 races, the latest of which was on 13 August 2010.
He is a special horse and means a lot to Nicky and her team
“You have to admire a horse that has had the potential to go right through the grades and because of his setbacks he has every right to quit, but you know that when he races he is going to try his heart out” (Nicky Chilcott)
Update: On Friday 26 November 2010 Sammy won another race at Alexandra Park by the margin on 1 1/4 lengths from Sunny's Bar and Mya Grace
(Nicky would like to acknowledge Trish Dunnell for giving permission to display these photographs of Alien Waits).
