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NSW COUNTRY RACING NEWS by Tony White BALLINA CUP 8/9/10 In March 2007, Sunshine Coast trainer Michael Jacobs was hospitalized after a vicious attack at a service station in Roma, Queensland. At that time Jacobs, a 23-year former dentist, never imagined he would one day be training racehorses, let alone saddling up in-form Al Mazaya in tomorrow’s $50,000 The Point Ballina Cup (1600m). The attack left Jacobs with a badly fractured eye socket, double vision and other injuries. As fate would have it, and four operations later, Jacobs recovered and began a path that would lead to him pursuing a long term passion for racehorses. Jacobs had a Brahman cattle property in Roma with horses, dabbled as a breeder and through a friendship with trainer Craig Smith, travelled to various race meetings in north Queensland and learned his new trade as a racehorse trainer, eventually moving to a property at Glenview on the Sunshine Coast and preparing a team of six horses. The story behind his acquisition of Al Mazaya, by Dubai Destination out of the Thunder Gulch mare Stolen Thunder, dates back to an England sojourn in 2003. “I went over for a mates wedding and was lucky enough to see Dubai Destination at stud in Newmarket,” the 46-year-old trainer recalled. “I loved the horse. “And there was a mare named Godzilla who had fifteen foals for 15 winners, black type throughout the family. “When I came back to Australia I researched to see if there were any relations of the mare here and found a Danehill mare named Sayl from the same family. “Stolen Thunder comes through the same line. Gai Waterhouse brought her at the Easter sales. She eventually went to Victoria and I tracked her down at Vinery stud. She was retired and in foal to Brahams. “I managed to do a deal and buy her.” Stolen Thunder’s first foal was Slepner, a three-time winner under Jacobs with Al Mazaya the second progeny. “He (Al Mazaya) was a difficult horse to work with early but always showed ability,” Jacobs said. “Even to this day we work him in a different bridle to raceday. After fiddling with gear he now wears a tongue-tie and lugging bit. “With maturity, Al Mazaya has learned to relax better, Eddie Wilkinson (jockey) has played a big part there. “He’s a horse that has good early speed, a good cruising speed and at this stage 1600 metres ideal. “I was going to spell him after winning at Doomben last start but I saw the Ballina Cup in the race program and thought he would be suited. “I’m delighted with his barrier (3) and weight (53.5kg) and what he’s done since last start. “I don’t believe we’ll see the best of him until a late four-year-old, five-year-old but he’s certainly racing in peak form. The Ballina Cup looks within his scope.” Al Mazaya chases his fourth successive win at Ballina after victories at the Sunshine Coast, Eagle Farm and Doomben.