Lucky to be alive let alone ready for debut
ON PAPER he's just another youngster making his debut, but the fact Wonky is alive, let alone racing, is a minor miracle in itself.
Engaged in the first event at Tabcorp Park Melton tomorrow, Wonky's maiden trip to the track is the culmination of four year's worth of worry, love, patience and care.
Bred by Kaylene Ward - who also part-owns and trains the trotter - Wonky was born with an extreme case of Angular Limb Deformity.
In layman's terms, Wonky's off-side leg was, well, wonky!
"When he was foaled I couldn't believe how bad his leg was," Ward said. "I'd never seen one like it and there was the initial fear he wouldn't survive as we'd have to put him down.
"The vet said to operate on him or get a farrier to put a false silicone foot to make his foot square, which is what we did.
"That would only last about six weeks before it would fall off because as he started to feel better and began to carry on like a foal and run around all stupid it would come loose.
"The better he was feeling the less time the false hoof would stay in place.
"It took quite a few months of re-attaching it, but every week you'd see him getting a little straighter to the point we didn't have to use the fake foot any more.
"After that straightened him out there was a lot the blacksmith work, with Mick McCormick straightening out his foot by shaving it to make it flat every month."
Just when it appeared Wonky was on the straight and narrow, a paddock accident could have ended in disaster.
Playing with his 'nephew' and yard mate, Nate, Wonky became stuck in the watering bathtub following a suspected hip and shoulder!
"Wonky and his mate Nate, which is his nephew, were born a day apart and have grown up together," Ward said. "They fight like teenage brothers something shocking and they must've had one that night which ended up in Wonky being pushed into the bathtub.
"Dad (Peter) had to hold him down while I unscrewed all the timber on the bath to get him out as we couldn't do it any other way.
"He cut himself up a bit, but came out of it pretty good considering how bad it could have ended up."
While Wonky appears to be a natural choice for the son of Lawman, Ward revealed it wasn't the first option, with one name scratched from the list of possibilities in case it gave the gelding a complex.
"We couldn't call him Wobbly as there was already one around in Wobelee," Ward said.
"I also thought of Wonky Donkey after the book, but Fred Sewell who part-owns him, thought we'd better give him a chance to prove himself before we label him a donkey!"
To be driven by Jodi Quinlan, Wonky has drawn to make his presence felt from the pole.
The three-year-old has had two recent trials, including a win in Bacchus Marsh.
"I'm not sure the penny has dropped with him, but he is doing alright," Ward said. "He's had two trials and did ok, particularly in his second which he won.
"It's a great draw which gives him a chance to do well.
"That said, he will need this run before we start seeing whether he is any good or not.
"Just having him at the races is a big thrill considering the position he was in when he was born.
"I've had help along the way, especially from Adam Kelly who helped me a fair bit before he became too unwell to do so and Mick with his work on Wonky's feet."
