Misfortune brought an end to Chynna Marston’s riding career, but there’s no stopping her when it comes to her passion for the thoroughbred.
Marston started her riding career at pony club in her home town of Griffith, where she competed in hacking, showjumping and eventing until she was 13, at which time she branched out to compete on the country show circuit. 
She competed in royal shows and at state level in both eventing and showjumping. 
Chynna trained her own team and it’s a tribute to her horsemanship that two of her charges, both ex-racehorses, were selected to compete at the Youth Olympics, with one making it to the gold medal-winning Australian team. 
Unfortunately, Marston herself was ineligible as she was too young to compete.
At 16 she had a bad showjumping fall.
“I ended up with six broken ribs, a lacerated lung, a broken collarbone and a broken sternum and was sidelined for a year,” she told me. 
“When I recovered, I started breaking-in horses. Then a local trainer asked me if I’d ride trackwork for him. I agreed and a new career opened up for me. I just fell in love with racing.”
While riding trackwork, the opportunity to take up an apprenticeship with Trevor Sutherland at Wagga Wagga arose and Marston started her apprenticeship. 
But lack of opportunities saw her return home and she began to study law. 
A few months later, however, she was offered the chance to resume her apprenticeship, and this time the opportunities did come. 
She rode her first winner, Benny’s Jet, at Berrigan. Doubles and a treble quickly followed. 
Riding on a high, Chynna moved to Canberra, where local trainers gave her plenty of support. 
Her future looked bright, but then disaster struck. A fall at Tumut races ended her career as a jockey. She suffered a fractured neck that left her with epilepsy, which at the moment prevents her from driving, and regular migraines.
As one door closed, however, another opened thanks to Sky Racing presenter John Scorse. 
“John knew I dreamed of a career in the media and introduced me to his executive producer. That introduction resulted in me attending the Sky Academy and landing my job as a presenter, which I just love.”
When not working on Sky, Marston devotes her time to another dream — that of rescuing, retraining and rehoming retired racehorses. 
“I simply adore these beautiful animals. It’s so sad that many of them face a very bleak future when their racing days are over. I want to help as many as I can to find a life after racing, which is why I set up Recycled Racehorses, with the help of my mother.”
Marston and her mother, Cheryl, are currently caring for and retraining 30 thoroughbreds. 
Anyone wishing to donate to this worthy cause may do so through Gofundme at gofundme.com/3dbg3g8.
Good Time
Newcastle trainer Benjamin Smith looks to have a future Group 1 winner on his hands with In Her Time following the mare’s outstanding win in the Group 2 Ranvet Millie Fox Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill last Saturday. 
Ridden by Josh Parr, In Her Time ($7.50) crossed quickly from a wide draw to take up the lead. She was never headed, drawing away over the concluding stages to record a comfortable win. 
In Her Time has now won her past four starts, the last two at Group 2 level. 
Smith is yet to decide where the mare will have her next start, but it’s likely she’ll be kept for sprint races.
Fab Folly
Perseverance paid off for Tamworth trainer Sue Grills at the Rosehill meeting when Fickle Folly ($11), ridden by Tommy Berry, took out the Class 2 TAB Highway Handicap (1100m). 
All but one of Grills’s previous runners in the Highway series had finished last. 
“With my record, I was very nervous but that was super,” Grills said. 
Berry was able to cross and find the lead quickly from an outside barrier. 
The filly then travelled beautifully in transit before kicking clear in the straight to score by a length. 
Pie, oh my
At Goulburn last Saturday, $2.20 favourite Pumpkin Pie, trained locally by Danny Williams and ridden by Jay Ford, justified his short price with a strong win in the Class 5  South-East Racing Association Country Championships Qualifier (1400m). 
Steel Frost ($13), trained by Anne-Marie Rutley and ridden by Matthew McGuren, finished the race off nicely, without threatening the winner, to claim second place. 
Both horses are now qualified for the Country Championship Final at Randwick in April. 
Hatch back
The following day, Bourke’s only trainer, James Hatch, won the Western Racing Association’s Class 5 Country Championships Qualifier (1400m) with his five-year-old gelding, Stoneyrise ($10), who finished strongly from back in the field to defeat $2.10 favourite La La Loopsey. 
Stoneyrise, who was ridden by Jake Pracey-Holmes, will now head to Randwick for the final. 
Hatch trains just two horses on his property, 200 kilometres outside Bourke.
“It took me two days to get here, I reckon it’ll take me three to get to Randwick,” Hatch quipped.