When my wife, Cassie, told me eight weeks ago that she was pregnant it was one of the happiest days of my life.  I was so excited the we were about to start a family together.

 

A few weeks later, however, I realised that it meant more than just that.

 

It also meant that the riding duties at the upcoming Melbourne International Three-day Event were now solely up to me - not that I was complaining. 

 

Cassie and I will be bringing our seven-year-old Off the Track thoroughbreds Koko Story and Koko Pop to Melbourne International Three-day event and we couldn’t be more excited.

 

These are two really great horses. They’re both the same age and have been eventing together for a few seasons now.

 

I’ve ridden Koko Pop for quite a while and Koko Story is pretty much Cassie’s horse, but since she’s due in November, I’m the lucky one that gets to ride him.

 

Koko Story and Cassie Lowe

 

Koko Story originally raced with Gillian Heinrich on the Gold Coast but never made it to the track.

 

We got him from an adult rider in Pakenham but he was a bit naughty for her. A couple of other people had tried to ride him and he was a bit naughty for them too. I remember we went to look at him for Cassie’s sister, Jamie Lowe, and I just thought he was a cracking type of horse.

 

Jamie ended up buying him but he was too naughty for her too, so he’s with us now.

 

Cass took over the ride and he’s turned out better than we’d ever have expected. He’s still a bit naughty, but that’s what makes him so good.

 

Koko Pop on the other had was trained in Perth by Daniel Pearce and has quite interesting breeding. He’s by West Australian stallion Blackfriars and has Grosvenor is his bloodlines, which is very popular with eventers.

 

Koko Pop and Rob Palm

 

He’s taken a bit more time to develop than Koko Story because he’s such a big horse; he’s needed time to grow into himself. He’s kind of like the big, lanky full-forward in football where as Koko Story is more of an agile forward pocket.

 

I’m really looking forward to heading to Melbourne next month.

 

I don’t want to jinx myself, but I’m going there to be in the top few on both of these horses.

 

If I were to win either event it would be a huge thrill, and it would be really great for our breaking and pre-training business.

 

And I reckon Cassie would be pretty pleased if Koko Story was to win – nah, she’d be over the moon.