Trainer Amy Johnston has likened her $501 Turnbull Stakes outsider Skyfire to cult hero swimmer 'Eric the Eel' and pledged to donate her trainer's percentage to charity.
Eric the Eel was Eric Moussambani, the swimmer from Equatorial Guinea who won the hearts of the public in the 2000 Sydney Olympics when he swam his 100m freestyle heat in the slowest time in Olympic history.
While Eric the Eel had trouble just finishing the race, Skyfire should at least have no problems finishing the Turnbull although he is unlikely to be within many lengths of the mighty Winx.
There has been controversy over whether Skyfire, and fellow $301 roughie Magicool, should even have been allowed to race in the Turnbull.
However Johnston is having none of it and has taken a light-hearted approach on Twitter, referring to Skyfire's Turnbull Stakes bid as "#TeamEricTheEel."
Connections of Skyfire are assured of at least a $10,000 prizemoney cheque in the Turnbull as it pays down to seventh (last).
But Johnston, the daughter of trainers Brian Johnston and Fran Houlahan, and granddaughter of Hall of Famer Jim Houlahan, says she won't personally be pocketing any prizemoney.
Johnston tweeted that she would donate her 10 percent trainer's percentage from Skyfire running in the Turnbull to the Make-A-Wish-Foundation, the charity which helps out sick kids.
Whatever it may be, I will be donating my 10% trainers prizemoney from #Skyfire running in the G1 Turnbull @FlemingtonVRC on Saturday to the @MakeAWishAust Foundation #bigpictureguys#thereismoretolife@Racing
— Amy Johnston (@ajbloodstock) October 4, 2017
