Trainer Karen Owen and her daughter, jockey Madeline Owen, will aim for success at Coffs Harbour Racecourse this Friday, fielding three horses in the Ken Howard Cup and supporting races. The event honors the late Ken Howard, a renowned racecaller celebrated for his phrase "London to a brick on," which remains part of Australian racing vernacular. Howard spent his final years near Coffs Harbour, maintaining ties to the local racing community.
Owen’s charge, Fay’s Angels, will compete in the 10-furlong Open Handicap, the featured race named after Howard. Fay’s Angels has a notable record, with seven wins and nine placings from 61 starts, approaching $500,000 in career earnings. The mare secured her maiden victory at Coffs Harbour on the same day as the top-class race featuring Anamoe and In The Congo at Rosehill Gardens. Owen expressed confidence in Fay’s Angels’ prospects, noting improved track conditions and favorable weight assignments as potential advantages.
In addition, Owen will present Get Some Fun in the Coffs Asphalt Benchmark 74 Showcase Handicap, a 1000-meter sprint that marks the beginning of the 2026-27 racing season for the five-year-old mare. Get Some Fun, bred by the Owens, is a four-time winner whose grand-dam is closely related to multiple Group-level performer Naturalism. Though the mare has not raced since January, she recently trialed well, finishing third behind Canal in a Taree trial in July. Owen acknowledged that the race distance might be slightly short but underscored Get Some Fun’s current form and physical development as reasons for optimism.
Completing the trio of entries is Caledonian, a Sizzling progeny, scheduled to run in the final race of the day at Coffs Harbour. Caledonian, also ridden by Madeline Owen, has two wins, including a previous victory at the venue. The gelding has competed credibly against high-caliber rivals such as Maples and Arapawa during recent meets in Scone. Owen characterized Caledonian as a late-maturing horse showing steady improvement and highlighted a favorable barrier draw ahead of Friday’s race.
The Owens’ strong representation on the Coffs Harbour card underscores their commitment to local racing circuits and confidence in their horses’ abilities to compete effectively in a range of conditions and distances.
