Trainer and breeder Jennifer Flood is poised to secure her first win at Queanbeyan on Monday with Master Bowie, a five-year-old gelding she also owns, rides during trackwork, and straps. The horse is notable as the sole offspring of his sire, Mr Ziggy Stardust, a non-racing stallion named by Flood shortly after the death of musician David Bowie.

Flood acquired Mr Ziggy Stardust from her father, Peter Flood, who transferred ownership to her some time ago. She chose to breed from the stallion despite his lack of a racing record, citing his respectable pedigree. Mr Ziggy Stardust descends from Orient Way and carries lineage that includes notable horses such as Centaurea, who won the 1985 SAJC Australasian Oaks, as well as Rivage, a successful filly from the mid-1980s with multiple stakes victories.

Master Bowie’s name reflects Flood’s admiration for the late musician, as she initially intended to name the horse Life On Mars, after one of Bowie’s songs. However, that name was not available until 2027, and with the horse set to race sooner, she selected Master Bowie instead.

Physically, Master Bowie stands out at just under 17 hands, a stature inherited primarily from his dam, a God’s Own mare measuring 17 hands, as his sire is relatively smaller at around 15.3 hands. After a challenging debut trial where he finished 20 lengths behind, Master Bowie showed considerable improvement by winning his second trial at Queanbeyan by approximately three lengths.

Flood explained that Master Bowie had not initially impressed on the track, leading her to delay his trialling longer than usual. She recounted that during his first trial in Canberra, Master Bowie stumbled at the start and lacked the necessary speed to recover, underscoring his unsuitability as a sprinter. Jockey Deep Shanker, who rode Master Bowie in both trials, was instrumental in encouraging the horse during his successful second run, demonstrating familiarity with his tendencies.

Flood, who recently worked as a travelling foreperson for David Payne—the trainer of last weekend’s Spring Champion Stakes winner—has conditioned nine runners under her own name, most of which descend from the retired Arcana Imperri.

With stakes high on Monday’s race, Flood expressed the emotional significance of the moment, revealing she was moved to tears after her horse’s trial victory. A win on race day would mark a milestone for both trainer and horse, creating a memorable chapter in Flood’s career.