Pizza-Powered Nettoyer Devours Doncaster Mile Field

Pizza, beer, crisps, and chicken schnitzel.

As a diet, it sounds more couch potato than top-class athlete, but it works for Australian-trained mare Nettoyer as she sprung a 40-1 surprise April 4 in the Doncaster Mile (G1) at Randwick.

Winning trainer Wendy Roche revealed her star performer's unique food plan following a first top-level success for herself and jockey James Innes Jr.

"I'm just so emotional. This mare is such a sod," Roche said. "All week, I couldn't ride her. I just freshened her and did 200-meter sprints. She bit the strapper in the head, and he had to get stitches. I can't believe it. I've told everyone she would win today, and she's won."

Roche added: "She's going to get pizza tonight, I can tell you. She eats supreme pizza with capsicum sauce. She normally has some chicken schnitzel, too. She eats everything."

A five-time winner, Nettoyer created quite a stir in November after being sighted on Australian television drinking a glass of beer following her run in the TAB Empire Rose Stakes (G1) at Melbourne.

Roche previously revealed the daughter of Sebring enjoys champagne, fish and chips, ice blocks, and bacon-and-egg toasted sandwiches with two sauces.

Nettoyer, who finished fourth to William Haggas' Addeybb at Rosehill last month, has not always made life easy on those attempting to get her to the start. Roche keeps crisps in her pocket to tempt the talented performer toward the stalls.

That recalcitrance played out again Saturday, with Nettoyer not interested in crisps before her winning effort in the Doncaster. 

Roche added: "She wouldn't take grass. I have chips in my pocket, but she wouldn't do any of it. I really thank the clerks of the course for getting her there and the barrier attendants.

"I think the barrier attendant actually backed her because he jumped out of the car and chased her all the way!"

Of the post-race celebrations, Roche said: "I don't know what I'm going to do because all the restaurants are shut. We normally stop at the Doncaster and get beers, so I don't think we can do that, either."

Nettoyer is certainly not the only horse to indulge in an alcoholic beverage. Legendary chaser Arkle was known to dine on two pints of Guinness, blended into his oats ration with an egg or two, daily.

His fondness for the black stuff eventually saw his supply charged to the account of the Guinness head office.