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When three-year-old gelding Doubt Time lines up behind the gates for Saturday’s Coolmore Stud Stakes, stablehand Montanna Gawith-Hutson is confident the horse will be relaxed and ready to race.

That’s because Doubt Time has a companion pony, called Sancho.

Sancho is one of the emotional support animals who accompany racehorses trained by Nick Ryan to the track, easing any anxiety caused by unfamiliar noises and smells, and keeping them calm before the race. Another is Cowboy, a smaller, chestnut-coloured pony who is part of the stable family.

“We just have that companion pony just to keep them settled...we want them to have a good experience at the races,” Gawith-Hutson said.