Summer Racing Carnival Edition - WAROA

SUMMER 2017

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Summer Racing Carnival Edition

FAME TIME For AquanitadAn sTAEck Back from the Brink

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Winners Circle Summer 2017 1

SUMMER 2017

circlewinners

Summer Racing Carnival Edition

FAME TIME For Aquanita

dAn sTAEck Back from the Brink

cHAddY dodges Bullet

Contentswinnerscircle

PRESIDENTHarvey CrossmanM: 0412 985 189E: [email protected]

VICE PRESIDENTBrenton MooreM: 0407 380 253E: [email protected]

TREASURERPeter KerrM: 0431 239 764E: [email protected]

COMMITTEEPeter AnthoniszM: 0405 042 861E: [email protected]

John GalluccioM: 0419 953 074E: [email protected]

Brett ErcegM: 0409 114 063E: [email protected]

Jeff BaileyM: 0401 105 495E: [email protected]

Ryan HopkinsonM: 0413 460 902E: [email protected]

Josh HardyM: 0458 016 378E: [email protected]

Barry RoweM: 0413 441 184E: [email protected]

EXECUTIVE OFFICERDarren McAullayM: 0425 305 685E: [email protected]

LIFE MEMBERSAlf HamptonJudy HammersleyGeorge DaviesPeter LynchDenis ButkoToby RoneyJohn BurtHarvey Crossman

CONTRIBUTORS • Darren McAullay • John Elsegood • Harvey Crossman • Robert Edwards • Jay Rooney • Taylor Courtland • ANZ Bloodstock

PhOTOS supplied by Western Racepix and Hollands Photographics

EDITOR Darren McAullay

2017 WAROA Committee

Cover photo: Pat Carbery is known as the ‘Diminutive Dynamo’ for good reason. The experienced WA jockey again produced his finest exploits in the saddle to clinch another Group 1 Ascot success in the $million Kingston Town Classic for his great mate trainer Alan Mathews.


Presidents Welcome ................................................................................................. 2

Lucky Shot - Owners Pain Free Day at Ascot ................................................ 6

Silver Service Luncheon ........................................................................................ 9

It’s Time - Aquanita ............................................................................................... 12

Motive Travel Horse Racing Tours ................................................................... 20

Dainty and Tenacious ............................................................................................ 22

Veni Vidi Vici ............................................................................................................... 28

Back from the Brink - Dan Staeck .................................................................... 32

Regional Championship - The Road to Ascot ........................................... 40

‘Slam’ Duncan at the Final Frontier ................................................................. 44

Stars Celebrate at the 2016-17 WAROA Racing Awards ....................... 48

Dodging A Bullet - Mark Chadwick ................................................................ 52

The Game is not the Same - Brad Lewis Reflects .................................... 58

Rockingham Surf ‘n’ Turf ....................................................................................... 64

Liverpool’s Grey ........................................................................................................ 68

Q & A with Julio Santarelli and Dale Verhagen ......................................... 73

Welcome Welcome to our summer edition of the 2017 Winners Circle, featuring highlights of the 2017 Ascot Summer Racing Carnival and many of the successful social events hosted by this association throughout the year.

Railway Stakes Victory What a tremendous thrill it was for long time WAROA members Frank and May Edwards, to witness their courageous horse Great Shot display tremendous grit and fortitude to hold off five time Group1 hero Black Heart Bart, in an epic $Million James Boag’s Premium Railway Stakes.

The victory brought Great Shot’s stake earnings, together with bonuses, to $1.2 million dollars. From 28 starts, the son of Magnus he has won on eight occasions and been placed another eleven times.

Purchased at the 2014 Magic Millions Perth Sales for only $31,000, Great Shot scored at his three-year-old debut at Pinjarra back in December two years ago. To claim one of the only three Group 1 races run in WA less than two years later is a magnificent achievement and surely a dream come true for his owners.

For hard working jockey Craig Staples, who has ridden this horse in every one of his race starts, barrier trials, and track work sessions, it was a just reward for his effort and belief in a horse to which he has a sentimental attachment. It was Staples second Group 1 triumph, coming almost twenty years after his first, when he rode Bomber Bill to a comprehensive victory in the 1998 Karrakatta Plate.

I must mention also the efforts of young trainer Rhys Radford who has trained Great Shot from day one. The horse, earlier this year suffered a serious spinal injury and Rhys and his staff worked tirelessly over many months to get him right. On the day he produced Great Shot in ship shape condition and were justifiably repaid for their faith and patience with the gelding able to produce a career best performance.

Congratulations also should be extended to WAROA members David and Jeremy Smith of Scenic Lodge for breeding the quinella of WA’s toughest race, with Great Shot and Black Heart

Bart both sold on their behalf through the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale ring.

Cox Plate Draw WinnerEach year, as most of you would be aware, WAROA raffles a trip to the Cox Plate which is run at Moonee Valley. To be eligible you must hold a current WAROA membership.

The lucky winner this year was Paul Scott and to say he was surprised to win is an understatement. What made the trip even more special this year, was that champion mare Winx was attempting to replicate Kingston Town’s record breaking effort of three consecutive Cox Plate victories.

As we now know she did exactly that, although Humidor did fleetingly sent a shockwave through the record crowd when he got within a long neck of the mighty mare near the line.

The Motive Travel donated winning prize is for two people, so Paul invited his long-time partner Kylie Howard to join him witness this rare moment in racing.

As you can appreciate the Winx factor alone was always going to make it a trip to remember, but the day for the couple became even more memorable when Paul proposed to Kylie in the Celebrity Room at Moonee Valley. I’m pleased to say that it was a very happy ending all round, as the punters cheered Winx and then the future Mr.& Mrs. Scott.

Paul said he chose that particular moment because “He mightn’t remember the date we got engaged, but I will certainly never forget the day thanks to Winx”.

WAROA would like to extend its best wishes to the two of them all the happiness in the world for their future together. And Paul just for the record the date was October 28, 2017.

In conclusion, I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of my fellow committeeman and executive, to wish our members, WA racing industry participants and punters, an enjoyable festive season and many winners in 2018.

See you at the track soon.

Messagefrom the

President

2 Winners Circle Summer 2017

Winners Circle Summer 2017 3Winners Circle Summer 2017 3


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aking a shot at Group One glory Frank Edwards considers himself a lucky man. Lucky for buying 2017 $1 million Group One James Boag’s Premium Railway Stakes winner, Great Shot, and lucky for not selling him.

Frank and his wife May, both retired anaesthetists, got into racehorse ownership around 20 years ago and have enjoyed cheering on the occasional winner, but Great Shot is definitely the pick of the bunch.

“My grandfather was a trainer and both May and I have always loved horses, but paying the education for three kids doesn’t exactly give you a lot of wiggle room, so we had to put ownership on hold for a while,” Edwards explains.

“We raced a couple of horses that won five races each, but certainly no black type winners among them.” All that would change though after Team Edwards attended the 2014 Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale for a look at what was on offer, particularly any youngsters by Great Shot’s sire, Magnus.

“He (Magnus) had a very good filly in Perth called Magnifisio that would go on to win that year’s (Group One) Winterbottom Stakes, but a yearling by Magnus that went through the ring earlier in the day was out of our price range,” Edwards recalls.

“Anyway, May and I were about to head home and as we were leaving the auditorium, I heard the auctioneer selling a Magnus colt out of Satin Covers which, again, I thought would go for too much money as he was a three quarter brother to a stakes winner (Gawne) and his granddam was a Group One winner in Sydney (Satin Sand).”

Somewhat fortuitously, bidding stalled on $28,000 and Edwards decided to shoot up the finger, despite only having seen the colt for the first time when he was in the ring. Great Shot was ultimately knocked down to Edwards for $31,000.

“When I had a good look at him, I noticed he had these swollen fetlocks - from Sesamoiditis - and when I spoke to Scenic Lodge, who sold the colt, they told me the swelling would go down in a couple of days and they were spot on.”

Edwards then had to decide where to send his recent acquisition and phoned jockey, Craig Staples, who had ridden a couple of horses for him previously. Staples supplied three names, including Warren Radford.

“I got along really well with Warren, but before Great Shot raced, Warren had decided to step back and let his son, Rhys, take over the operation,” Edwards reveals.

“Warren said he’d still be involved and they gave me the option to move the horse to another stable, but I was happy enough to leave him with Rhys.”

Rhys Radford, who trains a small team at Oakford, some 30 minutes from Perth’s Ascot racecourse, remembers it well: “Frank and May actually placed three horses with the stable … two of them I could beat in a race, while the other was Great Shot,” Radford says with a laugh.

First stepping out as a December 3YO, Great Shot would win or place at his first eight outings, including

Owners Pain Free Day at Ascot

Lucky ShotT

Injury plagued star Great Shot surges to the line under the vigour of jockey Craig Staples to win the Group 1 Railway Stakes


a four length romp in last year’s Listed Belmont Guineas.

A black type first for Great Shot, a first for his owners and a first for his trainer.

Not surprisingly, given the nature of the victory, Edwards was soon fielding seven figure offers from Hong Kong and was faced with the age old dilemma … the money or the box?

“I spoke to Warren (Radford) who said I should probably take it (the offer) and pay off the mortgage, while I also called Craig (Staples), who asked me: ‘do you need the money?

The million dollars would allow you to buy more horses which means more rides for me, but what are the chances of getting another one like Great Shot?’

“So, we decided to keep him.” Wise move. Since the Belmont Guineas, Great Shot has won three other stakes races and placed in nine black type events for a prizemoney tally of $1,204,785. Despite successive stakes placings in October and getting nabbed right on the wire after leading throughout in the Group Two Lee Steere Stakes over 1400m at Ascot just two weeks earlier, Great Shot was sent out a $31 pick for the 1600m Railway … much to the dismay of his trainer.

“I was really surprised they had him at that price. I thought $15 at worst,” a bemused Radford points out. “He always gives his best this horse … you can never write him off. He’s had a 5-time Group One winner in Black Heart Bart bearing down on him, as was Tom Melbourne, but he just hung in there and was too good for them on the day.

“We’ll head to the Group One Magic Millions Kingston Town Classic (over 1800m) at Ascot on 9 December and while he’s likely to be up against Black Heart Bart again and on level weights, he’s got to be a real chance.

“This is what you dream of … the Railway Stakes is my favourite and was always the race I wanted to win in Western Australia, but a Kingston Town wouldn’t go astray either!”

While the Edwards’ and the Radfords had no conflict of interest as to who to cheer home in the closing stages of the Railway, Scenic Lodge’s Jeremy Smith had a bit ‘each way’ given that the leading West Australian nursery bred both Great Shot and Black Heart Bart.

“Don’t ask me to pick,” Smith jokes. “Black Heart Bart is by our resident stallion, Blackfriars, but Great Shot becomes the sixth individual Group One winner from the farm after Bart, Scenic Blast, Playing God, Coniston Bluebird and Gilded Venom.”

Scenic Lodge had purchased Satin Covers, in foal to Magnus, for $26,000 from the 2012 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, and Smith reveals that Great Shot was to be the mare’s final foal.

“Very disappointing … she had quite a few problems and no matter what we threw at her, she never produced another foal and was pensioned last year,” Smith adds. “Fortunately, we have a More Than Ready mare from Satin Covers, Sateen, who is on farm and has a lovely Blackfriars colt and was covered by our stallion, Snippetson, this spring. “Who knows … we might just get another Shot yet!”

Frank and May actually placed three horses with the stable...two of them I could beat in a race, while the other was Great Shot,- Rhys Radford, Trainer

Lucky

,

,Shot

Owners May and Frank Edwards with young Group 1 winning trainer Rhys Radford


$250,000 Group 2 WAROA-Lee Steere Stakes - 1400m

SILVERSTREAM6YO Bay mare by Al Maher from Speedy Bell

Breeder: AD Mitchell & E & J Rae, NSWOwners: Peters Investments Pty Ltd Syndicate (Mgr: R.J & Mrs. S.L Peters)Trainer: Adam DurrantJockey: William Pike

Silver ServiceLuncheon


10 Winners Circle Summer 201710 Winners Circle Summer 2017


With superstar mare Winx recently adding a

record equaling third Cox Plate to her growing

collection of prized silverware, the story of

a once missing Cox Plate won by former WA

great Aquanita, has inexcusably been allowed

to almost fade into history along with the

champion’s remarkable racing achievements.

Robert Edwards reflects on the discovery of

this tarnished half century old silver plate and

poses the question why this mighty champion

Australian thoroughbred of a past era has

so far been overlooked from being inducted

into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame.

It’s TimeWith superstar mare Winx recently adding a record equaling third Cox Plate to

her growing collection of prized silverware, the story of a once missing Cox Plate

won by former WA great Aquanita, has inexcusably been allowed to almost fade

into history along with the champion’s remarkable racing achievements.

Robert Edwards reflects on

the discovery of this

tarnished half century old silver

plate and poses the question

why this mighty champion

Australian thoroughbred of

a past era has so far been

overlooked from being inducted

into the Australian Racing Hall

of Fame.


With superstar mare Winx recently adding a

record equaling third Cox Plate to her growing

collection of prized silverware, the story of

a once missing Cox Plate won by former WA

great Aquanita, has inexcusably been allowed

to almost fade into history along with the

champion’s remarkable racing achievements.

Robert Edwards reflects on the discovery of

this tarnished half century old silver plate and

poses the question why this mighty champion

Australian thoroughbred of a past era has

so far been overlooked from being inducted

into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame.

It’s TimeAquanita’s once coveted Cox Plate trophy could have been lost forever, if it were not for the keen eye of thoroughbred enthusiast Aaron Byers, who recognized the famous sterling silver plate that the WA star had won back in 1962, while he was visiting the Perth home of Ian Tindale, uncle to his then fiancée Dianne Kenward in 2004.

Tindale himself had virtually no interest in thoroughbred racing and happily handed the trophy to Byers and Kenward, who then set about restoring the prized trophy back to near new condition.

By coincidence Byers’ father Geoff had his smart three-year-old Beauzilla line-up two years later to contest the 2006 Aquanita Stakes with that famous 1962 Cox Plate displayed to the public on the day at Ascot. Aaron Byers and Kenward were married a week before the race.

Unfortunately Beauzilla ran well back in the field after missing the start. Ironically the race was won by then up and coming three year old Scenic Shot, who would later rise to become a star middle-distance galloper across Australia, which is what Aquanita achieved himself.

Kenward’s great aunty was Mrs William (nickname “Cop”) Thomas, a part owner of Aquanita. The Thomas’ did not have children of their own and the Cox Plate

could have easily been lost forever, if not for Byers sharp eye.

In many respects Aquanita has suffered a similar fate to that of his Cox Plate as his outstanding

deeds on the racetrack have never been rightfully recognized on the national stage.

The Aquanita Stakes, for three-year-olds, has never had a distinguished profile on the city racing calendar. It has remained a Listed race, shifted from winter to spring to autumn, back to winter to try to give it some significance. The distances of the Aquanita have been shifted as the club tried to jostle it into some significance on

its annual program.

It’s worth noting that the first ever win recorded by the mighty Northerly, our

state’s most highly decorated star of the track, was in the Aquanita Stakes (1400m) at

Ascot in April, 2000.

Former leading WA trainer Ian Brown, the father of top jockey Jason Brown, was Aquanita’s track rider and strapper.

He believes the fact that Aquanita was non-studbook has played a role in the apathy towards recognition for the great horse. He was sold at a yearling sale in Claremont for 575 guineas.

Such an outstanding individual and performer, Aquanita (by Wateringbury) should have had a ready-made career at stud in normal circumstances but unfortunately his dam Reinita was a non-studbook mare and he was placed at a disadvantage with the owners of high-class broodmares.

Back in that era, non-studbook horses were ineligible to run in the three-year-old classics.

In spite of this major setback, Aquanita sired a steady stream of winners, including two Karrakatta Plates, WA Guineas and a Kalgoorlie Cup winner. However, he died only a few years after commencing his stud career.

Aquanita showed promise as a two-year-old winning twice and being placed second twice and third once at seven starts at Ascot.

He flourished as a three-year-old recording seven wins from his eight starts, including his big wins against the older horses in the Railway Stakes, the Lee-Steere Stakes and the Easter Handicap.

The great Reg ‘Chilli’ Treffone trained Aquanita for the Thomas’. Bill Thomas and his wife shared ownership with Bill’s cousin Jack in the horse. (Brown was with Treffone for eight years as an apprentice)

At four years, Aquanita was transferred to Melbourne where he rose to be a dominant force in an era of top-class gallopers, becoming the first sprinter-miler to win three feature races carrying the then substantial sum of 10,000 pounds in prize money of the 1960 and 1961 George Adams Handicap and the Doomben 10,000.

According to research done by WA Racehorse Owners Association President Harvey Crossman, Aquanita’s success in ‘Principal Races’ would be the equivalent today of 11 Group 1 races, two Group 2, one Group 3 and one Listed.

Aquanita successfully mixed his sprinting and middle-distance program, strengthening his staying powers at


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six years, when he ran a credible third of 26 runners to Even Stevens in the 1962 Melbourne Cup.

The run in the Melbourne Cup did not dim his acceleration powers, returning in the autumn to thrash a quality field at the Flemington mile in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes. The Duke of Edinburgh was a race specially staged to coincide with the visit of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh to Flemington.

Short after this appearance Aquanita suffered an injury and was forced out of training. He subsequently never regained the same form in three unplaced starts as a seven-year-old.

Aquanita was retired having graced the turf 70 times for 28 wins, 10 seconds, and nine thirds for stakes of $121,852. Brown travelled across the Nullarbor with Aquanita on that road trip to Victoria.

“A bloke called Don Hayes floated him across,” Brown said. “He was Colin Hayes’ brother but he got killed not long after that in a floating accident coming back from Brisbane.”

Brown himself was quite tall for an apprentice jockey and rode at seven stone 12lbs (about 50kg), but said you needed to ride at seven stone 3lbs (46kg) to get enough rides to make a living back in that era. The minimum weight now is 54kg.

Brown was not surprised to hear about the story of the Cox Plate!

“They are all dead now,” Brown reflected.

“The Thomas’ never had any kids of their own and old Jack Thomas had a paper shop down in Margaret River, but he’s passed on also, so it doesn’t surprise me that it (the Cox Plate) went missing for a while.”

Brown loved Aquanita, but said he was a ‘loner’.

“He was not an easy horse at all to handle,” he said. “He very nearly killed old Roy Shaw once (Aquanita’s Melbourne trainer).

“He was a buggar of a biter and when he bit, he did not let go.

“If you did anything with him you had to tie him up short.

“That is how he died actually.

“Paddy Rock had him at Melrose Stud in Gosnells.

“That was Thomas’ stud property and he had him tied up with a bull-bit, but the old bugger hung back and broke his jaw. Sadly he had to be put down.

“He wasn’t at stud long when that accident happened.

“He was a very shy stallion

“He wasn’t mare hungry at all.”

Shaw once described Aquanita as a “tigerish villain” to the Melbourne Press, but much harsher words would have been used in private.

Brown said the float trip was broken up with Aquanita spending time at Colin Hayes’ stables in South Australia, where he was given work at Semaphore Beach in Adelaide.

“He got pretty big on the float and we worked him up for about 10 days at the beach in Adelaide.

“Roy was giving him a good drilling to get the weight off him, and then gave him his first start down the straight-six at Flemington but he went no good.

“He had two starts down the Flemington straight and he just didn’t fire.

“Anyhow he was unplaced at his first two starts and Roy rang Reg (Treffone) and told him that the horse mightn’t be as good as they thought.

“Reg asked him what race he had him nominated to start Aquanita in next and he told him that it would be the Toorak Handicap.

“Reg told him to give him a soft run and he’d be right for the next start after the Toorak.

He was not an easy horse at all to handle. He very nearly killed old Roy Shaw,

,

Retired Ascot trainer Ian Brown was Aquanita’s track rider and strapper



“I was pretty matey with a good rider called Alan Burton and asked him if he wanted to ride him in the Toorak.

“I told him he was having a soft run.

“Gabonia (stable-mate) was actually favourite for the Toorak.

“We went to gallop at Caulfield on the Tuesday morning and Roy (Higgins) said to Roy (trainer) that horse there (referring to Aquanita) is going to be no good for him to gallop with.

“I said to Roy you ride your own horse and let me ride mine.

“He’ll give you something to think about!

“We started to roll along at about the 1000m and Gabonia must have been standing him up four lengths.

“As we went around the corner I gave Aquanita two around the arse and he just went whoosh!

“Roy come back and said this horse can’t win the Toorak he went shithouse this morning. I never said a word.”

Gabonia won the 1960 Toorak.

“Burton came back after Aquanita ran fourth to say that he could have shit in.

“I told him he was running the next week, but he couldn’t ride him because he was committed to Prince Lee in the same race.

Mel Schumacher rode the stallion and he romped home by 3 ½ lengths in the Moonga Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield.

“He was dropped back from the mile to the straight-six again at Flemington and was unplaced,” Brown said. “His next start was in the George Adams and he was against Sky High and Mardene.

“Mardene was one of the best milers in Australia and Aquanita was about 33/1.

“Thomas said to me; “What do you think?” and I said “He’ll win”.

“He got there with a bang and I had a pocket full of money that night, I can tell ya!”

Brown returned home after that win.

“I was getting too heavy there doing no work and decided to come home,” he said. “Aquanita went to the paddock.

“When he came back he won his first Doomben 10,000 (1961) plus more.”

Brown said Herb Senior took the lead as his new strapper after he returned to Perth.

“Look he was always a pig to ride,” Brown said. “We were located on the other side of Great Eastern Highway in Epsom Avenue.

“Even as a two-year-old it would take me a half hour to walk him to the track.

“He’d walk along and he’d see something and you couldn’t get him to move once he was focused on it.

“You couldn’t get him to move until he wanted to.

“He was so smart ….he had the best forehead of any horse that you have ever seen.

“He had a big white star and the widest gap between the eyes.”

The Victorian media labeled Aquanita as the “Drover’s Pony” because he was non-stud book.

“Melbourne believed they had the elite horses and they looked down on him as a crab,” Brown said. “The second time we went to Flemington I came down the hill to ride him down to the track.

“He would go to the track and it would take me half an hour to get him there.

“Theo Lewis was one of the leading trainers in Melbourne.

“He would drive his car to the track … it was one of those big Yankee cars.

“He would abuse me every morning because Aquanita would stop in the middle of the road.

“This day I put him in the round yard to give him a roll.

“I couldn’t catch him because every time I went in he’d chase me out!

“I’d picked him grass to try to get him to put his head over the fence so I could clip his head-collar.

“There was about 12 horses waiting to get in and Lewis came round and gave me a spray.

“I threw him the lead and said; “You get in and bloody catch him then!”

“He opened the gate and Aquanita flew at him, He shit himself,” Brown chuckled.

Brown also reflected on the day Shaw was nearly killed by Aquanita.

“He came back on the Friday afternoon and he’d had a few,” Brown said. “Roy had big boxes of about 24 (feet) by 24.

“I said I’ll get a head-collar and Roy said; “No, he’ll be all right.



It was a near fatal mistake.

“He went up to pick up his hoof and Aquanita threw him straight into the corner of the box and stripped his stomach right round.

“He was a dead set loner.”

Melbourne scribes and fraternity were not the only ones to have misgivings about Aquanita’s ability.

“Des Crowe broke him in and also rode him in his first race,” Brown said. “He thought he was a slug…he said; “You can’t get him to go out of his own road.”

“I said “He is too good looking to be no good and he’ll come right.

“Queen of The May was the state’s best two-year-old and Nick August had backed her to win the Railway Stakes early.

“One morning at the track they were looking for a horse to work with her because she was a gross filly.

“Reg wanted Aquanita to work with her and Harry McLeod (jockey) could understand why.”

“Harry let her run along and was seven or eight lengths in front of me when I gave him one hit and he went whoosh!

“Harry was devastated. Aquanita won the Railway that year.”

Aquanita worked at Ascot on the morning of his Railway Stakes victory.

Noel McGrowdie came across from NSW to ride Aquanita on 46kg.

“He got off the plane and Thomas drove him to the track,” Brown said. “Reg said to him;

“Come on son, you can ride this horse work.

“McGrowdie objected because he had only his suit pants on.

“Reg told him to tuck his pants into his socks.

“I rode Rambler alongside of him.

“It had been raining and Aquanita had taken two strides out on to the track, whipped around and in an instant, McGrowdie was in the mud.

“Aquanita got away and trotted up to the mile and cantered back. Everybody is trying to stop him and he just dodged them.

“He ran down to the winning post turned around and came back. He just played with everyone.

“The horses in those days they would tie-up to the back of the stall.

Bill and Jack Thomas and McGrowdie are all standing there and when he they looked up Aquanita had got away again.

“He walked around the other stalls to go out the gate. They caught him just as he was about to walk out the gate fortunately.”

Brown is adamant that Aquanita should be in the Australian Hall Of Fame.

“He deserves to be in there,” Brown said “Northerly is in the Hall of Fame and Aquanita has done as much as him.

“I don’t believe you can compare horses from different eras, but he did race against the best and to win so many big races as he did, you don’t see it too often.

He deserves to be in there, Northerly is in the Hall of Fame and Aquanita has done as much as him,

,

Lightweight Sydney jockey Noel McGrowdie returns after winning on the WA Champion



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Breeder's Bonus

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“Because he was non-studbook, people didn’t want to look at him. It did matter how good he looked or what he did.

“I will tell you one thing when Colin Hayes laid his eyes on him in Adelaide, he tried to buy the horse.

“Thomas rang me and asked my opinion and I said; “No way.”

“He was as sound as a bell until he ran in the Melbourne Cup.

“He did a ligament.

“He should have started in the Caulfield Cup that year, but it rained heavily and he was scratched on the morning.

“He was the top-weight and favourite.

Parochialism aside, in assessing some of the great champions of the past which have been so far inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame, Aquanita won more Group 1 races throughout his career than Gloaming, Sydeston, Octagonal, Leilani, Light Fingers, Heroic, High Caste, Gunsynd, Vain and Super Impose.

Whilst race records alone aren’t the only criteria for induction, it obviously plays an integral part of the overall worthiness for a horse to be inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame and in this instance, Aquanita compares more than favourably with most.

There are currently just two WA horses which have been inducted into this national racing hall of fame – Eurythmic and Northerly – surely it’s time for another to be considered.

ROLL CALL OF A WA CHAMPIONBlack type races won by Aquanita during his career and the total of winning stakes based on the stakes paid at the last running of the race, with the exception of the Easter Handicap which is no longer run in WA.

RACE RECORD 70 STARTS FOR 28 WINS, 11 SECONDS, 8 THIRDS

GROUP 1Railway Stakes $627,900Cantala Stakes Twice (Now Kennedy Mile) $602,500 $602,500Doomben 10000 $456,000Underwood Stakes (Twice) $302,000 $302,000Futurity Stakes $302,000Craiglee Stakes $302,000Turnbull Stakes $302,000WS Cox Plate $1,850,000MacKinnon Stakes $1,205,000

GROUP 2Lee-Steere Stakes $152,000Alister Clark Stakes $121,000

GROUP 3WJ Healy Stakes $112,000

LISTEDEaster Handicap $ 60,000

This race is no longer run. $60,000 is the minimum winning stake for a Listed Race in WA

TOTAL PRIZE EARNINGS $6,854,400

Ian Brown and his late father-in-law Reg Treffone - trainer of Aquanita



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contact one of our expeienced travel consultants for more informationT: +61 8 9322 2666

E: motive@ motivetravel.com.auwww.motivetravel.com.au*Terms and conditions apply. Subject to availability. Prices and tour inclusions correct at time of print but subject to change without notice.

Seasonal surcharges, credit card surcharges and service fees may apply. ACN 009411036 ABN 78009411036 ATAS Accredited A10783


writer John Elsegood

DAINTY and TENACIOUSAs the reigning

Westspeed Bonus prize-

money record holder,

highly popular mare

Dainty Tess is one of

those gallopers that is

not just adored by her

many owners, but also

by those punter’s who

love nothing more than

backing a horse they

can be assured will

always give them a run

for their hard earned.


DAINTY TENACIOUS

Dainty Tess (Chris Parnham) captures her first major black type win in the Group 3 Prince of Wales Stakes at Ascot last month


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The four-year-old daughter of War Chant has started 28 times for 10 wins and 13 places, and rarely finished further back than fifth throughout her career. The most recent of those unplaced efforts was in the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes, in which she finished 7th to star Adelaide mare Vidorra, but like always, she wasn’t disgraced.

Dainty Tess’s racing statistics reveal that at each of her race track appearances, she has not only earned her many owners a sizeable cheque, but only missed out five times giving each-way punters what they’d hoped for with their investments.

Tim Hewitt is a member of the 20 owner syndicate that proudly cheer the tenacious Dan Morton trained galloper each time she graces the turf. He said the still small looking mare had been originally passed in at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale because of her diminutive stature.

‘’Eventually Danny (Morton) put her up on his website and she was sold for $30,000,” Hewitt recalled.

Hewitt said the Winterbottom Stakes attempt was a guide to whether Dainty Tess was potentially up to the class of competing in Melbourne during the rich Victorian Autumn carnival.

As a shareholder in numerous horses prepared by Morton, the Canning Vale butcher said he and his wife Skye who is involved with the all female group which race star performer Man Booker, were living out their dream.

Man Booker, the 2015 WA Guineas winning hero has won 8 of his 17 starts and almost $700,00 in stake-earnings despite encountering a few injury setbacks. Earlier this year he defeated the recent Group 1

Railway Stakes winner Great Shot in the Listed Pinjarra Classic, Listed Bunbury Stakes and the Listed Grandstand Cup. Great Shot did manage to exact some revenge when they clashed in the Listed Old Comrade Stakes late in the season.

Hewitt has raced over 20 gallopers with Morton and is exactly the type of owner racing needs –young, committed and a long-term future in the thoroughbred industry.

Surprisingly, Hewitt declared his Oradol, the winner of four races as his favourite horse, “She was pretty similar to (Dainty)Tess, in that she always gave it 100 per cent, was really tough and just didn’t run a bad race. She is now a broodmare at Gray and Jan Williamson’s Mungrup Stud.”

Cadenza, a Magic Millions Classic winner, has provide him with other fond memories along with the Stephen Miller trained Trustee Brown, who posted seven wins and as many seconds with Troy Turner in the saddle on every occassion.

Promising but flighty filly Sophia’s Secret has to date won two of her four starts and hopefully will create more joy in the Hewitt household, despite the disappointment of seeing her scratched at the barrier before the Group 3 WA Champion Fillies and then again prior to the running

DAINTY AND DELIGHTED: Some of the proud co-owners of Dainty Tess after her richly deserved Group 3 winning performance

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Gareth Hall, Darren McAullay, Steve Butler and Wes Cameron combine to form a well-recognized, well-credentialed team to host The Sports Daily.

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of the Group 2 WA Guineas on November 25, after she refused to be loaded.

The breeding aspect of the industry is also attracting Hewitt’s interest with Sagredo, the first youngster of the mare Black Habit, to make the track for the Morton and Hewitt families.

Hewitt described Dan Morton as one of his closest mates. Dainty Tess was bred at Pingelly, by Alan and Aaron Morton, the uncle and cousin of the trainer.

The Hewitt-Morton connection is further consolidated with Skye’s sister, Misty, having also married into the family.

Both Dan, and his father Len, a retired leading trainer, are equally enthusiastic about Pingelly - a farm area normally associated with wheat and sheep rather than horses.

Certainly, as an owner Hewitt’s ‘got away to an absolute flyer.’ His first horse, the Morton bred, Cheval Roi, won at its first race start back in 2009, at Belmont. The gelding stormed home from sixth on the turn to win by a head over Against the Sky. It doesn’t get much better than that for a novice owner.

Also in the Dainty Tess circle of owners are Danielle Pratt and Paula Sullivan.

The daughter of a former owner-trainer, Lance Langford, Danielle had been exposed to racing as a young girl and yearned to again be involved.

In 2015, Danielle, a grade two primary teacher received an ownership share in Dainty Tess as a birthday present from her husband Geoff, the son of long-time Sunday Times racing writer, the late Neville Prattt, the predecessor to your erstwhile current scribe.

“Geoff constantly reminds me of his skill in selecting Dainty Tess for me, but I know he looked at Dan Morton’s list and picked the cheapest,” she quipped.

Like Tim Hewitt, Danielle has enjoyed success with gallopers, Cadenza, Man Booker and also Moet Me.

“Geoff used to be the voice of reason, but now I’m buying horses galore and have shares in about 20,” she laughed. Including with him though, it should be added!

Danielle’s is already claiming credit for a spike in Perth Racing Membership in the next 10-15 years. “According to many parents my Grade 2’s are all reading form guides and watching races on television.”

Danielle’s passion for racing led her daughter Ella (10) to ask, “Mum, do you love the horses more than me?”

“Depends on which horse?” Danielle replied. (Neville would have loved that humorous retort).

Reflecting on Great Shot’s fighting Railway Stakes victory, Danielle admits to shedding a tear, mindful of some of the stirring clashes Man Booker had with the tenacious Rhys Radford trained Group 1 winner.

“Hopefully next year we can emulate a worthy opponent,” she said.

Paula Sullivan, a lawyer and Director on the board of Perth Racing, said she became involved with Dainty Tess because she loved War Chant stock, her success racing Cadenza and her liking for trainer Dan Morton.

“I was planning on going into the Dainty Tess group and a conversation with Danielle, cemented that conviction. I love Tess and she is the best horse I have raced, but Cadenza, my first horse, is still my favourite,” she said.

With shares in 13 horses Paula is also the modern face of racing –a young professional, involved for 18 years, including a recent connection with trainers Ben and Daniel Pearce.

“I have always raced horses in WA and always will, although I now also have a couple involved with Eastern States trainers,” she said.

WA racing always has room for more of the Hewitt’s, Pratt’s and Sullivan’s of the world – passionate owners who love the industry and their horses in equal measure.

Perth racing director and part-owner of Dainty Tess Paula Sullivan with trainer Danny Morton


1,000,000 Group1 James Boag’s Premium Railway Stakes – 1600m

GREAT ShOT5YO Bay gelding by Magnus from Satin Covers

Breeder: Scenic Lodge Thoroughbred Stud, WAOwners: Dr Frank & Mrs Mae EdwardsTrainer: Rhys RadfordJockey: Craig Staples

They Came, They Saw, They ConqueredA S C O T

$ 1,000,000 Group 1 Crown Perth Winterbottom Stakes – 1200m

VIDDORA5YO Bay mare by I Am Invincible from Snow Flight

Breeder: Riva Ridge Stud, SAOwners: Lloyd Kennewell, C J Cooke, M Adami, Dr E T Hodgson, Mrs J Bowditch, Blue Hills Syndicate(Mgr: G J Matheson) F & Mrs G L Fitzgibbon, R Williamson, J B Kaufman, N J E Lovett, M L Simpson, D & Mrs K Rogers, S & Mrs M FergusonTrainer: Lloyd Kennewell Jockey: Joe Bowditch

$ 1,000,000 Group 1 Kingston Town Classic -1800m

POUNAMU6YO Grey Gelding by Authorized (IRE) from Tangiwai

Breeder: Mr JL Thompson, NSWOwners: Thommo’S Syndicate(Mgr: J L Thompson) Mrs PM, Ms RC & Ms AJ Thompson & G Hilton Trainer: Alan Mathews Jockey: Patrick Carbery

They Came, They Saw, They ConqueredA S C O T

PERFECT JEWEL3YO Bay Filly by Redoute’s Choice from Star Encounter

Breeder: Peters Investments Pty Ltd, WAOwners: Peters Investments Pty Ltd Syndicate (Mgr: R.J & Mrs. S.L Peters)Trainer: Grant & Alana WilliamsJockey: William Pike


Breeder: AD Mitchell & E & J Rae, NSWOwners: Peters Investments Pty Ltd Syndicate (Mgr: R.J & Mrs. S.L Peters)Trainer: Adam DurrantJockey: William Pike

$500,000 Group 2 Sky Racing WA Guineas - 1600m

$250,000 Group 2 WAROA-Lee Steere Stakes - 1400m

$100,000 Listed TAB Touch Lee-Steere Classic - 1400mWAR ROOM3YO Brown Gelding by War Chant from Impressing Matters

Breeder: Kingston Thoroughbreds, Westbell Holdings Pty Ltd. Owners: Impressive Racing Pty Ltd. (Mgr: K.S. Berry), Shepherd Group Pty Ltd. (Mgr: K.A. Shepherd, G. Ronayne & M.C. AnnakinTrainer: Darren McAuliffeJockey: Lee Newman

Breeder: Mr A Morton, WAOwners: Mrs CL Morton, FF Fairthorne (Jnr.), Mrs R & BM Niall, PJ Mitchinson, CR Hague, Mrs DN & GB S Pratt, TA & Mrs S Hewitt, Ms J Beggs, Ms P Sullivan, AD Ryan, MG Burrows, IK Russell, B Franklin, EW & Ms PM Gibb, L Torpy & A HaydenTrainer: Dan MortonJockey: Chris Parnham

STATE SOLICITOR4YO Gelding by Nicconi from Avenida Madero

Breeder: Peters Investments Pty Ltd, WAOwners: Peters Investments Pty Ltd Syndicate (Mgr: R.J & Mrs S.L Peters)Trainer: Grant & Alana WilliamsJockey: William Pike

$150,000 Group 3 Prince of Wales Stakes - 1200m

DAINTY TESS 4YO Bay bay/brown mare by War Chant (USA) from Classic Smile

$150,000 Group 3 Breast Cancer Care WA Colonel Reeves Stakes 1100m

$150,000 Group 3 Asian Beau Stakes 1400m

POUNAMU6YO Grey Gelding by Authorized (IRE) from Tangiwai

Breeder: Mr JL Thompson, NSWOwners: Thommo’S Syndicate(Mgr: J L Thompson) Mrs PM, Ms RC & Ms AJ Thompson & G Hilton Trainer: Alan Mathews Jockey: Patrick Carbery


$150,000 Group 3 NORTHERLY STAKES - 1400m


Breeder: AD Mitchell & E & J Rae, NSWOwners: Peters Investments Pty Ltd Syndicate (Mgr: R.J & Mrs. S.L Peters)Trainer: Adam DurrantJockey: Chris Parnham

$150,000 Group 3 R.J. PETERS STAKES - 1500m

PROPERANTES6YO Brown Gelding by Danehill Express from Scala’s Quest

Breeder: Mungrup Stud, WA Owners: Colin Webster, PJ Dinnison, Mrs MA Princi & AN TorreTrainer: Colin WebsterJockey: Peter Knuckey

$200,000 Group 3 WA CHAMPION FILLIES STAKES - 1600m

ART SERIES 3YO Bay Filly by Sebring from Left Alone

Breeder: Mr Jake Anthonisz WAOwners: Impressive Racing Pty Ltd(Mgr: K S Berry) J D, Mrs E L & P D Anthonisz, A C Mc Grath, K Phoenix, A C Ritchie, Mrs J L Havilah-Burt, G J Burt, C Harms, D J Schembri, R A Mc Kenzie & D M Green Trainer: Darren McAuliffeJockey: Joe Azzopardi



Back from the BrinkDiamond Dan

back to his Best

Dan Staeck celebrates his memorable first Group 1 win aboard Mr Moet in the 2012 Railway Stakes.


It isn’t desirable, but it’s far from being the end of the

road either for jockeys who fall foul of the authorities

for serious breaches of racing’s rules. In fact a stint in the ‘sin bin’ for

some can be a time to contemplate

and rebuild careers.

Back from the Brinkwriter Robert Edwards


So it has been for talented jockey Daniel Staeck. He was banned for a second time, for nine months in May 2015, over a breach of racing’s stringent drug rules, enrolled as a student to complete his 11th and 12th year studies at Canning College and set about rekindling his deep passion for surfing.

Some may suggest that Staeck’s ‘second coming’ has all been about redemption, which in part may be right. But it has also been as much about challenging himself personally to become the person, the man, he only ever sought to be.

Staeck may have scaled some of racing’s loftier peaks throughout his career, but it’s been from the far less glamorous surroundings he has had to start his climb back to where he belongs. It started in an IGA store where he worked in the fresh fruit and vegetables department ensuring the trays were kept stocked for customers to select their produce.

His hours of work from waking up at 3.30am six days a week to ride track-work were replaced by more regular and far less demanding hours of duty. For the first time Staeck, who had lived his working life in the fish bowl of the racing industry, began to enjoy life on the outside.

To the stores customers, staff colleagues and his university classmates, Staeck was just another ‘bloke’, not a leading jockey. His past exploits in the saddle meant little or nothing to most of them.

“One of the interesting things I found working in the fruit ‘n’ veg department, something I’d never done before, was the array of different people you met from all walks of life.” Staeck said with a chuckle.

“When you are riding you don’t mix with that wide a range of people.

“Most people didn’t know I was a jockey in the past but there were a few who did.

Staeck continued; “going back to school was extremely challenging.

“More than 20 years had passed since I had studied and there was more work involved than I had bargained on.

“But I wanted to challenge myself and also to keep myself as occupied as I could while I dealt with my life, learning a bit more about myself from the experience.”

Staeck did not take the soft option in his studies undertaking the challenging core subjects of mathematics, chemistry and physics at Canning College.

He took on further higher education at Curtin University, studying communication and foundation in physics.

“Maths was my strongest subject and all the maths I learnt I applied to the chemistry and physics.

“Extra tuition was required because I knew I would struggle.

“The studying gave me the building blocks I needed to rebuild my life and do what I needed to do get my life back to where I wanted to be, and that was back race riding.”

Staeck, 38, admitted he had lost his desire to be a jockey well before the stewards banned him.

“There was little motivation to be a jockey,” Staeck said. “But my time outside of racing made me realise how lucky I was to be able to do the job that I do as a jockey.”

I was not going to return to riding until I was confident that I could ride at my best.

,,

WELL DONE STAECK: Leading trainer Adam Durrant sharing a touching moment with Dan after their Railway Stakes to remember


Staeck was determined to comeback better and stronger.

“I was not going to return to riding until I was confident that I could ride at my best.”

But amid the soul searching, Staeck had the personal hardship of a career left in limbo and a family anxiously waiting.

“I had received a disqualification,” Staeck said. “I was embarrassed by it and I had embarrassed my family.

“I had brought the racing industry into disrepute.

“It was the second time it had happened.

“I didn’t make the right changes the first time and I promised myself that this time I would not return to race riding until I had turned around my life.

“I had people at different times who were helpful, but I did most of it of my own accord.

“I had to do it for myself.

“I accept it now that it was part of my life and where I was at, at that time.”

Staeck armed with a fresh air of confidence set about taking the next big step to return to riding. He went down

to Albany where he worked for trainer Garry Delane as a stable-hand and work rider.

“I knew that I still had years of riding left in me, and I was determined to make the most of those years,” Staeck said.

“Going to Albany and working for Garry was a positive way to get my career on track.

“Working for Garry for two months was really physical and hard work.

“He didn’t have anybody else there and I was a stable-hand and rider. Riding between 7 to 14 horses a morning and then doing stable work gave me the physical strength I needed to be able to ride well.”

Staeck, who came from a non-racing background, rode his first winner back as a jockey on Qingdao on Boxing Day at Albany last year. Qingdao was prepared by local trainer Paul Hunter.

“I started off riding about 56kg in the country and was doing that quite easily.

“For me that first winner was the start of my new beginning.

A VERY GOOD FRIDAY: Dan Staeck guides Deballatio home to victory early this year in the Group 3 WA Sires Produce Stakes at Ascot



“I wasn’t going to be satisfied with just one winner.”

After 11 months back in the saddle, Staeck had ridden in well over 550 races for 78 wins, 72 seconds and 58 thirds for a winning strike rate of 14 percent and place rate of 38%.

He rode up to four winners on a card at Esperance and was crowned the leading rider at Kalgoorlie for the 2017 season with 26 wins.

The winning rider of the Railway Stakes, WATC Derby, Karrakatta Plate, four Kalgoorlie Cups and three Bunbury Cups also rode reigning WA Horse of the Year Scales Of Justice to win the Hyperion and Strickland stakes at Belmont Park in June and July. Other major wins were for Fred Kersley aboard Divine Calling and Debellatio.

Staeck said his decision to ride in Kalgoorlie was brought about by his interest to guide the career of his step-son Fred Kersley Jnr, who won the leading apprentice title in Kalgoorlie with 14 wins.

“I have taken a massive interest at being part of my son’s progress and development,” Staeck said. “He and I were going to Kalgoorlie every Sunday.

“We fed off each-other’s confidence.

“I got my satisfaction from watching Fred develop as a rider and to be part of that development.

“That has been the most satisfying thing that has happened in my life for a long time, to be able to ride alongside him.”

Staeck also has an 11-year-old daughter, Sienna, with his long-time partner Kellie Kersley.

“It was hard during the time I wasn’t riding because I was actually living alone,” Staeck said.

“It was a personal choice, but I felt I had to be alone to do what I needed to do.

“There were a lot of difficult things I was dealing with at that time.

“I was quite depressed and to my thinking I was doing my family a favour by not being around.”

Staeck has cherished having his time back at home with his family.

“Over the past six months I have put a lot of time into what Fred is doing,” he said. “He has this infectious and lovable character and amazing ability as a jockey.

“I am looking forward to seeing what he does with that.

Staeck has forged strong alliances with such leading trainers as Fred’s grandfather Fred Kersley Snr, Lou Luciani

(he was his apprentice), Phil Humann, Ray Sweetman, Adam Durrant and Lindsey Smith over the years.

Staeck has trimmed himself down to ride at 55kg and can handle riding at 54kg when required.

“I am happy with my weight,” Staeck said. “I do a lot of track-work and have a home gym where I keep myself fit.

“In my spare time I really love to go surfing.

“I grew up and matured as an adult during my time away.

“ I think I can now identify people who are detrimental to my cause.

“I grew up very quickly from being an apprentice to become a jockey, but never learnt many life skills.

“I had no idea (as an apprentice) of stranger danger.

“I’ve also learnt that there’s a lot of satisfaction to be gained from the small everyday things, that I once wouldn’t have even noticed.

“The satisfaction I get from what my children and others achieve is most pleasing – I’m not depressed and I’m not unhappy anymore. I’m just very happy to be here”

SPOILS OF VICTORY: Dan receiving his Sires Stakes trophy from Perth Racing Director Peter Gangemi


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The 54 year-old champion Cats on-baller, was overcome with emotion when TABRadio’s Gareth Hall started to interview Bairstow shortly after Niccatrice’s surging victory at Ascot on Winterbottom Stakes day.

As a farming boy from Lake Grace (also the home of Brownlow Medalist Nat Fyfe), who played WA country football, WAFL and VFL/AFL, it was a dream come true.

Niccatrice is part-owned by Bairstow and his two sons Toby and Dylan, along with several clients from Bunbury, where he eventually settled after retiring from football at the end of the 1994 season and starting his training career in Victoria.

Bairstow, who won the 1997 Group3 Easter Cup and 1998 Kilmore Cup with True Identity, was bursting with pride for the courage of his diminutive sprinter Niccatrice to bounce back from adversity and score his third straight victory (after wins at Mt Barker and York) and first at Ascot in the Championship.

“Geez, I’d won a Group 3 race in Melbourne, but I have gained greater satisfaction from this horse’s win,” said

Bairstow, as tears welled in his eyes “I bought him as a yearling and him winning this race means a lot to me.

“I said all along he would win this race.

“I had been that confident all week.

“I have put a lot of time into this horse to get him back going as good as he is.

“I bought him in a Melbourne yearling sale for $50,000 even though I had no money.

“I think I’ve trained four of five of his relations and it is just so great to have him back firing.”

Niccatrice defied a blow out in betting from $15 out to $21, to run past the $3.80 favourite River Dance, winning by a long-neck, with a margin of a length back to the third-placed Russian River ($19).

Niccatrice has now earned $200,950 in stakes from his 10 wins and additional 11 placing’s from his 50 career starts.

The six-year-old son of Nicconi is from the Iglesia mare Egatrice.

Bairstow prepared Egatrice at her initial campaign.

He also trained Jugahtrice, who won the Listed Barton Stakes at Caulfield and

Bairnsdale Cup in Victoria, before winning in WA.

The son of Jugah from Egatrice’s dam Donvertrice won $324,215

from his 13 wins and 17 placing’s at 56 starts.

Bairstow also prepared other family members Just Hoping (Eternity

T h e R o a d T o a s c o TFor former Geelong captain and WA Football Hall of Famer Mark Bairst ow, winning the Regional Championship with Niccatrice earlier this month, was equivalent to almost winning that AFL Grand Fin al – a moment that eluded him in 1992 and 1994.

Regional championship

COUNTRY STARS: Niccatrice (Glen Smith) overpowers River Dance (Damian Oliver) on

The Road to Ascot Regional Championship


T h e R o a d T o a s c o TFor former Geelong captain and WA Football Hall of Famer Mark Bairst ow, winning the Regional Championship with Niccatrice earlier this month, was equivalent to almost winning that AFL Grand Fin al – a moment that eluded him in 1992 and 1994.

Regional championshipWriter Robert Edwards

Range-Justatrice), Del’s Echo (Rubiton-Donvertrice) and Nippering (Husson Lightning-Del’s Echo).

“I prepared Egatrice for her initial campaign until they took her off me,” Bairstow said.

“I trained for David Yaxley in Victoria and was going really good for a while and he owned Sydeston.

“He was a great racehorse and Niccatrice is from the Sydeston family.

“He won the Caulfield, Moonee Valley and Sandown cups and a heap of other big races.

“He raced in the pink and blue colours, similar to Keith Biggs (leading WA owner and breeder).

“I was training a lot of winners for David for a while.”

Sydeston, is regarded as one of the best gallopers to emerge out of Tasmania, winning a Caulfield Cup, Caulfield Stakes, BMW International and a Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Sydeston also ran second to Better Loosen Up and third to Surfers Paradise and The Phantom in the 1990 and 1991 Cox Plates.

He died in 2015 outliving his owner, who died in 2013.

Bairstow said Niccatrice’s issues had stemmed from several niggling injuries and immaturity.

“He has taken a while to mature,” Bairstow said. “He was badly galloped on in last year’s Championship when he was galloped on from behind.

“That took well over a month to get him back right.

“He ran last at Pinjarra one day when he was injured in the barriers.

“He just kept having these little problems.

“I did a lot of low intensity work with Niccatrice over the winter months to build him up for the summer.

“I didn’t want to turn him out and he just ticked over without galloping or racing.

“He is a horse with problems and you don’t stop completely.

“Dylan did a little light stuff with him to keep him going.”

The past few weeks have been very good to Bairstow, with his grey galloper Special Delivery winning twice at Ascot and Northam during November.

Bairstow paid $15,000 for Special Delivery, who was sold by Bob and Sandra Peters at the Perth Winter Sale at Belmont Park in June.

“He has had a few niggling problems too and we are just starting to get over them, Bairstow said.

Niccatrice’s jockey Glenn Smith boasts an enviable record in the Championship with an unblemished record. He shared winning honours with Peter Hall on Granlarado in the inaugural Championship last year.

The Regional Championship series is a joint project by Racing and Wagering WA and Perth Racing and was run for the first time in 2016.

Smith said he knew he had the race within his grasp at the 200m.

“I peeled him out to follow behind the favourite (River Dance) and he tracked into the race beautifully,” Smith said. “He had them covered at the 200m.

“He was absolutely flying.

“I think Mark taking the blinkers off him has given him a new lease of life.

“After he showed very good acceleration to win at York I decided to stick with him.”

There are six heats run at leading provincial centres at Bunbury, Northam, York, Geraldton, Mt Barker, Albany, Narrogin, Esperance and Ascot with the first three place-getters qualify into the Final.

Trainer Mark Bairstow and RWWA Board Member Anthony Hasluck


National Yearling Sales Series

www.nzb.co.nz • +64 9 298 0055 • [email protected] January

Karaka Million

28 - 31 JanuaryBook 1 Book 2

1 - 2 FebruaryBook 34 February

Last season 13 Group 1 winning NZB graduates won 15 Group 1

races.

National Yearling Sales Series

www.nzb.co.nz • +64 9 298 0055 • [email protected] January

Karaka Million

28 - 31 JanuaryBook 1 Book 2

1 - 2 FebruaryBook 34 February

Last season 13 Group 1 winning NZB graduates won 15 Group 1

races.


‘SLAM’DUNCAN AT THE FINAL

FRONTIER


After toiling for more than two-decades with blood, sweat and blisters, Ben Duncan was handed the biggest contract of his business life. There was no luck involved. The deal was recognition for the work he had put in working on leading equine properties up and down the east coast of Australia.

The development deal, which could inevitably set him up for life, is located in the far flung wilds of northern China. Inner Mongolia to be more specific.

Ordos, it’s a long way from his own property in the serenity of North Jindong, between Vasse and Margaret River. But it is here where Duncan has been heavily involved, working on the construction and development of a brand new racing and breeding centre for the wealthy China Horse Club. The goal of this global conglomerate is to bring horse racing into everyday Chinese life.

It involves over 4,000 acres of arid ground, being turned into housing, horse stables and lush paddocks around the Inner Mongolian race course. From what he has witnessed and heard, Duncan believes that this development could one day rival breeding properties in the picturesque Hunter Valley and racing popularity of Hong Kong.

Mainland China and Inner Mongolia are regarded in the thoroughbred world as being the last of the ‘final frontiers’ in the development of global racing.

A small but innovative WA company has been on the construction frontline of a new and exciting racing precinct in Ordos, a burgeoning racing jurisdiction which could one day rival the powerful Hong Kong racing scene.

Established almost twenty years ago, Horserail Australia, the south-west based company of owner-breeder Ben Duncan (pictured left), has been developing and upgrading some of the biggest thoroughbred stud operations and horse training facilities throughout Australia.

Duncan’s company may have started by chance, but his dedication, hard work and now the accumulation of many frequent flyer points racked up over the years, has taken him to where he is today.

THe JeWel Of ORDOS: The new grandstand in the exciting thoroughbred precinct of Inner Mongolia

Writer Robert Edwards


Having to oversee that all of his product is installed to premium standard and quality, Duncan has so far made five trips to China already this year.

Duncan said it may take some time for the Ordos racing and breeding precinct to become fully established and be able to attract global attention, but for him personally it was exciting being involved.

“It really is just amazing,” he said.

“The plans they have for racing up there is quite incredible and they clearly have the resources to pull it off.

“They are selling properties that have a two story house, barn for the horses and paddocks fenced by Horserail on an acre of land.

“Plans are for those properties to surround the race course and have stables and paddocks at the course as well.”

Duncan described the venture as being the final frontier for racing to become established.

To have an international business power like China involved in the thoroughbred racing industry would be amazing for the sport.

“It’s really the only area in the populist world that does not have a high profile racing centre,” he said.

“America, Australia, Europe all are massive jurisdictions and the final box to tick on the list would be China with their financial resources and of course massive population.”

Duncan said that being involved in getting the Ordos construction off the ground, had been a ‘pinch me and wake me up moment,’ for him.

Like many successful business’, Horserails did not occur overnight. Duncan said that it had taken him almost 10 years for his company to become established and to gain recognition for the work he was doing in WA and in the Eastern States.

He admitted there were many tough economic times financially in the early days of the business – which was created in part by chance and circumstance.

Whilst visiting Oakland Park Stud, the successful breeding operation owned and managed by his father Neville, a youngster broke through the paddock’s old timber fencing during the height of a wild storm. The entire

fence was severely damaged and the horse was seriously injured.

Studying at university at the time, Duncan decided to research and

investigate whether there was a safer, more cost effective fencing product on the market.

He soon discovered that there was a huge demand by many other horse property owners for such a product.

The plans they have for racing up there is quite incredible and they clearly have the resources to pull it off.

,,

Artists impression of the completed Ordos racing entertainment’s centre

ON THe JOB: Horserail’s Ben Duncan and one of his Mongolian staff


“All the fencing that we put in place when I first started this company, is still in place and is as strong as the first day it was erected,” he said.

“It is a bit more forgiving and we’ve had instances where horses have run through it, but each section of the fence is forgiving and does not bring down an entire side of the paddock.”

Duncan, who discovered the patented Horesrail product in a factory in Pennsylvania, North America, has supplied fencing to some of the biggest stud farms in Australia including global conglomerates Coolmore and Darley.

Married with three children, Duncan said the constant long distance travel involved in developing and constructing Horserail around the world, sometimes took a toll. Especially when he leaves his wife, Jo, a veterinarian, at home to look after the 25 horses they have on their property.

Horserail has just four employees including Duncan.

“We do have representatives over on the East Coast who help us a lot,” he said.

“If we have a client ring with a problem, we like to be there on their farm within 24 hours to sort it out.

“Having some representatives over there helps with that, but I do accumulate plenty of frequent flyer points.”

He is hopeful Horserail will be able to set him up for retirement down the track and allow him to spend more time with his young family.

Some of that family time would be spent with his parents at their renowned Oakland Park Stud. The stud’s famous yellow and black racing colours which were carried to international fame by the two-time Cox Plate champion Northerly, continue to appear in the winner’s circle.

It is where Ben’s love for horses began at a young age.

“Where we live, we have dad’s farm at one end of the road and Peter Walsh’s Amelia Park at the other end,” he said.

“There is some very good horse flesh down here.”

Duncan has a few youngsters running around his own paddocks which he has bred. He’s also involved in the ownership of exciting two-year-old filly Kiss the Breeze who won the first race of the season for the juveniles.

The exciting daughter of Sebring is on a pathway aimed towards the $250,000 Magic Millions Two Year Old Classic at Pinjarra Park on February 10.

Whilst Duncan loves to dream of one day breeding and racing his own Northerly, for the moment, helping to develop new racing centres and watching some of the world’s finest bloodstock in action is giving him more than enough satisfaction.


Sydney artist extraordinaire Brad Blaze set the 2017 WAROA WA Racing Awards stage on fire with his powerhouse live on stage performance, speed painting the portrait of WA racing legend Rod Kemp.

The colourful completed work, which superbly captured the WA Racing Hall of Fame Jockey’s trademark smile, was purchased at auction by a group of the ‘Rocket Man’s’ close friends and now takes pride of place in the new Rod Kemp Owners Room at Belmont Park. While future Hall of Fame jockey William ‘The Wizard’ Pike added a ninth WA Jockeys Premiership to his record, the husband and wife training team of Grant and Alana Williams were proud and humbled to accept their first WA Trainers Premiership award. Group One Railway Stakes hero Scales of Justice was a unanimous judge’s choice for 2016-17 WA Racehorse of the Year.

The 2018 WAROA Racing Awards is scheduled for Saturday August 4th at the Hyatt Regency Hotel.

Stars Celebrateat 2016-17 WAROA Racing Awards



2016-17 AWARD WINNERSInglis Two Year Old of the YearWinner: Lucy Mae

Amelia Park-Grand Farm Three Year Old of the YearWinner: Variation

Horserail-Northerly Four Year Old & Upward Horse of the YearWinner: Scales of Justice

PERTH RACING AWARDSWA Champion ApprenticeWinner: Aaron Mitchell

WA Champion JockeyWinner: William PikeWA Champion Trainer

Winner: Grant & Alana Williams

WA RACEHoRSE oF THE YEARWinner: Scales of Justice

THoRoUGHBRED BREEDERS WA AWARDSBreeder of the YearWinner: Peters Investments (Bob & Sandra Peters)

Broodmare of the YearWinner: Sister Teresa

Champion SireWinner: Blackfriars

RACING & WAGERING WABest Metro Feature Racing ArticleWinner: Robert Edwards

Racing Media PersonalityWinner: Ryan Hill

Stars Celebrateat 2016-17 WAROA Racing Awards


50 Winners Circle Summer 201750 Winners Circle Summer 2017


The dramatic and

dangerous escape

out of china by

successful Wa

businessman and

racehorse owner

Mark chadwick,

could provide

a compelling

script for a future

hollywood movie.

chadwick, who

races smart stakes-

winning filly ocean

Jewel, winner of

the recent Placid

ark stakes, literally

dodged a bullet

during a business

DODGING A BULLET


DODGING A BULLET

“I flew in to Shanghai one morning for a meeting and was then flying back to Singapore.

“That afternoon I got my boarding pass and was going through immigration and when my name was entered on the computer, a red flag came up. I was told I couldn’t leave.”

At first, Chadwick thought the travel ban was “a bit of a joke”.

But the seriousness of the situation suddenly hit home when, after already being stuck in China for six weeks, Chadwick’s lawyers told him an appeal against the ban would drag out for up to two years.

“We had spoken to the Australian Government but they said it was a civil matter, so they couldn’t get involved,” Chadwick said.

“We always suspected, but we subsequently obtained anecdotal evidence that the judge had been bribed to issue the travel ban.

“We really didn’t have any options, so that’s when I started engaging in discussions with the equivalent of their federal police about how to get out of China.

“It was through the Chinese authorities that they put me in contact with essentially a smuggling gang and a plan was hatched to get me over the border to Vietnam.”

writer Jay Rooney

A regular trip to Shanghai in January 2016 went pear-shaped when Mark Chadwick, who worked in corporate financial reconstruction, was told he wasn’t allowed to leave the country.

“There was a Chinese company we were dealing with and unbeknown to us, they placed a travel ban against myself and a couple of other executives,” Chadwick recalled.

trip that went

horribly wrong.

Forced to hide

and crawl through

dense jungle with

the fear of the

chinese military

opening fire on

him, chadwick’s

life flashed before

his eyes more

than once as he

made his break

for freedom

from virtual

house arrest, in a

country known

for dealing out

swift punishment.


2017/18 SEASON FIXTURES2017

Sunday 19th November - Opening DayFriday 1st DecemberFriday 22nd December - Industry/Tradies DayTuesday 26th December - Boxing Day

2018Sunday 7th JanuarySaturday 13th JanuaryThursday 1st FebruarySaturday 11th February 2018 - Ladies day – will feature $100,000 Fitzpatrick Plate as well as Ladies BraceletFriday 9th MarchSunday 1st April 2018 - $100,000 Wellington & Reeves Albany CupThursday 12th AprilThursday 26th AprilThursday 4th MayThursday 11th May - Publicans Day

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[email protected]: albanyracing.com f: AlbanyRacingClub

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If you are an owner, breeder, trainer or jockey in need of taxation or business advice, contact Glenn or Lisel today.

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The escape plan included a domestic flight under a false name, a motorbike ride across the countryside to avoid a military checkpoint and three days holed up in a hotel room before a frightening journey through a jungle.

“That was probably the scariest moment because around that time a Muslim minority group was being persecuted in Urumqi in the north of China,” Chadwick said.

“A lot of them were trying to leave China into Vietnam similar to what I was doing and there were instances where the army shot them before they got across.

“Luckily we were fine. We got to the river, jumped on a fishing boat and travelled half a kilometre over to Vietnam.

“After that they got the necessary stamps for my passport that allowed me to get out.”

After three months stuck in China, Chadwick was desperate to get back to his wife Patricia and their young daughter, Kaitlin, who were in Singapore.

The ordeal still brings out a range of emotions in Chadwick, but it also put the most important aspects of his life into perspective.

“I go through periods where I feel angry – not just at the Chinese judiciary, but I felt let down by the Australian Government and my employer,” Chadwick said.

“There’s also relief – not just getting out but also recognising I’m not going to be on this earth forever.

“I hadn’t been living a life that was overly fulfilling, in a broader sense, and I probably wouldn’t have changed without that situation.”

Within weeks of returning home, Chadwick and his family packed their bags and made the move back to Perth.

He quit his stressful job and hasn’t looked back since, enjoying quality time with his wife and now nine-year-old daughter.

During the ordeal, Chadwick also discovered who his true friends were. One of those is Ascot trainer Simon Miller.

“There weren’t too many days where he didn’t call me just checking on how I was,” Chadwick said.

“He knew I was going through an emotional rollercoaster.”

Jason Carone, a close friend of Miller’s who worked with Chadwick overseas, introduced the pair and Chadwick expressed an interest in racing thoroughbreds.

Racing piqued Chadwick’s interest as a child when he would attend the races and trots to watch horses owned by his grandfather.

He started off with small shares in Singapore and Perth gallopers, including Trudeau, who won Group 2 and 3 features in Singapore and a Group 1 in Malaysia.

“That was when my wife started to get excited, when you’re winning big races,” Chadwick laughed.

“I suspect if it wasn’t for Trudeau, I wouldn’t have been given the green light to do what we’re doing now.”

Financially buoyed by the sale of his business, Chadwick decided to get more heavily involved in racing.

He teamed up with Miller to buy yearlings before quickly shifting his focus to weanlings, in particular fillies with residual value.

“He realised there was more value in weanlings and we got a couple of good ones early, so we kept doing that,” Miller said.

“He’s a good bloke and a good owner.”

Fuld’s Bet launched Chadwick’s new venture in style, winning her first two starts in 2014 including the Listed Gimcrack Stakes.

Divided House was placed twice in WA before Chadwick transferred her to Singapore, where she won five races for trainer Cliff Brown.

I’ve been told if I was ever to go back to China, I’d be facing jail time

,

,Mark Chadwick and top Sydney jockey Josh Parr who guided

Ocean Jewel to victory in the Placid Ark Stakes



Saturday 14 October

Sunday 22 October

Thursday 2 November

Tuesday 7 November – Melbourne Cup

Wednesday 15 November

Sunday 26 November

Thursday 30 November

Wednesday 6 December

Sunday 17 December

Sunday 24 December

Friday 29 December – Twilight Meeting

Wednesday 10 January

Thursday 18 January

Friday 26 January – Australia Day

Sunday 4 February

Sunday 18 February

Wednesday 28 February

Sunday 11 March – Cup Prelude Day

Wednesday 21 March – Amelia Park Bunbury

Stakes Day

Sunday 25 March – XXXX Gold Bunbury

Cup Day

Wednesday 4 April

www.bunburyturfclub.com.auPO Box 916, Bunbury I Phone: 9721 3444 I Fax: 9721 2248

#bunburyturfclub @bunburyturfclub

« «

FOR A GREAT DAY OUT

BUNBURY TURF CLUB

RACE DATES FOR SEASON 2017/18

GERALDTON TURF CLUB

PO Box 440, Geraldton WA 6531 Phone: 08 9921 8366 Fax: 08 9921 8292

E-mail: [email protected] David Wrensted 0427 471 945

2017 / 2018 Racing Season• Wednesday 27th December 2017

• Wednesday 3rd January 2018

• Friday 12th January 2018

• Sunday 28th January 2018

• Thursday 22nd March 2018

• Thursday 5th April 2018

• Sunday 15th April 2018 Geraldton Cup

• Sunday 29th April 2018

• Thursday 8th February 2018

• Friday 23rd February 2018

• Saturday 3rd March 2018

• Thursday 15th March 2018


Ocean Jewel, Rubia Miss, Moonee Valley winner So You Too and Filibuster, who broke the Kranji track record over 1100m in October, have been more recent success stories for Chadwick.

The 43-year-old teamed up with Miller and Amelia Park’s Peter Walsh to buy five weanlings in Sydney this year.

He is now in the process of converting a North Dandalup property into a stud farm for his band of broodmares.

“It’s grown from being an interest to being a passion and we try to run it like a business,” Chadwick said.

“Over the last couple of years we’ve started to get involved in breeding, which is one of the reasons we focus on buying fillies.

“I quite often drive past Bob Peters’ place in Keysbrook and just being able to see the professionalism that’s gone into the farm, it drives home that if you’re going to do it, you’ve got to do it properly.

“It’s a dream to create something like that.”

In racing and particularly breeding, patience is a virtue. And Chadwick is well aware his venture won’t be a success overnight.

With his feet firmly on the ground in WA, Chadwick won’t be travelling near China anytime soon, if ever.

“The thought of travelling north towards China worries me,” he said.

“If I was ever to travel to America, I wouldn’t go via Japan just in case the flight got diverted to China for whatever reason.

“I’ve been told if I was ever to go back to China, I’d be facing jail time.”

Needless to suggest, Chadwick’s local Asian restaurant is now about as close to China as he ever wants to be again after dodging a life changing bullet!

GO GIRl: Parr roars his delight at Ocean Jewel as the filly coasts home in the Group 3 Placid Ark Stakes at Ascot


Lou Lewis was the innocent victim of an attack aimed at Hancock, a former CIB chief. The top detective had angered the outlaw motor cycle gang, Gypsy Jokers, who were suspected of being behind the attack.

“I had a week off but I didn’t want it to affect me before resuming but I know he wouldn’t have wanted me to quit or be in the dumps forever,” Brad said.

He also had to take over as acting chief steward as long serving chief, Fin Powrie, was in the process of taking an overseas appointment when the family disaster struck his deputy. Brad acted for some four months before John Zucal ‘took over the reins.’

“Having that responsibility, at the time, helped take my mind off the personal tragedy, to some extent,” he said.

Growing up the young Brad always had an interest in racing and trots, courtesy of his father who for many years was a trotting bookmaker and racehorse owner. However, in 1982, when he was in year 12, Lou retired so there was no path to follow in that area.

The stewarding area was always of interest from the start and he made an early application, aged 18, to the WA Turf Club expressing an interest. Told he was a bit young and advised to do university studies he quickly gained a cadetship as a Harness Racing steward and he started as a cadet in 1987-88 before becoming a steward with the WATA.

That was short lived because his last trot meeting was at Merredin, on 16th December 1989, after he applied for a job with the WATC. It meant going back to being a cadet for a period but he decided to do that after being advised that it was a better career path, by Bill Delaney who ended up as Chief Harness Steward, after previously

doing a short stint as a provincial chairman of stewards (thoroughbreds).

“I saw something in Brad and I knew he would go a long way, particularly as his first love was racing,” Delaney said.

Change has been a feature of stewarding since he commenced as a thoroughbred racing steward in 1990.

“Given the problem of drug abuse in today’s society we now do greater testing of riders than hitherto with penalties applied. We also attempt to rehabilitate offenders by counselling, regular testing and give them every chance to return to the industry.” One fine jockey who did just that was Shaun O’Donnell, a dual Railway Stakes winner on former local champion, Luckygray. The chief steward also indicated there is greater horse swabbing compared to the past.

“Form and betting analysis has now taken on a far greater profile and with more resources devoted to it given the rise of corporate bookmakers. This is far different to when I started where we dealt with the local tote and bookmakers ring. Following the money trail, now, is far more intricate.”

“The questioning of tactics and riding instructions is also now common with information being released

writer John Elsegood

September 2001 was not only a mense horribilis (horrible month) for the world but also one for Brad Lewis. As a presage to the attacks, on the US by terrorists, on September 11, Brad Lewis’ world also came crashing on the very first day of that month.

That was the day his father well known racing identity, Lou, with his long-time friend Don Hancock were blown up, in a car bomb attack, in the quiet streets of Lathlain Park, after returning home from the Belmont Park races.

I know he wouldn’t have wanted me to

quit or be in the dumps forever

THE GAME IS NOT THE SAME...

,,



THE GAME IS NOT THE SAME...Brad Lewis Reflects



9249 4077

publically, via twitter, and is regarded as an important area that stewards no give much greater focus to in an effort to make racing as transparent as possible. This includes the monitoring of wagering at race meetings and analysis after the meetings have been concluded with Travis Rendell designated to this role. He monitors form and betting from the office while race meetings are in progress, providing important information for the panel to utilise.”

Dedicated television racing channels have also put more pressure to have horses in the mounting yard at designated times and for races to run on exact time and for stewards to have reports and statements out by the conclusion of a meeting. That information is also more detailed than in earlier eras.

The chief steward also pointed to there being more frequent race day inspections to check on medications and treatments records than in the past: automated weighing processes and whip rules receiving greater scrutiny. The latter point has come about because of heightened animal welfare concerns, now a key integrity issue in racing.

The Hawkeye visual service gives the stewards a valuable tool in monitoring this as Deputy Chief steward, Harold Taylor, (a former South African jockey and chief steward in that country), demonstrated to this writer. Stewards can not only count the number of whip strokes, (and whips are now padded), but they have the facility with the system to home in on a given area, from any angle, and see where a horse cast a plate (shoe) in running.

All this is a far cry from the days of the steward in the tower relying on his vision to see a split second infraction. The 1961 suspension of Mel Schumacher, (due to head-on

vision being used for the first time), for leg pulling another jockey in a tight finish of the AJC Derby was the start of a revolutionary process in aiding stewards deal with the cheats.

In the recent Railway Stakes both Craig Staples (on winner Great Shot) and Brad Rawiller (Black Heart Bart) were fined for slight transgressions, as revealed by Hawkeye, in the number of permissible whip strokes in a thrilling battle between the pair.

Lewis is a different type of chief steward. He is more low-key than some of his immediate predecessors such as Fin Powrie or John Zucal.

“Fin came in at a critical time after there had been a series of controversies, in the 1980s, and exuded a sense of purpose and strength. John was a great mentor and very approachable,” Lewis said.

Here his comments were referring to the tumultuous home invasion and assault of the then chief steward John Mahoney and his wife by baseball wielding thugs. Earlier a dramatic 1987 Perth Cup, where Rocket Racer had won

Fin came in at a critical time after there

had been a series of controversies,

in the 1980s

IN THe TOWeR: A young Brad lewis under the watchful eye of former Chairman of Stewards finn Powrie,,



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by nine lengths but then had to be virtually lifted away by attendants, after being declared too distressed to be swabbed post race.

Powrie determined, after taking over in August 1989, that swab and blood samples would be taken even if the horse had died. He too was subsequently threatened and had cars parked outside his home.

Lewis has had his share of dramas to contend with, including a famous Railway Stakes protest, that was upheld, and a letter alleging race fixing by an anonymous person claiming to be a jockey.

Luckygray’s win sent some of the Eastern States hares off, running and pontificating with overheated social media ranters railing against ‘home town decisions’ and demanding that ‘the stewards should be fed to the sharks,’ were just some of the offerings. WA Racing was panned as being ‘30 years behind, 30 years ago and 30 years behind now,’ by one self styled expert on racing, Justin Cinque, with his heading titled, ‘Racing still in the Dark Ages after Railway Decision.’ (Roar, 20/11/11). Whether having a surname, the same as English medieval ports makes Cinque an expert, on racing or the Dark Ages, can be left to the discretion of the reader! Sufficient to say that the 1972 Perth Cup had more stake money than the Melbourne Cup and for many years the Australian Derby was run in Perth–not bad for a backwater.

“There was enormous interest on the day because it was second versus first, plus also fourth versus first, there were direct and indirect consequences involved in multiple cases of interference and obviously riding inquiries to initiate after the protest,” was the more sober reflection, of our chief steward.

“In retrospect I could have used our media facilities better to explain our decision which we were entirely comfortable with on the day,” he said.

The stewards upheld Shaun O’Donnell’s protest against the interference he had indirectly suffered at the hands of Kerrin McEvoy, aboard He’s Remarkable. Paul Harvey’s objection, (fourth on Waratah’s Secret), was dismissed. McEvoy subsequently pleaded guilty to careless riding and was suspended and fined.

The connections of the defeated equine visitor then sought leave to go before the Racing Appeals Tribunal but that body rejected the approach, somewhat denting the claims of ‘bias,’ given that an appeal was deemed unwarranted.

It wasn’t the only dramatic Railway Stakes that Lewis presided over either. When Luckgray won the race for a second time, in 2013 (after being second in 2012) Ranger was withdrawn, prior to the race, following an investigation that found vanilla extract had been used on his nostrils before, in the stalls area. That was good investigation work at the time.” A subsequent charge and disqualification of a stable employee ensued.

“As for the anonymous letter on fixing races, in mid 2013, that reflected on myself and the panel, unfairly, so we analysed and reviewed the races mentioned again, including using additional telecommunication data. An external review by a panel of NSW stewards, headed by Ray Murrihy also did not find integrity problems.”

Later, John Schreck, another legendary chief steward of the AJC, said after a review, that there was no evidence to impugn the stewards panel with a lack of integrity and that ‘instead of jumping at shadows’ administrators, the press and followers of the sport ‘should not go into panic mode because big players from the East find runners they believe to be over the odds.’

Apart from dramatic races and inquiries, threats of violence and sometimes real violence carried out against stewards there is always a myriad of matters being dealt with by stewards, including queries on vet decisions, interference, protests, even photo finish disputes which is, of course, the bailiwick of the judge.

Brad Lewis takes pride in his team and apart from those stewards already mentioned the industry experience of others like Doug Mead and Natalie Wood (both ex-jockeys); senior stipe, Rick Mance a former harness reinsman in Victoria; Chris Brown who had graduated from stable employee to cadet before graduating to senior level; and ex-farrier, Martin Vickers, another product of WA’s cadetship program.

The structure of stewarding has changed dramatically in recent years. Instead of three chief stewards and the committee of various clubs being the arbiters of decisions and appeals, an over-arching office of Integrity headed by Denis Borovica ‘minds the minders.’ In addition Racing club committees have long since been replaced by the Racing Penalties Appeals Tribunal, an independent judicial oversight of stewards decisions.

According to veteran racing writer Ernie Manning, who knows where many of racing’s skeletons lie, “Brad Lewis may lack the flamboyance of some previous chief stewards but is totally effective.”

Perhaps that exterior blandness masks a subtle humorist. Fin Powrie recalls that while Lewis was successful among 60 applicants for the cadet position job he was still worried about his transition from trotting to racing. “When I said this to Brad he replied, “well, can I forget everything I learned there?” (this dialogue really belongs to something Bernard would say to Sir Humphrey, in Yes Minister).

“He also went through some testing times with the murder of his father, inheriting the Thurston Inquiry, when I left (relating to the runner up in a Perth Cup being disqualified) and the RWWA regime change. He maintained a very steady approach and it always surprised me he did not choose to gain international experience. I have had many cadets go onto to be chairman of stewards in various countries and although he chose to stay in WA as a man and administrator he rates very high on my list,” Powrie said.


Surf ‘n’ Turf

Rockingham



writer Darren McAullay

It is increasingly being recognized as one of the best social and entertainment weekends held in the metropolitan region.

The 2nd annual Rockingham Beach Cup races, held last month over three days on the pristine Churchill Park beach foreshore and vibrant café strip, is fast gaining a reputation as a ‘must attend family event’.

If last year’s inaugural event attracted significant media attention and brought people from far and wide to this hidden jewel on our city doorstep, then this year’s success only served to enhance the exceptional potential that this multi-faceted weekend has to offer.

With high profile members of the WA racing community throwing their support and valuable assistance behind this potentially ‘iconic’ weekend of sport, art and entertainment, the Rockingham Beach Cup looks certain to capture the imagination of tourists and families to the region for years to come.

Leading trainers Adam Durrant, the Pearce Brothers, David Harrison and Vaughan Sigley, provided many of the horses for the six-race card, with jockeys Danny Miller, Joe Azzopardi, Renee Forrest, Takahide Ikenushi, Misty Bazeley and Chloe Pearce amongst the riders that helped bring the colour and excitement of horse racing to the thousands of people that lined the foreshore through the afternoon. It was fun and it was unique!

Danny Miller, the oldest registered jockey riding in Australia and arguably the world, showed he still enjoyed performing to a big crowd. It was a case of the veteran riding a veteran, as Miller piloted noted speedster Prager to an all the way victory after he skillfully negotiated the ‘better going’ on the beach track.

With the magnificent backdrop of the Indian Ocean, Garden Island and the boats of all sizes everwhere, some of Perth’s best known socialites, businessmen and women, sporting identities and horse racing personalities wined, dined and partied to beach music throughout the day.

With its world class natural attractions including sightseeing on Penguin Island, swimming with dolphins in the local bays, diving on wrecks, sailing, fishing or just enjoying the crystal blue waters, Rockingham is evolving into a tourist hub.

Whilst it’s fair to say that the city and general area has copped a bad rap over the decades with some many well documented social issues, this coastal gem, the electorate of WA Premier Mark McGowan is slowly evolving from the ‘ugly duckling’ into one of the jewels of our southern corridor.

The Rockingham Beach Cup is organized by the Rotary Club of Palm Beach and is supported by numerous volunteers, local business houses, members of the WA Racing Industry and many other community organizations.

The many fundraising initiatives over the weekend, in which thousands of dollars was raised, supports the Australian Alzheimer Research Foundation, Variety WA and the Rotary Club of Palm Beach.

It was my first time to this fantastic event, and having enjoyed everything that this weekend had to offer, including attending the Gala Black Tie dinner fundraiser as auctioneer and then the fun of calling the beach races, I’ve already booked to be there again in 2018.


LIVERPOOL’S GREY

Astute form analysts had banked on a talented and emerging grey three-year-old to step out and just win the Amelia Park Plate at Ascot early last month. They got more than what they had bargained for.

In part, they were right on the money, but it wasn’t the grey who they’d expected to close the deal.

Epic Grey had started a popular favourite with punter’s for the race, but it was a striking looking grey filly called Fabergino, which jumped to the front and ran her rivals senseless in a time of 57.75 seconds. Young apprentice jockey Fred Kersley described the performance as ‘jaw dropping.’

That victory was the second from as many outings for the daughter of Maschino, emulating her debut at Ascot with Jarrad Noske aboard back in the autumn.

So why has this excitement machine been so lightly raced to date with her appearances so well-spaced and now back in the paddock again?

“It is because she is such a big filly (16.3hh) and we can afford to be patient while she matures. Some people told me I should take her east this year, but that was not a consideration,” part owner and breeder, Jim Anderson said.

Anderson did consider another run, in early December, with Fabergino, but within days of her success the filly’s trainer Tiarnna Robertson had her pelvis broken in three places, when she fell from a two year old at trackwork on November 7.

‘That accident to Tiarnna made up our minds to put Fabergino away until the New Year when, with the carnival over, she should be able to pick up some easy



LIVERPOOL’S GREY

races. I expect her to be at her peak in 1200-1400m races in November next year,” Anderson said.

Anderson, a former Londoner, has 65 acres at Bullsbrook, near the RAAF base, where he runs 25-30 horses, mainly brood mares and youngsters. His racing partner is John Beasley who originally hailed from Liverpool.

The Liverpool connection led to Beasley securing some ‘Liverpudlian’ interest in the four young gallopers by Anderson’s sire, Maschino, which they are currently preparing for racing.

Beasley was back in the ‘Old Dart’ and talking to some ex-school mates, in a Workers Club in Liverpool, about their current WA racing stock and two of them wanted ‘in,’ on all four of these unraced gallopers.

“One of these blokes runs a glazing factory with 160 employees. After Fabergino won a trial he told his workers to be on it on race day. They did and they cashed up to the extent that only half of them turned up for work subsequently! They watch Fabergino at 6 am in the morning, at the club, and get on the booze at the same time, so Mondays have become a disaster when she is running,” Anderson laughed.

Obviously, despite the words, from the Vogues hit song, “no five o’clock whistle blows at that Liverpool factory, at the start of the week”.

Anderson rates Maschino as his best galloper with seven wins from his 22 starts and he is keen to see how his four



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youngsters by the sire will perform, with Fabergino setting an early standard for the other unraced gallopers to follow.

Maschino won the 2012 Group 3 RJ Peters Stakes with his trademark finishing burst when ridden by Jarrad Noske and prepared by Graham Yuill.

Indeed, that was not only a memorable day for Anderson, but also for Noske who booted home a treble on the day and then received an added bonus.

As I recorded at the time for Ozrace and WAROA, in a satirical piece, (Cracking Good Times from Ascot –Noske’s Winning Ways), he was trudging back to the jockeys room, wearing the turquoise colours of Shane Edwards: The Turquoise One …..was seen under the Stewards Tower kissing a delightful brunette with long legs and a very short beige mini. This of course was a very sound tactical move by the jockey as well as very romantic place to engage in such pleasantries! The stipes would not have thought to look under their floorboards and even if they had spotted the handsome prince…..he would have been given the all clear under the rules of racing. He was trying his best (to respond), was not causing any interference and he stayed in a straight line next to the outside fence, being only checked in walking (and having his momentum stopped) by the delightful long-legged one who leaned across to peck him, thus showing even more leg, if that was possible.)

I don’t know what Jarrad’s heart rate was at the time but mine was on a par with Rocket Racer after his Perth Cup win and certainly, the Anderson clan had elevated heart rates, on that day, for different reasons.

Anderson rated that Peters win as the biggest thrill until Fabergino’s arrival.

“She has surpassed that win in the thrill factor. When you breed from your own stallion and dam then successfully race the progeny, it is like having your own kids doing something special,” he said.

“We screamed our heads off when Maschino won the Peters Stakes that day and have been even more raucous with her. We are not big owners and breeders who are super cool in such moments.”

Fortunately they have a couple of riders who are cool in the saddle.

For a while afterwards, that November day of 2012, I referred to Noske as Rodin, after the famous sculptor of the marble piece of work,The Kiss (1889). Jim just refers to him as “my favourite jockey,” and rates his apprentice rider, Kersley, as a “good up and comer.”

Others with places in his heart include Lord Lonsdale who won five races in a row for him in early 2006 with John Claite aboard the Robert Matthews trained galloper; Urban Chill, a La Trice Classic winner (2005, with Matthews getting the quinella in the race), Seneca and the Earl of Tenby.

Jim, as a retired scaffolder, clearly enjoys his hobby as an owner-breeder and Fabergino has given him new heights to attempt to scale, namely the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes in 2018.

If that happens, and some of those same turf experts believe it’s possible, then the noise levels that will be heard from Ascot and a pub faraway in Liverpool, could likely rival that louder than loud and larger than life syndicate of owners of trainer Chris Gangemi!

fReDDIe AND THe flASH: Star Apprentice fred Kersley Jnr and the exciting unbeaten filly fabergino


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JS: Dale, you must feel in a privileged position to have managed and currently managing the elite of WA jockey ranks?

DV: I would have to agree. My business plan has always worked around hopefully having the leading jockey and then the other jockeys I look after feeding off that jockey. I have been lucky enough to have the two best jockeys in the last 25 years being Paul (Harvey) and William (Pike), but I have also had a pretty good supporting cast as well.

JS: With the number of jockeys you manage does it ever create any professional tension?

DV: It has and still certainly does from time to time. Sometimes it’s difficult for me to watch a race if one jockey wins on a horse that one of the other guys could have ridden. In one view, I’m happy for the jockey that’s won, but I know I am going to cop some words from whoever the other jockey may have been. It’s always hard to watch a race and you do with mixed emotions.

JS: Have you ever copped a serve or spray from one of your riders?

DV: From time to time. When I first started with William there was a particular race and we had a look at it, William went one way and Paul (Harvey) ended up on one of William’s rides for Vernon Brockman and that particular horse won. At that stage I had only been looking after William for about a month and it wasn’t a great start for us. It was probably a lesson that you can’t pick the right one all the time, it doesn’t matter who you are. It’s not unusual in William’s position to be offered three or four rides in a race and on a frequent basis you are going to get it wrong. That’s the nature of racing.

JS: How many jockeys is the perfect number for a manager?

DV: Whilst I have four at this time of the year it’s perfect because with the carnival there are quite a number of good rides available. Three or four is workable, but I couldn’t do anymore put it that way.

JS: Do you see your role purely as a business or do you get emotionally close to your riders as well?

DV: Quite often I talk to jockeys about different things. The younger ones have different issues to the older ones. More often than not the older ones are fairly settled, married with children and fairly stable. The younger guys are still going out having fun, having relationship issues and things like that. Each jockey requires different advice. I don’t give them any business advice as such, probably a bit more relationship and life advice at different times. I don’t know if I’m qualified for that, that is up for debate.

JS: Are they coming to you for that advice more regularly in recent times?

DV: They certainly have. They have a lot more pressure and I think social media is a very dangerous thing. There is a lot talked about with the footballers, but I think jockeys are in a really awkward position with it as well. It’s not unusual for them to cop criticism. If they are unlucky on a particular horse they might have 150 or 200 different points or whatever else going at them and being pretty harsh too. I know William recently copped a couple of really severe ones where someone suggested his family all get cancer and die. To me that is something that the racing authorities should be looking at. Whilst I realise it’s a tricky thing from a legal perspective if people are going to say these things they should be open to certainly being charged.

JS: I’m surprised that William would have a social media account?

DV: He’s never really been big on that sort of stuff, but for a small period of time he had a Facebook account and that’s where he was copping some verbal abuse, that’s why he ended it straight away. These are the things the general public don’t realise. William is pretty tough, but a few of the others might not be as mentally tough as William and it can have a really bad effect on them.

JS: Has that happened to some of your other riders beside William?

DV: Yes certainly. Pretty much all of them. It depends on the personalities. A lot of guys can just look at it and it’s water off a ducks back and not care, where others they can really take it to heart and it’s probably with the younger guys who can suffer with it a little bit more. I do think it’s a really serious issue that isn’t being properly addressed in racing at the moment.

Champion WA jockey William Pike



JS: It’s pervasive in all sport, but when you have money involved it’s a volatile mix.

DV: Exactly. People are putting on money that they have earnt and feel they are being wronged. A lot of people don’t realise it’s not like steering cars around, there is a lot more to it than that. I hope down the track they take it seriously.

JS: You don’t think the authorities are taking it seriously?

DV: I think they are aware of it, but I don’t think they are doing enough about it. At the moment it’s constant and on a large scale.

JS: What would you like to see happen to address the issue?

DV: I think they need to set up some sort of body that can take care of it and prosecute the people that are stepping out of line. Social media can be anonymous and people can say what they like, but I don’t think it should be allowed.

JS: How did you get into jockey management?

DV: I was having a few drinks with friends and was trying to work out a way to have an involvement professionally in sport. I was quite good friends with Simon Marshall and he advised us and it sort of went from there. I’ve been doing it for 25 years now and I don’t really know too much else anymore so it’s where I am probably stuck, but it’s been quite successful over the years.

JS: How did you enter the WA market place from Victoria?

DV: I had quite a lot of luck. When we first started we put an advertisement in the local Melbourne racing calendar and lucky enough Brendan Clements who was based in Perth at that time called me asking if I would be interested in looking after him. Initially I didn’t see that working, but when I gave it a bit more thought there was no real reason why it couldn’t work. He mentioned he had a friend who he thought was a

really good jockey, but his communication skills were only average and that he would be worth a go. That jockey was Paul Harvey and at the time, while he had undoubted ability he wasn’t making the most of it.

JS: You really have a lot to thank Brendan Clements for?

DV: Without him none of this would have happened. The ironical thing was he had a couple of falls and in total I probably only looked after him for may be a month. It’s quite strange because with Paul I looked after him for 25 years. I think I have done a lot of good things right along the way, but also I’m not silly enough to realise I have also had a lot of luck and good fortune.

JS: Perth must hold a special place for you?

DV: One of the highlights has been how kind and accepting the people of Perth have been, that being owners and trainers. Pretty much from the start they have been fantastic and I have a lot of really good friends. The Melbourne industry is completely different. Through my work in Melbourne I can say I have made probably two good friends, whereas in Perth I quite comfortably can say that it’s probably up towards 40 or 50.

JS: Dale, tell us something about Willie that people don’t know?

DV: I think one of his greatest strengths is almost his disinterest in racing when he is not there. He has an amazing ability to just completely switch off. He is very interested in farming and basically living on the land and that type of thing. He is extremely professional and the fact that he doesn’t drink or smoke also certainly helps him. He is a fairly natural lightweight which makes him able to eat quite well and stay fairly strong. He has everything going for him to be where he is. He is not afraid to work and the other thing I respect him for is his loyalty. He hasn’t forgotten where he’s come from.

JS: Is he a person who is aware of his standing in racing?

DV: I really don’t think he cares. May be once he is finished he will and strangely enough I don’t think Paul (Harvey) cared about that either. It’s one of the things they shared in common.

JS: How would William go if he rode in Melbourne?

DV: He wouldn’t have a problem in the world. If he was able to adjust to the lifestyle in Melbourne or Sydney I have no doubt he could be number one in either state. And I think if Paul (Harvey) had been able to come over at the peak of his powers he would have been number one as well.

JS: Do you think William ever considers making the move?

DV: In Melbourne it’s extremely tough and relentless. I think William’s lifestyle with his farms and two young kids I don’t think he would want to give it up in a hurry.

Former star jockey Paul Harvey


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