The day finally arrived when our beloved Donald (Startthefriar) made it to the starting gates at York, lining up in a 1100m 3yo maiden. Coming off a solid trial win and working the house down at home we were quietly confident but York is a quirky track and we were just happy to be there.
There is a large group of owners from all walks of life in Donald and many had made the trip. It's fair to say we owned the racecourse when race four runners were in the mounting yard. As it was my first starter in Lucky Duck Racing colour's I was getting nervous close to start time but Donald himself was glowing in the coat and relaxed as ever.
The starter opened the gates and as he has done at the trials he was tardy out much to my horror. Being a monster of a horse he covers the ground quickly and Clint Johnson-Porter recovered to have him midfield the fence after a couple of hundred metres. Turning for home the leader had kicked and other runners fanned wide to give chase. In what was a clinical ride Clint went through the inside then around the tiring leader and first past the post with something in hand. The race caller even commented "They're Happy Downstairs" as people watching must of thought we had won the Melbourne Cup. The only one not happy was probably the bookie on course who looked at the long line of syndicate members and friends waiting to collect.
After 1 minute and 4 seconds the journey from the yearling sales ring in June 2016 to racetrack debut in February 2018 was complete. I must admit feeling quietly content and pleased with myself after going out on a limb and selecting the horse myself. It wasn't all plain sailing, horses never are.
His first campaign was very promising. He won a 400m jumpout then went to the spelling paddock to give his knees time to develop. He was always going to be a late maturer and preaching patience to first time owners is not always easy. 2nd prep as an early 3yo started with a promising jumpout then two trials. Both trials were run in atrocious conditions and he was disappointing. Blood tests showed nothing major but he was flat and we tipped him out to look after him and let him recover. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise as after a good spell and some spring sunshine he grew even bigger and the rest is history.
The look on our faces post race is what racing is all about. Trainer Jason Miller and his team have done a remarkable job in looking after the horse and having him right on the day. You will not win every race you turn up to but to have a chance to experience it and be part of the whole journey is priceless.
If you would like info on our second horse Wayne, an unraced 2yo Patronize gelding who is a very nice type himself, fill out the show interest form on the racing page. He comes back into work soon and should be trialing in June. Donald has proven you don't have to spend big to be a winner. He is also much closer to racing then all the yearlings about to go under the hammer at this years Yearling Sales.
It's that time of the year again when buyers big and small play the lottery of buying yearlings, dreaming of owning the next champion of the turf and paying for an early retirement. There are several sales via auction around the country, all with different average selling prices. Magic Millions is the most recognizable, with sales held in most states of Australia. With so many lots on offer it can become overwhelming to newcomers so let's look at a few tips and info on how it all works.
Advantages of buying local; Most States have bonus schemes for yearlings bred locally. WA's Westspeed and NSW Bobs two prime examples. It is a no brainer for mine to race the horse wherever the scheme is eligible. Basically you double your prize money without being penalized by the handicapper.
Research Research Research; Before buying at an auction or a share of someone else' s yearling scrutinize the breeding thoroughly. There are a few different theories around the industry such as don't buy a mare's first foal or anything after numbers 6-7. Of course they are not foolproof. Personally I wouldn't buy a Blackfriars filly as all the really good ones are males. The mares side are more important as the top sires have hundreds even thousands of yearlings each year and there are plenty of them running around in bush maidens. You can pretty much ignore it's race record as plenty of well bred horses that flopped at the races have produced good horses from their bloodlines. Before selecting/buying my first yearling last year I have spent years practicing by selecting a shortlist, estimating their worth and creating a spreadsheet with their actual selling price. I then try and follow their careers and record their prize money.
Stick to your Budget; Auctions can be dangerous when the adrenaline is pumping. Remember the hammer price is usually plus GST. If you are on a small budget (relative speaking), pick lots that are likely to be in your price range. If a blueblood is not attracting many bids there is usually a reason. It will have a reserve price or it's xray's might show a deficiency. While horse's don't know their price tag and many bargains have gone on to glory such as Yankee Rose (10K), with prizemoney on offer these days you only have to win or even place in a few midweeks to pay the bills and make a profit. The real expensive ones are usually bought by studs for the future or the very best trainers with lot's of clients and have to win a stack of races just to pay for itself. The number one sin is buying a yearling purely because you missed out on the ones you came for. You can alway's approach the buyer and see if any shares are available.
After Hammer Costs; There is plenty to organise before you even start bidding. While you will find someone to agree to train your horse it maybe not who you had in mind. Bigger trainers especially have to like the horse and think it can race competitively in the city, smaller stables might be full. Ideally it's importantto get the trainer to inspect the yearling with you and get their opinion. If you don't have a trainer presale you need to havesomewhere for it to go. Most trainers send them to particular agistment farms or breaker's but they don't take them home at this stage. Fall of Hammer Insurance is vital. I once had a share in a horse who had a float accident in the sales complex carpark! Many sales have feature races or series for horses bought at the particular auction. They are generally very good prizemoney. However if you don't want to nominate just in case, consider how likely your horse will be competitive or even racing by raceday. I didn't nominate with our "Donald" last year because it was obvious he was a late maturing type and probably 3 before he raced.
Lucky Duck Racing's 2017 Yearling Plan; 2016 saw us purchase our top pick of the Magic Millions Perth Winter sale. "Donald is going great guns and all partner's can't wait till he races later in the year. We aim to add to the stable at February's Perth Magic Millions. If your interested in joining a Lucky Duck Racing Partnership then fill out the show interest form on the horses (New Arrivals) page on the website so you are one of the first in line to receive info on what we came home with.
