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The Aussie invasion
10th June 2008
On Saturday morning we had a mini Aussie invasion with at one point the Australians in the office outnumbering the Brits six to one. The visitors included Danny Power (pictured below, left, with Jeremy) who worked as Racing Manger to Lee Freedman, famous for sending out winners like Makybe Diva and Miss Andretti. He is also a racing journalist and bloodstock agent who bought Doreimus who famously went on to win the Melbourne Cup. Danny cast his expert eye over a selection of our two year olds and was excited by all of them. To quote one of his favourite phrases: "you've got a few cracker's here Jeremy". He and Jeremy are old friends and took the opportunity to catch up over the weekend. It is always nice to get expert opinions on the horses we have here and the fact that we have had nothing but positive feedback about our two year old string makes us even more excited about getting them to the racetrack. Also visiting us was Australian trainer, Bill Smart, who is based at Oakbank in the Adelaide Hills. Bill was very impressed with all the facilities here and was particularly interested in the Seawalker.
The new barn is now just about complete (the picture below was taken yesterday) and is being readied for the horses to move into. With our stabling capacity now increased to 70, Jeremy is looking forward to his imminent trip to Australia where he is due to look at some very exciting horses to purchase. He'll be gone from mid-month for around two weeks.
Once you have got to know someone in a certain capacity it is often difficult to imagine them doing something totally different. Everyone at the yard knows Jeremy used to be a well-regarded professional Aussie Rules Football player but he has taken some ribbing about how true it is. He was therefore delighted this week to be able to leave copies of The Herald Sun, one of the major newspapers in Australia, lying around open at the page featuring the 'class of 1990'. An article has been written about the 1990 All Australian Teal Cup team, (now the Australian footy championship) and there in his kit in the front row is a young Jeremy (he is number 3). The article also features interviews with four players, including Jeremy, about what they are doing now. One of the players even names Jeremy as 'the standout player in the team'. He is the first to admit that he has always been fiercely competitive and he has taken that drive with him from football, which he was forced to retire from aged 20 through injury, to horseracing.
It has been a slow few weeks on the racing front as a few horses on the farm have been under the weather. The horses are back working now and are in terrific form (pictured below are Hopeful Purchase and Street Power galloping this morning).We expect to be racing by the end of this month.
The member of staff I'm introducing you to this week is Amy Jones. Amy, 18, is a qualified riding instructor who has worked for us as a work rider for about three months now. She took on the challenge of offering a home to one of our trickier ex-racehorses, Cap Classique, who she does a lot of flatwork and jumping with. One of her regular rides is Monticelli who she loves riding and gets along well with. Amy is pictured below with our Kings Best filly.
