Racing is her life, and her ownership story is one we all dream about!
What does your Fred profile say?
My Fred profile simply says “racing is my life” and if you’d told me that a few years back I wouldn’t have believed you. But when I fell into a tiny share in a 2 x Group 2 winning filly as my first horse (Bring Me The Maid) I discovered a passion for ownership that has brought me so much joy. And it really is my life now, both personally and professionally.
Everyone has a story about getting into racehorse ownership - what's yours?
Oops, went a bit too soon there with question 1! I got into Bring Me The Maid through a colleague at the VRC, where I worked for about six years. I’d said no to a few offers before saying yes to this one and it was the best decision ever. Our little $105,000 yearling went on to win $825,000 in prizemoney and a few years later I cried when I watched her sell (for $900k!! as a Magic Millions broodmare). I still chat to Susan Archer from Arrowfield Stud (where she now lives) at every yearling sale to ask how she’s going, and Susan always has pics of her with her foals. It’s great to be able to keep that connection with her beyond racing.
What's been your most memorable experience as an owner so far?
I’m one of the very very lucky ones so it’s hard to choose! But Cup Week 2018 was the most amazing experience when Aristia won the Group 2 Wakeful and the Group 1 VRC Oaks within five days. Bring Me The Maid competed in many G1s but never got there, so it’s something I’d coveted for a long time and to experience it with some of my closest friends was incredible and will be very hard to top. I also got to lead her into the mounting yard at Flemington after the Oaks, and that’s something I’ll always be so grateful for.
If you could own any horse in the world (past or present) which one would it be?
I’ve got some pretty good ones, so I won’t be greedy. But definitely Tom Melbourne. I work part-time out at Living Legends and he is my absolute favourite. He’s gotten to know me now and every time I visit him he puts the biggest smooches on. I could stand in the paddock with him forever and just cuddle him. ### We know it's impossible to stop at one, so what's your ownership stable looking like now? I think it just went to nine yesterday… not quite sure how that happened and there are a couple of others where I’m a silent partner haha! But I’m the type of owner who likes having small shares in many horses, so that my interest are spread and the time between races is as short as possible. They are all here in Melbourne except for one darling Nicconi filly Don’t Say It, that I’ll be racing in Darwin with some girlfriends. ### How do you decide which horses to get involved with? There’s a fair bit of gut feeling in it for me. Because I get to see most of them at all the yearling sales sometimes one will just jump out at me and I have to have it. But I also listen carefully when people who know what they’re doing tell me that they like a certain horse. The rest is up to the racing gods.
Anything you didn’t know at the start of your ownership journey that you wished you knew?
I wish I knew how much I’d love being an owner. I would have done it much sooner!
