Our nomination for Owner of the month for August is Lynda Elies, part owner of Gigabyte winner of both the Port Augusta and Whyalla Cups. Like both of last month’s nominees Gigabyte is owned by an all ladies syndicate. One of the syndicate members Colleen Manning takes up the story for us: To quote Terry McAuliffe Gigabyte is ‘ a great big strong son of Fastnet Rock’ – and we love him! Gigabyte is owned by an all-girl syndicate formed by Colleen Manning with her great friends Lynda Elies, Dianne Fullerton, Keryn Hilder & Leanne Press; daughters Virginia Chambers, Johanna Manning and Bridie McArdle; and sisters Ann Marie Pick, Sharon Rankin & Fiona Morgan. Five members live in Port Augusta and the rest live in country South Australia – spread from Saddleworth to Coober Pedy. The syndicate came about because we were all fans of thoroughbred racing. We had enjoyed many seasons watching and cheering our husbands’ or fathers’ horses race and we thought it was about time we had a horse of our own. We purchased Gigabyte in February 2013. Our trainer Darren Bonetti (Port Augusta) sourced him on our behalf from Danny O’Brien’s stables in Victoria. He wasn’t up to Metro standard over there but Darren thought Gigabyte could do well for us at Port Augusta. Darren was right! Gigabyte had a great first campaign. He had six starts at Port Augusta in 2013 and was unplaced only once. We were on top of the moon! The following year started quite slowly with Gigabyte running in Adelaide for a couple of starts but he was not really very happy about racing. In fact, 2014 was a pretty ordinary year for Gigabyte with many injuries.  Darren has always had great faith in this horse and followed Vets advice to spell him for a full year to get Gigabyte right. After a 60 week spell we were VERY excited to have him back racing again for the Port Augusta 2015 season. However, Gigabyte somehow managed to kick himself in the stable and was scratched the morning of the first meeting. Darren had him all ready to start again at the 3rd Port Augusta meeting. We often say that watching Gigabyte race is like watching your own child compete. We just want him to try hard and not get injured. He did try very hard in that 1200m race and came home 3rd. We were thrilled and Darren said he badly needed the run. He had 2 more starts, one 1100m at Hawker – he came 6th and another 1396m at Port Augusta – where he came 5th. After that race Darren said he had a plan, he thought that Gigabyte, with his great burst of speed at the start of every race and good constant pace throughout the remainder of the race, needed more ground. Darren is not only the trainer but the track work rider, strapper and everything else. He really knows his horses, so we all said “OK Darren.” Gigabyte entered the 1867m McDouall Peak Squatters Cup on Sunday 21st of June. He ran a great race, he burst out of the barrier, went straight to the front and led them all home into the straight. He did get caught in the straight and ended up a very admirable second, we were all over-joyed. Darren said he thought even more ground would suit and he said he was nominating Gigabyte for the 2015 City of Port Augusta Cup. On Cup day we were all beside ourselves with excitement and tried hard to keep it contained but failed miserably, Darren told us “Don’t worry, he’s going OK. We might need a bit of luck but he’s trained really well and the plan is – they’ll have to catch him.” Gigabyte not only won the 2300m 2015 City of Port Augusta Cup – he ran the others ragged and won by 3 ½ lengths – Siggy Carr and Gigabyte stole it right from under their noses. He led from go to whoa AND broke the track record. The feeling was unbelievable. Joy, elation, disbelief, pride, jubilation……… Darren then told us he would naturally be running in the City of Whyalla Cup a fortnight later. We were just as excited but it was a shorter race – 1867m and we did not want to expect too much of our Champ. However, the Gigabyte and Siggy Carr combination did it again! They led from go to whoa and took out the 2015 City of Whyalla Cup, winning by ¾ of a length! For this group of country ladies, who just love their horse and enjoy the fun and the friendships that thoroughbred racing brings, 2015 will be remembered as the Year of Gigabyte! Congratulations ladies, a great story – Gigabyte ended up winning The Adelaide Galvanising Industries Outback Cups Championship for 2015 by two points from noted outback cups performer Al Chicago. This series comprises the Hawker; Quorn; Port Augusta; Whyalla and Roxby Downs Cups however this year the Quorn meeting was abandoned due to the state of the track

We had two very solid nominations this month from two of our lady members and quite strangely they were both for horses that are owned by all female syndicates. The nominations were from Marilyn Shepherd for their filly Heartz Ablaze and the other from JoAnne Miller for Nutherbottlegonski, both had great stories to tell but we finally slected JoAnne as the horse was her first metro winner after more than 20 years in racing. JoAnne’s nomination follows: I would like to nominate myself for owner of the month for June for the win of my horse Nutherbottlegonski in the Drink Driving?  Grow Up 3yo Maiden Plate at Morphettville Parks on Saturday, June 20. At the 2013 Adelaide Magic Millions Yearling Sales, Lloyd Kennewell was on the lookout for a yearling to purchase with the plan to form a ‘Girls Only’ Syndicate.  He subsequently bought Lot 288 a chestnut colt by Gonski out of Symmetrical Star (by Zedative) who now races as Nutherbottlegonski (an indication of what happened when we got together to name him and of our hopes for many wins to celebrate!).  When I became one of the 16 members of the ‘Girls Only’ Syndicate Nutherbottlegonski became the 13th racehorse in which I have had an interest during my 20+ years of involvement in racing. And when he won at Morphettville Parks on June 20 he became my first every city winner!! He was first up that day, drew barrier 12, travelled wide, hung on the corner, but under the wonderful riding of Joe Bowditch prevailed on the line to win by a head. A wonderful day in the winter sunshine – with my thanks to Team Kennewell, Joe Bowditch and of course, Nutherbottlegonski for a dream come true! When I spoke to JoAnne about her win she also advised me that Nutherbottlegonski won on the first day she had been to the races since the passing of her long time racing friend and SAROA member Tom Butler, so that the day had a sentimental aspect for her. Good luck to the ladies in both Nutherbottlegonski and Heartz Ablaze, we hope the future will be full of wins for both groups.

Nominated this month was Gary Gifford part owner of three winners during May. These were Dark Image, Redeem Bounty and Loqueteux. Gary told this about his horses and his involvement in racing: Horse Details        Dark image (Dane Shadow-Brown Eyed Girl) is a lightly raced 3yo gelding, trained by Mark Minervini – 4 starts, 1 win, 2-2nds and 1-3rd breaking his maiden at Gawler on the 7th May. He certainly looks too be a young horse on the rise.      Redeem Bounty (Nadeem-Sparkling Bounty) 4yo gelding, trained by Richard Jolly – 21 starts, 5wins, 4 – 2nds and 3-3rds is rarely too far away from the placings, especially when racing at his preferred track Morphettville Parks, 1400m. His win was particularly pleasing as we had targeted that race. It’s always nice when a plan results in success as it did with his win on the 23rd May over 1400m at Morphettville Parks.     Loqueteux (Al Maher-Joyful Glow) 3 yo gelding, trained by Richard Jolly – 12 starts, 1 win, 3-2nds and 2-3rds. It’s fair to say he has taken a while to work out and I think Richard has found the key to his success with his 5 length maiden win on the 27th May at Gawler. He has been more than a little frustrating as he has started close to favourite at a lot of his starts and has taken 12 races to break his maiden status. Hopefully he will now transfer that success through to Saturday grade racing I have had an interest in racing since my early teenage years commencing with riding track work for Brian Searle at Cheltenham and getting into trouble with his son Garry around the Picnic racing circuit. I have had an interest in the odd Galloper over the years however over the past 5 years it has become a major interest for my wife (Julie) and myself. We currently have active interests in a number of horses and have been fortunate enough to enjoy a fair degree of success. As a side note both Dark Image and Loqueteux will be racing against each other today along with Julies horse Alcobro in race 7. (Note this was on June 20th) That would make a great Trifecta and make a lot of racegoers in the Diva Bar very happy. Unfortunately the trifecta was not forthcoming with Dark Image doing best running second. We wish Gary and Julie all the best with these horses and others in which they have shareholdings.

Our Owner of the Month for April went to Kevin and June Pascoe for their horse Raise a Dream, here’s what Kevin had to say about his horse Raise a Dream, This five year old mare returned from 5 month spell running mid field in her return race. She then went to Oakbank on Easter Monday and ran in a 1400m race on a heavy track with a heavy down pour of rain during the race. Having started from barrier 7 she crossed the field & led from this barrier from start to finish. This has added to race record of nine wins in 35 starts & was her first Metro win. The mare then went to Murray Bridge in 1400m  heat of the Sprint Series & again led all the way for her 10th win in 36 starts.(She has racked up five wins at Murray Bridge, her home track & she has been ridden for 5 wins byJason Holder.) This allows her a start in the Final of a $100k race at Morphettville in May. The mare is out of Raise a Vain by the Champion Miler Falvelon &  is a half sister to Raise a Heart (who won 2 races from 8 starts before injury finish his racing career). The owners of this mare are Kevin & June Pascoe & Ivan & Rhonda Brook, as well as their daughters Julie Ann Grillett & Teena Glastonbury. This group of people have raced a number of horses with success over the past six years. Kevin & June also have other horses that they have bred including Halayr Jet (now back in work). The trainer of these horses Grant Young (former jockey) has done a great job breaking in & educating these horses to win races. We also thank Jason Holder for his efforts in winning races on all of our horses. Without a good team of people around a racing stable it is hard to be competitive. As hobby owners it allows us to enjoy the sport of Horse racing. Congratulations to Kevin and June, unfortunately the Sprint Final proved a bit tough for Raise a Dream.  It is great however, to see SA bred and raced horses with primarily provincial credentials getting the chance, via these types of series, to compete in $100,000 races on major city race days. SAROA continues to encourage TRSA to look at programming more of these race series as they cater almost exclusively for SA based horses and they attract big fields, both in the qualifying races and for the final.

Our Owner of the Month for March went to Bryan and June Terry for their horse Wilander Princess. Bryan supplied us with these comments on Wilander Princess. I purchased the horse at the Adelaide Magic Million Sales as yearling. I then went back to my wife June and told her we had just got another horse. I thought the filly  was a nice little racy type but June was not impresssed as she had not seen the horse. During the horse’s first preparation she was found to have a wind problem and to need throat surgery, and I now had a lot of weight on my shoulders. At her second preparation she showed a lot of promise and to my relief a lot of weight was lifted off me (Thank God !!). Wilander Princess has now had 2 wins, 2 seconds and 2 fourths from her 8 starts (with winnings now of just over $70,000) and of course she is now OUR HORSE! (Note Wilander Princess won her maiden at Murray Bridge before going on to win in the city on March) Although Wilander did not get many mares in foal most of the resulting foals have shown some ability. Our congratulations go to Bryan and June, who always seem to have a handy one going round. They also own Aussie Host by Host out of Check in Time (which they bred themselves) and which won a Murray Bridge maiden back in January. Wilander Princess is of course by Wilander out of Brave Accord (Kenny’ Best Pal) and the grand dam is Bravitian by that great old SA sire in Without Fear. Wilander is an interesting horse himself – he is out of the grand mare Scandinavia dam of four stakes winners including the successful stallion Magnus. Of course Scandinavia’s claims to fame do not stop there as she is also the dam of Helsinge thus making her the granddam of Group 1 winners Black Caviar and All too Hard as well as the promising stallion Moshe. Wilander was an excellent two and three year old sprinter winning three stakes races including the Schillaci stakes at Group 2 and accumulating prize money of over $350,000. He was retired to stud but fertility problems were such that he served only one season producing only 20 live foals. So far of those 20 foals, 13 have raced and 9 have won at least one race. The best to race so far are Nordic Eclipse and Nordic Empire who have both earned well over $100,000 for their connections. Unfortunately this writer’s own Wilander has proved to be one of his slowest sons unable to place from 7 starts.

This month’s award goes to Peter Katelanis for his three winners in the space of a week namely Easy Grand, Into the Mist and Don’t Doubt Mamma. Peter’s great week started with Easy Grand, a three year old gelding by Hotel Grand from Shack (Canny Lad), winning at Geelong over 1500 metres. Easy Grand is trained in Victoria by Peter Gelagotis Into the Mist by Redoute’s Choice out of De Lago Mist (Encosta De Lago) won at her first race track appearance at Gawler. She is trained for Peter by Tony McEvoy and was bred by Peter. Her dam De Lago Mist has foaled a stakes winner for Peter in the stunning grey stallion Instinction who now stands at Eliza Park’s Queensland stud. Peter has given his mare every chance to succeed as a brood mare having sent her to some of the cream of Australia’s stallions with Instinction being by Exceed and Excel, and the mare having delivered further foals by Foxwedge and by Exceed and Excel in addition she is now in foal to Golden Slipper winner Pierro. The third of Peter’s February wins was at Morphettville Parks when Don’t Doubt Mamma won a two year old race at her second start. She is by Not a Single Doubt from Coconut Mamma (Fantastic Light), and again the dam has left a stakes winner in Risen from Doubt – a full brother, also part owned by Peter. Coconut Mamma is regally bred being a great granddaughter via Joie of the amazing Denise’s Joy. For those who don’t know this is the family of Sunday Joy, Tuesday Joy and More Joyous. All three of Peter’s February winners are young horses and lightly raced – SAROA wishes him every success with these three and with his other horses.

Our Owner of the Month for January was Tiffany Hartwell who had three winners in one day at Port Lincoln when partner John MacMillan made the trip from Clayton Bay to the Eyre Peninsula for a day’s racing. Tiffany gave us some background on the three horses which follows: HURRICANE ANDY:  Bred by long time clients John and Meredith Sinclair, he is a half-brother to Moonee Valley winner Highness.  We purchased him at the Magic Millions Yearling sales in 2012 and syndicated him out, keeping 30%.  He ran second his first start at Morphettville then was disappointing at Oakbank and he was found to be a roarer.  He went to Ballarat to have a relatively new procedure where they graft nerves into one of the neck muscles (very basic explanation).  Since then he has had 3 runs for a 4th and 2 wins, so it obviously worked which is nice!  John decided to take him to Port Lincoln as being a maiden the race for him was SABOIS and being a 4yo sprinter he only gets one chance at claiming that.  JACKS JOURNEY: We bred along him with Ross Webb and a few other clients and he is a half-brother to Holy Guacamoley who John also trained.  He showed limited ability early in his career and was found to have chipped a knee. He had surgery to remove the bone chips and since then has gone on to win 4 races.  He is a good honest horse who always puts in 100% and you know every time he goes to the races he will try his hardest. HE’LL TELL US: Went well at Port Lincoln with his previous trainer before a short spell then joined us and was having his first run for us. I was lucky enough to be offered a share in him when he arrived and jumped at the chance. All 3 horses were ridden perfectly by Stable apprentice Eran Boyd (Jacks Journey and He’ll Tell Us) and Jamie Kah (Hurricane Andy) and of course trained to the minute and well placed by trainer John MacMillan who thankfully doesn’t mind a drive! Unfortunately I didn’t get to go over to Port Lincoln as I had to take Creance to Morphettville to race the following day where I just missed out on 4 winners for January when he ran second.