Toward Reward Newsletter

Your update on all things TR

Welcome to a bumper edition of our newsletter, featuring a complete Spring recap for TR!

We have officially wrapped up what has been our most successful Spring carnival to date, closing out the carnival with a strike rate of 40% winners to runners and 80% placings to runners, for a total of just over $136K in prize money! November has been a great thrill, with 6 starters for a winner and four placings, and all but one at metro or stakes grade!

With a small team of just 6 horses, we are incredibly proud of what they have been able to achieve over the last few months, on some of the biggest days of the Caulfield and Flemington carnivals, and feature country cup days.

News

Statuario shines in the Spring!


After an unlucky but very promising debut, and a complete forget run second up at Sale where absolutely nothing went to plan, Statuario lined up in a 1400M maiden at Cranbourne with Damian Lane aboard. He jumped well but Lane opted to allow him to drift back where he was most comfortable, allowing the horse to switch off in the run. Lane then steered him into the clear on the turn, and unlocked a lethal turn of foot to run down his competitors to victory!

We resisted the temptation to send him straight to town, and instead looked to find a suitable race where we could get Lane back aboard to further the horses education, and try to get a little ratings boost in the process. We wanted to learn more about the horse, and opted to take on the older horses in a 0-64 1600M race back at Cranbourne.

Statuario drew barrier 15 in what looked on paper to be a race that had plenty of pace and would be run at a hot tempo. He jumped well, drifted back midfield spotting the leader 8L, and switched off nicely in the run. When approaching the turn, Lane gave him a little niggle and he responded well to round the turn wide and show us the same explosive turn of foot to take out the win. He set the fastest last 600M and 400M sectionals of the day, and gave the big group of owners on course plenty to celebrate!

It was then off to Caulfield to take on the 3YOs in the $150K BM70 over 1600M on the Wednesday of the Caulfield carnival. Statuario jumped from barrier 2 with Billy Egan aboard, but unfortunately found himself in a race not run to suit and had to be restrained when severely tightened for clear running in the last 50M to  finish 4th, just 1.9L back from the eventual G2 Wakeful and G1 VRC Oaks winner, Treasurethe Moment. 

The grand final came around quickly on Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington in the Listed $175K TAB Trophy in what looked on paper to be a very strong race, with plenty of last start winners, and a number of promising horses travelling down from NSW. We were thankfully unlucky enough to draw barrier 12 of 12, which is an ideal gate for this horse, and had Damian Lane back onboard after serving a 10-meeting suspension.

Statuario jumped well and was steered to the tail of the field to allow the horse to land where he is most comfortable and switch off at his first time over 1800M. All was going to plan until the tempo slackened at the 1400M mark, turning the race into a proper sit and sprint. When nearing the turn onto the straight, the leaders kicked and Statuario was found 7L back in last, with plenty of work to do, rounding the field 6L wide. When in clear air, he clicked into gear and switched on the afterburners, showing a devastating turn of foot to finish a gallant 2nd. He was the only horse on the day to run on down the outside to defy the pattern, and ran the 2nd fastest last 400M of the entire meeting. 

He went straight out to the paddock for a well-earned holiday, and to allow the horse the time he needs to further grow and develop.

Statuario was an $18K yearling purchase. Bring on the Autumn.

Register your interest in shares in our next draft of racehorses!

The yearling sale season is now only a couple of months away and the team at TR would love your continued support!

There will be opportunities for all budgets, whether you want a big share to yourself or want a smaller share between a big group of mates!

Experience the thrill of racehorse ownership by registering your interest in our next yearling purchases by clicking the image below and following the prompts. 


Paulartes knocks off her maiden in Tasmania!


The phrase 'bad luck' gets thrown around a lot in racing, but you'd do well to find one that comes close to that which the owners of Paulartes have experienced. She was involved in a very nasty fall on debut, just missing going down herself, starting her racing career in just about the worst way imaginable. When not racing in restricted room among other horses since her debut, drawing barriers that put her out of contention, or encountering bottomless tracks, she had always shown more than enough ability to win races here in Victoria, but it was becoming tricky to get the stars to align.

Our sole focus at TR is to give our horses their best opportunity of success, so we knew it was time to try something new and put it up for a vote to the ownership group. The tough decision was made to move stables at the start of the 24/25 racing season and relocate Paulartes to Tasmania, under the care of multiple G1 winning trainer Adam Trinder, of Trinder Racing. She has never thrived in a stable environment, and the facilities available at Adam's Latrobe property enabled the mare to be trained out of a lush green paddock, where she could work as normal in the morning, and have her head down all day having a pick of grass with a few stablemates between her normal hard feeds. This made a world of difference for the horse, and she has really come into her own with Adam and his team, who have done an amazing job with the mare since she arrived at the stable.

She was again unlucky not to win in her Tassie debut, spending just a few too many tickets early to take up the lead, and being found wanting late, first up over 1400M, to be run down by a wall of horses for 4th. There was never a need for concern next start back at the same track and trip next start, under a stellar ride by seasoned rider Kelvin Saunderson. She jumped well from the carpark draw, landed on pace, and kicked clear on the turn for a dominant maiden victory.

Tasmania is a fantastic option for horses that are just missing in Victoria and the prize money on offer is very appealing for the level of competition.

Congratulations again to the connections of Paulartes, who no doubt enjoyed a very patient and long-awaited win! 

It was certainly a 'I'm not crying, I have something in my eyes' moment, and an enormously sentimental win for the team at TR, having purchased her as just a baby weanling, and being one of the horses that helped us establish our business. Here's hoping that she is able to string a few nice races together now!


Papal Army builds nicely to a Derby trip!


Papal Army was poised to take his place as one of our Spring carnival contenders, having returned to the stable in fantastic order, and being back on an upward trajectory, but unfortunately picked up a nasty virus at the start of the Spring that set us back a good 7-8 weeks, ruling him out of all of the 3YO classics.

When back on track, and debuting at Cranbourne over 1300M with Billy Egan aboard, he had an agitated horse in the next stall push against the gates, making a sound which caused the horse to roll forward and anticipate the start, only to have the gates open at an inopportune time, causing him to miss the kick. Billy went straight to plan B and tracked the short price favourite through the run, which unfortunately turned out to be an absolute train wreck, laying in and out all over the place, causing interference to Papal Army on three separate occasions, and leaving the horse all locked up, with nowhere to go on the straight. To the horse's credit, he battled on when most would have the white flag out, and when clear for a run in the later stages of the race, he set the 2nd fastest last 200M of the entire meeting. It was easy to feel a tad frustrated, as it was more or less a track gallop, but this is racing.

It was then off to Moonee Valley for a 1600M maiden, where the horse was able to get away well and lead the small but competitive field. He switched off beautifully in the run but looked well out of his comfort zone nearing the turn, and looked to be on the wrong leg and like he may have run his race, but when straightening found another gear and stuck on well, particularly through the line, to just miss out on 3rd by a pixel in the photo. We couldn't help but be pleased with the result as he showed all the signs of a horse that was ready to take a step up in trip.

We then had to make a call on whether to target the $150K 2025M 3YO Stayers Classic on Cranbourne Cup day, or get the maiden out of the way, but with how he had improved out of his Valley run, and his work in the lead up, it became a no brainer to have a crack at the race. The weather gods were against us on the day, with 36 degrees and plenty of wind predicted, it certainly did not fill us with confidence with a horse that was likely to end up in the lead.

The horse maintained himself professionally in the mounting yard with the big crowd, handled the heat without issue, but did plenty wrong in the run while still learning the caper, to still stick on strong to finish 2nd. He did his best work late and was very strong through the line, suggesting that a Derby should be well and truly on the agenda. 

We will now look to target a race like the Tasmanian or South Australian Derby's, with a very exciting next few months to come for his loyal owners!


Updates

We now shift our focus to Christmas, NYE, and racing over the summer months!

Nuggies is now back in the stable and building nicely toward a jump out. We are thrilled to have her back in work and look forward to working her towards her maiden win and beyond.

Papal Army will now look to get the maiden out of the way and should be back at the races sometime in the next 3-4 weeks.

Paulartes will be heading back to Launceston for one of the Maiden/Class 1 races over 1600M at the start of December, where she will be incredibly tough to beat.

Pinero rounded out her first racing preparation defying the pattern at Kilmore to run home strong at her first time over 1457M. She is now out in the paddock enjoying a well-earned break and should make her return to the stable towards the end of December.

Rambition closed out his first prep with a 3rd placing at Echuca on Melbourne Cup day. He was a sure thing beat on debut, all locked up with nowhere to go, and wasn't given much of a chance at Echuca with how the race unfolded. He is also currently out in the paddock for at least another 2-3 weeks.

Statuario went straight to the paddock after his Cup Day efforts and has already done plenty of growing. He'll make his return to the stable towards the end of December. Below is a video we made of his maiden win for a bit of a laugh.


Highlights

Your horse is racing but you're on holidays? No problem!


When choosing our Spring highlights, we couldn't go past one of Statuario's owners celebrating his supurb win earlier in the Spring, and the applause by the entire pub was a nice touch! This is what it's all about! 👏

Catching up with owners throughout the Spring Carnival!


We are eternally grateful for your support and it has been an absolute blast catching up with you all throughout the Spring! Here are some of our favourite photos.