Winning a group race on the big stage is seen as the pinnacle of racing and for our trainers this rings true. However sometimes there are races that just mean so much more. Some races have brought owners, trainers and stable staff together for the most exciting ride of their lives. Can you pick which races might be the most exciting of these trainer’s careers?
Mick Price: Trainer of Shezawitness
Pushing nearly 2,000 career wins you might think it would be hard to find 3 special races in that career but Mick Price just keeps coming up with incredible wins. At a stable size of just 75 boxes Mick Price wins with fillies and colts, over all distances and during the biggest carnivals of the year. Three incredible wins from Mick are:
1: Flying Artie in the Coolmore Stud Stakes
After running second in the Blue Diamond Stakes and 3rd in the Golden Slipper, Flying Artie finally got his first of Group 1 glory as he took home the $500,000 Coolmore Stud Stakes. He drew barrier one and started at $10 against Extreme Choice, Star Turn, Russian Revolution and Astern but sprinted powerfully in the last 250m to beat Astern by 1 ¼ lengths.
2: Tarzino in the VRC Derby
The $1.5 million Victoria Derby had been a frustrating race for Caulfield trainer Mick Price but that was all forgotten on Saturday as the trainer finally went home a winner when Tarzino outstayed his rivals to take out the 2500m group 1 classic.
3: Grunt in the Australian Guineas
“He’s just a beautiful, big Flemington horse with a really good set of lungs on him.” From barrier 17 to 1st doing everything Oliver asked of him.
What it feels like to win with Mick Price:
David Hayes: Trainer of Zoushack
More than 90 Group 1 wins might make David Hayes and the Lindsay Park team seem almost unbeatable, David has even taken Group 1 wins overseas with Better Loosen Up in the Japan Cup – one of his all time favourites…
1: Japan Cup with Better Loosen Up
Winning 17 of his 45 starts, Better Loosen Up was named Australia’s champion racehorse in 1991 and inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2004. The win at the Japan Cup had to be up there with his very best finishes, with a withering burst to claim victory on the line and beat the “strongest field ever” as David Explains. Better Loosen Up became the first and only Australian horse to win the Japan Cup.
2: Melbourne Cup with Jeune 1994
David’s first even Melbourne Cup win in 1994 was an impressive victory with imported galloper Jeune taking it out by two lengths. By the end of the 1995-96 season David had won six Melbourne and five Adelaide metropolitan training premierships.
3: Golden Slipper with Miss Finland 2006
The Golden Slipper is the world’s richest race for two-year-olds and Australia’s premier two-year-old race, so it is understandable that as David says it’s “one of the races that all trainers want to win”. Miss Finland was a $6 chance prior to the 1200m race and motored up the inside of the final straight to win by 4.5 lengths ahead of Pure Energy ($43) and Churchill Downs ($7.20) who was also trained by David Hayes.
Troy Corstens: Trainer of Not a Single Doubt X Countess Dehere
It doesn’t get better than winning with an international hero and Starspangledbanner was a defining moment in Troy Corstens career. Even pre race the team were still playing a guessing game and pulling off the win makes it even sweeter. Troy however looks set to be building some new winners this season…
2: Ladbrokes Atlantic Jewel Stakes with Thrillster
It doesn’t get sweeter than training a Group 1 winner so when you then get to train their progeny and win it is euphoric! Thrillster’s dominant win in the Jewel Stakes was brilliant. View the race here.
miRunners trainers deliver some of the most exciting wins to the Australian public, and with their innovative model of ownership all Australians can be a part of this incredible industry.
You can become an owner with miRunners today for just $198 per unit in the Not a Single Doubt X Countess Dehere and $15 a month for the first unit and $5 for each additional unit.
