Ontrack Thoroughbreds main Gold Coast trainer Toby Edmonds will start the new racing season in a partnership with his son Trent.
As the 2018-19 season winds down, Toby Edmonds share second place on the Queensland metropolitan premiership with 47 winners and today he announced a new partnership with Trent to take effect from August 1. In announcing the new arrangement, Toby Edmonds said Edmonds Racing has been built on the strong foundations of loyal and supportive owners and loyal, hardworking staff. “As part of that Edmonds Racing philosophy, I’m thrilled to announce that effective 1 August I will be formally entering into a training partnership with my son Trent. “Trent has been back with me now full time for 7 years and has had extensive stints learning his craft both overseas and domestically including time at Darley (now Godolphin),” said Toby Edmonds. Ontrack Thoroughbreds Managing Director Grant Morgan welcomed the news. “I’m firmly in the camp that believes training partnerships are the future blueprint the industry must follow. “Racing is a seven day a week business that operates day and night in some states and it’s virtually impossible for one person to keep up with the demands of the industry these days. “With trainers campaigning more horses across more venues on a regular basis, training partnerships are the only way for trainers to obtain some sort of balance between work and their private lives. “It’s not coincidence that Ontrack now has horses with a range of training partnerships such as Hawkes Racing, Mick Price and Michael Kent, Meagher Racing and Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. “We believe the emergence of more training partnerships is in the best interests of those directly involved and also our horses and of course our clients who race these horses,” said Grant Morgan. Ontrack Thoroughbreds’ powerhouse sprinter Tavisan returned to the races with a brilliant 1000 metres win at Sandown. The son of Tavistock had been gelded since a lucrative spring campaign and the Sandown win came at his first start since failing in a Group Two race at Caulfield in February. Ontrack Managing Director Grant Morgan said it was great to see the horse return to winning form. “He came over from New Zealand with a big reputation and lived up to it when he won his maiden at his first Aussie start. “He went on to place second to subsequent Group One winner Brutal in the Listed McKenzie Stakes and was also placed in Black Type races at Flemington and Caulfield before failing to stay in the Caulfield Guineas. “That spring form was as a colt, but he lost his way and we decided to geld him after he failed in February and Sandown was the chance for him to get back to form and he duly delivered. “Though he’s a son of Tavistock who is a stallion who gets stayers, this bloke is a sprinter and that’s where he’ll be aimed this campaign,” said Grant Morgan. Tavisan was purchased out of the Karaka Premier Sale in New Zealand and had his early education with young Kiwi trainer Jacob McKay. “Jacob was convinced he was a good horse and was so bullish about this bloke that he convinced us to run him in New Zealand and he raced well without a lot of luck. “Since coming to Australia, Tavisan has proved Jacob right and there’s plenty of upside now that he’s got his confidence back,” said Grant Morgan. Tavisan is trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent Junior at Caulfield and the partners were confident of the Sandown win. “He’s come back really well this time in and his trials and trackwork have suggested that he would come out and race like that. “It’s good when they run up to their work at home and now that he’s regained winning form, he can aim a bit higher and there’s a couple of black type races pencilled in for him,” said Michael Kent. Congratulations to our owners: Ontrack Thoroughbreds No 1 Syndicate, Phoenix Thoroughbreds, Adrian Abrecht, Jim Lagos, Lewis Prince, Eric Newsome, David Worthley, Vin Harink, Mark Snowden, Mark Ostermeyer, Neil Evison, Mark Horn, Lisa Saxton, Bebe Mawer. Meagher Racing scored a city double when Handsome Thief and New Horizons appreciated the heavy track conditions at Doomben on Saturday. Trainers John Meagher and his son Chris operate stables at Eagle Farm and Mornington and Saturday’s winning double took their tally of Queensland metropolitan winners to seven. Handsome Thief and New Horizons are raced by Waratah Bloodstock and along with Ontrack Thoroughbreds, they are the biggest supporters of the stable. Senior partner John Meagher was at Doomben on Saturday to watch the winning performances and was not far away from witnessing a hat-trick as stablemate Lucky Prospector also ran second. “"It was a super day, and a lot of credit must go to stable foreman Andy Kermond and the staff in Brisbane who are all extremely dedicated and do a fantastic job with the horses here,” said John Meagher. “Handsome Thief has had quite a few issues and we have put a lot of time in to get him right and it showed today, with the softer track definitely helping. “Also it was great that we were able to give Jeff Lloyd a winner so close to his retirement as we have had much success together over the years. “Many thanks again to Paul Fudge and the team at Waratah for their ongoing support and it was great to have another winner for them," said John Meagher Ontrack Thoroughbreds is welcoming the major stakes boost for New South Wales country carnivals.
Racing New South Wales is increasing the total stakes money at country meetings to $81 million next season and that represents an increase of $48 million since 2012. The increases are effective from August 1. Ontrack Thoroughbreds Managing Director Grant Morgan welcomed the massive stakes increase and said anything that helps attracts owners is “fantastic news” for the racing industry. “Ontrack has horses with many prominent New South Wales stables and news that there are going to be eight feature country cups worth $200,000 from August 1 is fantastic. “Clubs such as Grafton, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour and Lismore are in line to benefit and these are venues that are also accessible to our trainers in South East Queensland. “You could say that there’s never been a better time to own horses trained in New South Wales or South East Queensland. “Travelling horses to venues such as Grafton, Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie gets better as the highways serving these places come in for major upgrades. An example is the Woolgoolga to Ballina project which will see 155 kilometres of four lane divided highway and this is now 60% complete. “Being able to target carnivals in these Northern New South Wales venues will be welcomed by our owners and it’s part of the reason we have placed horses with leading stables such as Hawkes Racing, Kris Lees and Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. “Not only can owners have horses race for $125,000 every Saturday in Sydney, they can compete in 40 Showcase meetings around the state where the minimum stake is $40,000, but there will be a large number of $200,000 races carded. “At the end of the day it is owners who put their hands in their pockets day after day to keep our industry afloat, so it’s fantastic news to see them presented with the prospect of greater returns,” said Grant Morgan. |
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