A quickfire round with Craig Rounsefell from Boomer Bloodstock.
TDN AusNZ: Favourite racing moment of 2020?
Craig Rounsefell: Hit The Road winning the Oceanside on opening day at Del Mar this year for my great mate Dan Blacker was a favourite. Due to Covid it was the first Del Mar carnival I have missed in 13 years and the first ever for my wife who has been going there since she was born.
Craig 'Boomer' Rounsefell
TDN AusNZ: And favourite non-racing moment?
CR: My second son Micah was born 10 days ago.
TDN AusNZ: Who is your favourite racehorse of this year?
CR: Sweet Deal is a favourite and this year she has really stood up. She is all heart and leaves everything on the track each time she steps out. Throughout the year she has won the Triscay, Toy Show and most recently the $1 million Hunter. She is owned by a lovely group of people and although there are some more talented horses out there, not many try harder and I love that in a horse.
Sweet Deal
TDN AusNZ: What is the best thing about starting the year with Magic Millions on the Gold Coast? Do you have a restaurant to recommend?
CR: One of the best things for me is I get to go home every night to my family as I live fairly close. In terms of restaurants, a little hole in the wall place McCall and I love is Wagyu-Ya on Chevron which was recommended to me many years ago by Sam Orton.
TDN AusNZ: Whose progeny have impressed you so far on your Magic Millions inspections?
CR: It is very clear that the mare quality to have visited Spirit Of Boom has dramatically increased his progeny’s physicals this year.
TDN AusNZ: Who is your favourite racehorse of the decade? Domestic and international.
CR: Zenyatta. In 2010 I travelled with two horses for my late father in-law Mike Mitchell to the Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs. We were stabled beside Zenyatta who not only was a champion racehorse but a real character.
All week leading up to the race she acted normally until race morning when she knew it was game day and she started her famous strut around the shed row and throughout the day leading up to the race. She was an amazing race mare winning 19 from 20 starts.
Watch: Zenyatta (USA) 'dancing' pre-race
TDN AusNZ: What do you consider the greatest sporting moment this decade (not solely racing related).
CR: Tiger Woods' win last year in the Masters was quite incredible after a decade in the wilderness. I used to love watching him play and then lost interest after his well publicised fall from grace although to come back from his personal issues and injuries was a great sporting feat. In racing it is hard to go past the amazing achievements of Winx.
TDN AusNZ: Who is the most under-rated stallion in Australasia?
CR: The Queenslander Spirit Of Boom.
Spirit of Boom | Standing at Eureka Stud
TDN AusNZ: What is your New Year's resolution for 2021? Can you remember your 2020 resolution? Did you achieve it?
CR: 2020: Get fit
2021: Stay fit. This is one thing in life Covid has made easier by not travelling back and forth to America many times throughout the year!
TDN AusNZ: What positive change would you like to see in the industry in 2021?
CR: It is very disappointing that the main race that captures the Australian public’s attention continues to let us down from a welfare perspective. That said, it gives me a lot of confidence to see the industry has solid representation at a board level to help lead that change.
