Top Stories of 2021

Compiled by TDN AusNZ

Cover image courtesy of Stephen Mowbray

The thoroughbred industry again defied the prevailing global mood in 2021, with outstanding performances in the paddock, in the sales ring and significantly on the track. We followed it all here at TDN AusNZ and strived to keep you informed and entertained along the jounrney.

As 2022 begins, we thought it was the ideal time to reflect on the most-read stories in TDN AusNZ over the past 12 months. A mixture of news, in-depth features, interviews, and everything in between.

Topping the list was an exclusive interview with leviathan American owner Sol Kumin, whose first investment in Australia came through the star sprinting colt Profiteer (Capitalist).

1. Profiteer a perfect path into Australia for Sol Kumin, by Bren O'Brien, September 6, 2021

"When these guys bought Profiteer, they called and said we’ve got some room in this one, I think he'd be a good first one for you, and he has been. It's been a blast, I'm totally psyched." - Sol Kumin.

2. Randwick Forum brainstorms the workforce crisis, by Jessica Owers, April 28, 2021

“The thing I love about this most is that it has brought six countries together to share ideas in an industry which, if we’re honest, is full of factions. When those factions come together and unite, my goodness this is a powerful sport.” - ITV racing commentator Ed Chamberlin.

3. The Byerley Turk line set to vanish from Australia, by Jessica Owers, July 2, 2021

“I think when you look at the three original foundation sires, the Byerley Turk brought spirit and courage to the thoroughbred. The Godolphin Arabian, among other things, brought toughness and soundness. And those are the traits that appear to be carried on because the Byerley Turk horses tend to be a little on the hot side.” - Suzi Prichard-Jones

4. Celebrity stud-staff cutting to the chase in Scone event, by Jessica Owers, April 14, 2021

“We’d been looking for quite some time in the cutting industry for a way to involve other parts of the horse industry. When we thought about having the Stud Challenge, we thought we could go a step further and take some of these off-track thoroughbreds and show people that they have cattle sense and that they’re athletic enough to do the jobs that stock horses and quarter horses do.” - Link Baumann

5. New frontier for the Freedman name in Queensland, by Jessica Owers, April 22, 2021

“It probably seems like I’ve moved around a bit, but most of that has been in the last 10 years. This is a move that will hopefully be my last, and I’ll make this my base now and see how it runs.” - Lee Freedman

6. State Of Rest: from the hills of Ireland to the Valley of stars, by Bren O'Brien, October 25, 2021

"We were very nervous. It’s not every day you have a horse that you bred in the hills of Ireland that ends up at Moonee Valley. We could see he was going well in the race and as they turned for home, he took that gap and we just hoped he'd last." - Dermot Cantillon

7. A romantic Yearning in the Thousand Guineas, by Jessica Owers, October 14, 2021

“I ended up putting her to a dozen people, but it’s hard to sell sometimes. I put her to my accountant, and bless him, he was very good in supporting me. And then I ended up retaining a piece of her. Even my mum thought she might have 25 per cent in her at one stage. I’d say that 25 per cent is probably worth a million bucks now, so she’ll be kicking herself.” - Andrew Williams

8. Scarborough's special siblings starring on the track and in the barn, by Bren O'Brien, September 16, 2021

"Magna Grecia is the only son of Invincible Spirit to win Group 1s at both two and three years – a 2000 Guineas winner out of a Galileo mare just like exciting young sire Night Of Thunder – and an outstanding physical specimen." - John Kennedy, Coolmore