Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan

Royal Entrance is raced in a partnership which includes the familiar powerhouse owners, Newgate Farm, China Horse Club and Trilogy Racing, who, alongside Mitchell Bloodstock (FBAA), signed the docket for the colt at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale earlier in the year, paying breeders Arrowfield Stud $425,000 for the youngster.

After racing prominently throughout the race, the son of Snitzel was asked some serious questions when Denman Star (Denman) came to win his race, but Royal Entrance refused to give up, eventually beating him by 0.1.

Los Padres (Zoustar) was a further 0.2l away in third, while the winner’s stablemate Just Glamorous, a daughter of dual Group 1 winner Global Glamour (Star Witness) and US Triple Crown winner Justify (USA) was a further 0.5l away in third.

While the colt will likely need to bank more prizemoney to make the field for next month’s R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic, Bott said the lucrative event is very much on the radar for the colt.

“He got suitable conditions today (Wednesday), and with the inside draw, he had a fence to follow, which helped a lot. He is still a bit raw, a bit new, and needed every bit of urging by Regan (Bayliss, jockey) to get the best out of him,” said Bott, who saddled another two winners on Wednesday's Randwick card.

“He has had a good grounding with plenty of trials, so it was going to take a good fit horse to get over the top of him.

“(Magic Millions) is well and truly on the radar, and Henry Field is here today to see the colt and witness the win. The win gives us a potential path to get there.”

However, if he were to head north for the $2 million race, he would line up beside his G3 Gimcrack S.-winning filly Platinum Jubilee (Zoustar), who will look to further enhance her Magic Millions prospects when she tackles the Drinkwise Plate at Randwick on Saturday.

In Saturday’s 1100-metre contest, the daughter of Zoustar will clash with G3 Breeders’ Plate winner Empire Of Japan (Snitzel), who sports the same silks as Royal Entrance.

Strong start

It has been a good year for juveniles raced in partnerships which include the China Horse Club and Newgate Farm, with Teo Ah Khing’s operation is also in the ownership of Listed Debutant S. winner King’s Gambit (I Am Invincible) and Sovereign Fund (Capitalist), who emerged as a R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic candidate when he landed last week’s R. Listed Magic Millions Wyong 2YO Classic.

China Horse Club’s Australasian representative, Michael Smith, told TDN AusNZ he was delighted with the results so far this season.

“It has been a fantastic start to the season for our colts group, we’ve had four pre-Christmas 2-year-olds win races with three of those wins coming at stakes level,” Smith said. “It looks like a really good crop and long may it continue.”

Speaking about Royal Entrance specifically, Smith said, “He is a strong, square type and bred on the same cross as the Russian Revolution, who we had so much success with on the track with and is now shaping as a very promising young sire. Of course because of this we were attracted to the cross, but you have to have the physical as well - it all has to marry up.

“The mare has already produced a horse that was placed in the Todman, so she has shown she can get a high-quality 2-year-old, and the whole package made sense as far as physical and pedigree go. He looked like a horse that was going to get up and run early and he has.

“We will see how the horse comes through the race and sit down with Henry (Field) and Adrian and come up with a plan. We will have to win another race to get enough prizemoney to get into the Magic Millions so it’s just a matter of determining what the best option is and going from there.

“He will have gained a lot of confidence from today (Wednesday). Anytime a young horse can fight back and win tough like he did today, they tend to learn a lot from it. You can’t underestimate the value of courage in a racehorse and hopefully he has a bright future.”

Top-class pedigree

Royal Entrance is the fifth winner out of the unraced Stravinsky (USA) mare Ballet Blue and her progeny is headed by the colt’s winning and Group 3-placed three-quarter brother Tchaikovsky (Redoute’s Choice), while Royal Entrance is a brother to Listed-placed winner Smirnova.

Ballet Blue herself is a half-sister to Group 2 winner The Heavyweight (Zeditave) and the Listed-winning duo Happy Strike (Gold Fever {USA}) and Born Western (Western Symphony {NZ}). Further back this is the same family as Listed winners Malibu Style (Magnus), Excelorada (Exceed And Excel), Zedrich (Zeditave) and So Anyway (General Nediym).

In winning the race, Royal Entrance became the 11th winner from 13 runners for the Snitzel / Stravinsky cross and this nick is headed by Group 1 winner and now Newgate Farm resident, Russian Revolution, who was also raced by a similar partnership.

The colt becomes the third juvenile winner in Australia for Arrowfield Stud’s Snitzel, with the aforementioned Empire Of Japan and Serasana his others, while he has been represented by a pair of juvenile winners in New Zealand this season and they are spearheaded by Listed Counties Challenge S. winner Ethereal Star.

Since August 1, Snitzel has been in insatiable form, having sired 87 winners, headed by 12 stakes winners, which includes two black-type winners in New Zealand.

Snitzel will be represented by 46 yearlings at next month’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling which kicks off on January 10.

Garry Charny is about 24 hours into his appointment to the Board of Racing NSW. Admittedly, it’s early days for his two-year tenure, but his mind is open and his expectations in check.

“I haven’t even been to a board meeting,” he said, chatting with TDN AusNZ on Wednesday afternoon. “My appointment literally commenced yesterday (Tuesday) so I’m still very much in those early learning stages.”

As much as Charny is new to Racing NSW, he’s a veteran of the board room generally.

His appointment this week comes off the back of a long career in the corporate environment, namely as the chairman of Centuria Capital, an ASX 200-listed investment manager, and as the managing director and founder of Wolseley Corporate, an Australian corporate advisory and investment house.

These are heavy hitters in the financial industry. Centuria Capital has around $20.6 billion in assets under management, and Charny was elevated to its chairmanship in 2016. In an earlier life he was co-founder and chairman of the international media advisory firm Boost Media, and he was a practising barrister until 1995.

If these decorations weren’t enough, he was also an adjunct lecturer in law at the University of New South Wales.

“I’ve had a broad commercial background, no doubt about that,” Charny said. “But I’ve also been involved in the horse industry since 1985 when Betty Lane trained my first racehorse. It was horse called Rachel’s Chance that ran second as an odds-on favourite at Nowra.”

Rachel’s Chance was by Lucky Chance, a son of Star Kingdom (Ire). She raced 11 times for a win, a second and a third, earning total winnings of $1190 on the track, which was enough to hook Garry Charny.

“I’ve been lucky enough to be involved in the industry on and off ever since,” he said. “What is it that Gerry Harvey always says to me, that I’ve become a racing tragic? I’ll happily put my hand up to that.”

Giving back

Charny’s bloodstock interests are in the shape of Belannah Stud, his company name for his portfolio of 17 or so breeding mares that he owns, or in which he owns a share.

He’s been involved in breeding for about 30 years, partnering with the likes of Duncan Grimley for just about that long, and all bar one of his mares (who’s in England) are based in Scone.

Belannah Stud is named after his daughters, Isabel and Hannah, one of whom is a lawyer in New York and the other helming a successful start-up business. Only one of his girls is into racing.

Charny lives in Sydney’s east and has been married for 30 years, and he’s a steady, successful and interesting character. He is bubbly about his appointment to the Board of Racing NSW, clearly grateful for an opportunity to delve deeper into the sport he loves.

“What can I bring to my appointment?” he said. “I think I’ve got a good depth of experience across a number of sectors, and luckily enough I’ve had a connection with the horse industry for a long time. Hopefully the Board will see that as an advantage.”

It’s not unusual for high achievers to matriculate into racing administration, but for Charny, the opportunity to join the Board was less about promotion and more about giving back.

“I’ll be candid,” he said. “When I turned 60, things had worked out pretty well in my life and I wanted to find ways to put something back into some areas. And since the horse industry, and the breeding industry, had always been close to my heart, I thought that would be a good opportunity to do so.

“When that opportunity came to put my name forward to the Board, I thought I’d like to do it because I wanted to give something back. That’s what it was about for me, personally.”

For Charny, his new appointment will spell a much broader involvement in the state’s racing picture, and he’s looking forward to that.

“I think my attention will be turned to a broader landscape,” he said. “I haven’t been actively involved in country racing, for example, other than having the odd horse race there. But country racing is a vital part of Racing NSW, so there are sectors like that that I’ll now be looking at.

“Also, there’s a whole lot of issues that Racing NSW deals with that I’ve never had to deal with, so yes, it will be a different focus for me professionally and personally.”

Charny isn’t new to racing administration. For the best part of a decade, he was on the Magic Millions advisory board, so he’s scripted in many of the things he’s likely to run into during his tenure.

He’s also looking forward to soaking up all aspects of what he’s likely to run into, and that is thanks to his general obsession with horses.

“I’ve really never seen things from the Racing NSW perspective as an overseer of the entire state’s industry,” he said. “Anything to do with thoroughbreds though, I enjoy, so I’m really looking forward to that opportunity to just put something back in.”

First day on the job

As things stand in New South Wales, Charny couldn’t have leaped onto the Board at a better time. Racing in the state is in good fettle and he knows it.

“Things are flying, but there are always things that can be improved upon," Charny said.

"There are always people with needs in the industry, from new stables to the Group racing issues, the pattern committee and so on. There are always issues to talk about.”

Sitting on the Board of Racing NSW will mean a monthly meeting for Charny. He says it’s not unlike any other statutory body or corporation where issues are brought up through management and discussed.

“The Board makes the high-level decisions about things like funds are allocated and where funds are allocated to,” Charny said. “How we progress things as a matter of principle, how we deal with the other states… these are all things that are handled by the Board.

“And then of course there’s getting to meet all the stakeholders, which in itself is a big job because that’s across all of New South Wales. I’ve probably been very Sydney-centric, just in my own personal interests, and now it’s going to be a far broader remit.”

It’s a spectrum that Charny is looking forward to, especially in the shadows of a brand-new year. Just a day into his new role, he has a briefing folder on his desk that is awaiting his attention on what is basically his first day on the job.

“I’ve got a bit to learn about the day-to-day operations of Racing NSW,” he said. “But I will say this. This industry has given me so much pleasure over the years. Some of my best friends are in it, and I know I keep saying it, but to give something back is really important to me. It will be a lot of work but I don’t mind that.”

Cover image courtesy of Racing Photos

If the post-race scenes at The Valley on December 16 are any indication, the Gold Coast will be the scene of one almighty party if the Ben and JD Hayes-trained Croatian Belle (Brazen Beau) can add her name to the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic honour roll in a little over three weeks’ time.

Bred by Gerry Harvey, Croatian Belle is a 2-year-old filly from the winless High Chaparral (Ire) mare Croatian that was purchased by her trainers for $130,000 at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the Baramul Stud draft. She is raced by an all-female syndicate headed by Ben Hayes’ partner Grace Ramage, who is the racing and client liaison for Lindsay Park Racing.

Croatian Belle put herself in the mix for the January 14, R. Listed scamper, when winning impressively on debut, much to the delight of her 33 owners, who rightfully celebrated as if they’d won the G1 Cox Plate.

Ramage, who was on course and working for Racing.com the night Croatian Belle registered her 2l victory, told TDN AusNZ it was one of the biggest thrills she has experienced during her time in the sport, right alongside Mr Brightside’s (NZ) (Bullbars) triumph in the G1 Doncaster Mile at Randwick in April.

“How do you explain, it? It was just so rewarding, as most of my job is when we have good success, but in particular this one because of the fact that we had gathered 33 individual female owners,” Ramage said.

“We didn’t really have any expectations as to what she was going to do and then she comes out and wins like that – it was really impressive and you can only beat what you’re up against and that’s what she did – so, it was just perfect.

“It was this time last year that we were talking to the girls that are in Croatian Belle and explaining what we were going to do and explaining the type of horse we were going to buy and outlining what our goals are, and then to have it pretty much go to plan, it’s a great reward and really satisfying. It was so much fun to have these girls come on that experience.”

Ramage explained that Croatian Belle’s large ownership group comprises new and existing clients and from the outset, they are included on the journey with education about racing generally and their filly specifically, all while having a hell of a lot of fun.

“At that price point of $130,000, quite a few of the owners have one per cent, some of them have two, some have two-and-a-half, and then a couple have five per cent,” said Ramage.

“It was a real focus on putting a group of girls together for the social aspect and also to learn more about the training of horses and racing horses, and then to be able to put that group of girls together… we’ve entertained them through events throughout the year, so they all knew each other going into Croatian Belle’s first start.”

Girls go racing – and cash-in

Croatian Belle is the second of six yearlings Lindsay Park bought this year specifically to target Magic Millions and Inglis female-only bonuses schemes. Stablemate Arkansaw Kid (Harry Angel {Ire}) – a $190,000 buy from the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale - also won on debut, taking out the R. Listed Listed Inglis Banner on Cox Plate day, landing a $200,000 ‘Pink Bonus’ in addition to the $302,000 winner’s cheque.

“As well as Croatian Belle, we’ve got an Inglis womens' Pink Bonus horse (Arkansaw Kid); there’s amazing girls in her that had the best time ever when she won on debut on Cox Plate Day,” Ramage commented.

“So, it’s been a bit of a dream start for the 2022 ladies’ horses; we’ve had two runners, for two winners.

“We’ve got Croatian Belle potentially going to the Gold Coast for the Magic Millions and the Inglis Millennium is certainly on the agenda for Arkansaw Kid.”

In 2023, a $500,000 bonus will be distributed to the connections of the first four ‘all-female owned or leased horses’ in the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic, with the first runner across the line earning their connections $325,000, as well as a $3000 trophy.

The 2023 R. Listed Inglis Millennium, meanwhile, which will be run at Randwick on February 11, carries a $400,000 bonus to the first eligible horse home.

“This is a result of what myself and Jenny McAlpine (public relations consultant at Lindsay Park) have been doing, for me the past year, but for Jenny, since the Magic Millions Ladies’ Bonus Scheme started a decade or so ago,” Ramage commented.

“Jenny has been focusing on this and has been a huge supporter of that scheme. Jenny does such an amazing job in hosting them regularly and that social element again of getting to know each other and building that community within the Lindsay Park stable for the female owners.

“Now, I suppose, I’m learning off her (Jenny) and we’ve bought it down to a new price point which is very inclusive for anyone; you don’t have to take a five per cent share, you can take less than that and have just as much fun.

“We’ve have got great female owners that each year are really keen to-re-invest and buy into a new girls’ horse at the yearling sales, and now our focus isn’t just Magics, we have Inglis as well with their big bonus series.

“We’ve done a lot of marketing and a lot of social media campaigning, especially leading into the 2022 sales and again this year (for the 2023 sales) around just getting that awareness out there that you can have a lot of fun and race for really good prizemoney. It’s a real no-brainer.

“With Croatian Belle, most of the owners haven’t been in the Lindsay Park system, they just saw the marketing and social media campaigning and thought it looked like a lot of fun… they’re all pretty-much hooked now.”

Building upon a solid foundation

With the 2023 sales season just around the corner, Ramage said the stable will be buying more yearlings for all-female syndicates.

And considering the achievements of Arkansaw Kid and Croatian Belle, there should be shortage of interest.

“We will be heavily focused at Magic Millions and Inglis equally to be buying ladies’ horses and especially with the mindset of groups of getting like-minded women together,” Ramage said.

“It’s a real community that we’re trying to build and the great part is that when I’m talking to prospective clients, I’m not talking to husbands, I’m talking to the girls. Maybe back in the day it was husbands in their wives’ names, now I don’t speak to any husbands at all, it’s just the girl, which is amazing.”

And there may be more success during the week of the first sale of the year, with Croatian Belle, whose Exceedance half-sister will go through the ring at Bundall as Lot 1066, set to contest the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic, should she make the field (she is currently 25th in the order of entry).

“She’s going to run either at The Valley on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day at Flemington; we’ll just go to the race where she’s got the best chance of securing the most amount of prizemoney to get into the field,” Rammage explained.

“If she was to win and if she is to get enough prizemoney, she will be heading up there for sure. There will be 33 ladies and their family and friends booking last-minute flights to the Gold Coast, which will be amazing.”

Making good use of a deep love of racing

Whether it be watching her on television, listening to her podcast, or chatting to her face-to-face, Ramage’s passion for the sport is most evident. She admits it’s in the blood, with racing being the sport of choice for her family.

“We’ve always owned racehorses and I’ve always followed racing. I’ve just been a crazy horseracing girl forever, basically. I idolised females in racing like Clare Bird, the strapper of Sunline, and Sheila Laxon, who trained Ethereal to win the Cups double. I looked up to them and wanted to follow in their footsteps,” said Ramage.

“At university, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I got a job at (accounting firm) Ernst And Young and was there for 18 months, but I knew I wanted to work in racing and then I got the job at Racing.com.

“It’s always been my passion.”

Ramage has been a welcome addition to the industry, drawing upon her experiences to help attract people, especially females, to the sport she loves.

It’s her view that those that aren’t around or introduced to racing from a young age can often slip through the cracks, so education and awareness is key. She believes 'there’s plenty of women that are already on the hook, but need to know more', and when they’re in the door, the opportunities are endless.

Ramage said: “What I’m really passionate is trying to get girls to understand racing better, so they can get more enjoyment from the sport, and that ties in nicely with my podcast, ‘Ladies Who Punt’, which I do alongside Fiona Blair, who also works at Lindsay Park. We came up with this as nobody was explaining racing to a new audience. The media can get very heavy with racing jargon and it can be difficult for people to understand, so what we do with Ladies Who Punt is aim to decode the sport of racing one topic at a time, like understanding what odds are, understanding what the class system is with handicaps, why weights are important, etc.

“There’s so many different things that we wanted to try and better educate, specifically to women, but we have had lots of males also get a better understanding of the sport, too.

“There’s a lot of ladies that go to the races because their husband or partner might have a share in a horse and they would go because it’s cool to do and they’re fast and it's really social, but I just felt that if they understood more about the sport, they would personally get a lot more enjoyment out of it and we all know how amazing racing is and how addictive it can be as a passion. That’s the grand aim, basically, and we’re on the right path.”