Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“It was in my very early days at Inglis that I first met George, or ‘GA’ as we called him,” Vin Cox said on Thursday, greatly saddened by the loss of of a man he is proud to have known for four decades.
“I learned a lot from George, he taught me about business ethics, how to behave and how to handle yourself and all of that has been very good for my career.”
“I learned a lot from George (Altomonte), he taught be about business ethics, how to behave and how to handle yourself and all of that has been very good for my career.” - Vin Cox
At just 20, having qualified as a motor mechanic, George opened his first workshop in Chatswood in 1956. Within a very short time he had another shop, then another and such are his accomplishments with his company the Alto Group that he was recognised by a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004.
Also involved in property development and investment, he was a great and careful planner and undoubtedly a busy man yet one of his most admired traits amongst those who knew him was how he could always make time for people.
George Altomonte with Tommy Berry | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“Actually the trick was getting him off the phone when you were talking about horses!” Vin laughed.
Loved his horses
“He loved breeding and racing and his horses.”
Growing up in the Sydney suburb of Wahroonga, George Altomonte had horses around him from a young age, his father utilizing the services of Clydesdales in his market gardening business.
George Altomonte’s first venture in equine world was not thoroughbreds, rather stock horses and one stallion he stood; Cecil Blue, is a member of the Australian Stock Horse Hall Of Fame.
Breeding horses for polo and camp-drafting, George enjoyed success with Cecil Blue serving around 50 to 60 mares a year at a fee of $500. It gave the keen horseman a taste for bigger things and in the early 1970’s he turned his attention to thoroughbreds.
In 1978 purchasing a 12,500 acre property at Dunedoo, he set aside 700 acres for Corumbene Stud.
It did not take him long to strike form with Paris Opera his first horse competitive in Group 1 company, that 1986-born Marscay colt taking out the Listed Brian Crowley S. having split Courtza (NZ) (Pompeii Court {USA}) and Show County (County) in the G1 Golden Slipper S.
George Altomonte with Hasna and Snitzel colt foal at foot | Image courtesy of Corumbene Stud
He cheered home another Golden Slipper placegetter in 2003, Hasna (Snippets) third behind Polar Success (Success Express {USA}) and How Funny (Rory’s Jester) en route to wins in the G1 AJC Sires Produce S. and the G1 Champagne S.
Another classy 2-year-old in the shape of True Jewels (Brief Truce {USA}) won the 2001 Blue Diamond S. wearing the Corumbene brand, purchased by Paul Moroney at the 2000 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Sebring shines
Seven years later Corumbene took a More Than Ready (USA) colt to Magic Millions at the Gold Coast, a chestnut who caught the eye of Denise Martin whose Star Thoroughbreds secured him for $130,000.
That horse is of course Sebring, winner of five of his six starts including the 2008 Golden Slipper and the Sires Produce S. a couple of weeks later.
Sebring provided George Altomonte with quite a few thrills, especially as he went on to a successful stud career but it was Overreach (Exceed And Excel) who held a special place in his heart.
Gai Waterhouse and George Altomonte | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“George and his family would say that his crowning achievement was Overreach’s Golden Slipper win,” Vin Cox said. “That was the result that really stood out for him.”
For not only did he breed Overreach, but he also raced her; and she still graces the Corumbene paddocks having produced three winners amongst her first three runners including the G2 Rubiton S. and G3 Blue Diamond Prelude S. winner Lofty Strike who now calls Swettenham Stud home.
Lofty Strike is one of a number of Corumbene-bred horses who have stood at stud, others including the G2 Expressway S. winner Standout and the late Menari, winner of the G2 Run To The Rose.
Gerald Ryan and George Altomonte | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“To stand at stud a horse has to have some sort of profile and having several stallions standing shows that George was going about things the right way,” Vin Cox said.
“To stand at stud a horse has to have some sort of profile and having several stallions standing shows that George (Altomonte) was going about things the right way.” - Vin Cox
Vin was always impressed by the time and effort George put into breeding horses, noting that “in no shape or form could his success be considered accidental,” he said.
Student of pedigrees
“He was a great student of pedigrees, he loved pedigrees and he could tell you all about horses going back generations and generations.”
Vin Cox | Image courtesy of Inglis
“He devoted a lot of time to it.”
Testament to this are these notes from the Corumbene website...
Each year Altomonte compiles his own one page report on around 50 stallions from which he comes up with a short list of 20 stallions to breed to that particular season. He then forwards his short list on to three trainers and a bloodstock consultant for their views before finalising his matings. It is a thorough process and one that is quite clearly paying dividends.
“He bred for the winning post, not the sales ring,” Vin Cox said, “though he still had great success commercially, he had a number of seven-figure yearlings.”
“He (George Altomonte) bred for the winning post, not the sales ring... though he still had great success commercially, he had a number of seven-figure yearlings.” - Vin Cox
“He had broad enough knowledge to be able to sit on both sides of the fence so to speak.”
Whilst many major breeders who are also busy in the business world are not seen at the races too often, George Altomonte loved getting to the races; “you would often see him at the track,” Vin said.
George Altomonte and Mark Newnham | Image courtesy of Sportpix
And it was there that he made many friends with Vin heartened by the response to his passing.
“Losing him floored me,” he said, “but it has been lovely how many people have reached out in the last 24 hours.”
“Losing him (George Altomonte) floored me, but it has been lovely how many people have reached out in the last 24 hours.” - Vin Cox
How nice, how genuine
“To a person they have been saying how nice and how genuine a person he was and how he always had time for everyone.”
George’s legacy is not only one of his successful business empire and his horses, but also of his family with his son Anthony maintaining an interest in racing whilst his grandson Tom is even more interested.
“I can see that twinkle in Tom’s eye,” Vin said, “he is particularly passionate about racing and breeding.”
And so the Altomonte name looks set to live on with the family only recently purchasing Invermein Stud at Scone with Vin noting that “logistically they wanted to be front and centre in Australia’s breeding hub.”
The winners will continue to flow for Corumbene with one of the best bred by George providing excitement in his final years; Overpass winning last year’s G1 Winterbottom S. as well as the first two runnings of The Quokka.
