Cover image courtesy of Bimbadeen Park
In this segment of The Thoroughbred Report’s ‘Breaker Insights’, TTR AusNZ chatted with triple Olympic medallist Shane Rose, who operates Bimbadeen Park alongside his wife, Niki Rose.
Rose outlined the education process he uses to teach the next generation of runners: “I take them straight to the round yard and apply gear like a girth and bridle, and then we teach them to go forward and turn.
“On the second day, I do the same thing, but this time I get on their back. The emphasis is still on going forward. By day three, I replicate that process in a larger area. They’re still young horses, so the environment needs to be safe, usually a sand yard where they can’t hurt themselves.
Shane Rose | Image courtesy of Bimbadeen Park
“There can be a lot of bucking in this process, but we keep them in the round yard until that stops. That usually takes two or three days, and then we head straight out onto the track.”
Rose highlighted that the journey to the racetrack can be different for young thoroughbreds. “Our track is right beside the round yard. Once they understand how to turn and go forward, we take them out to the track for a spin.
“A lot of them don’t like the track at first because we’ve got horses, deer, and even kangaroos living around it – all things young thoroughbreds think might jump out and attack them.
Niki Rose | Image courtesy of Bimbadeen Park
“But the first few days are really about building their confidence and teaching them to go forward. By Tuesday of their second week, we’ll head to a paddock to work on changing leads and steering. Once they’re doing all that on their own, by the following Wednesday, we’ll pair them up with another horse to reinforce that forward momentum.”
Rose then discussed introducing the barriers. “We introduce them to the barriers, usually on the Friday of their second week. We start by leading them through the gates, and we do this every other day for the rest of their time in that third week.
“We walk the horse in, stand them there, then bring another horse in next to them, and so on. The goal is to get them used to the gates without any pressure. We don’t lock the barriers behind them until the last week they’re with us.
“We walk the horse in, stand them there, then bring another horse in next to them, and so on. The goal is to get them used to the gates without any pressure. We don’t lock the barriers behind them until the last week they’re with us.” - Shane Rose
“In the final week, we lock them in and have them trot out of the front gates, then repeat the process with two other horses. On the Friday of their last week with me, we’ll do a canter out of the front gates. Depending on the trainer’s preferences, some want more, but that’s my basic process.”
Rose added, “That system works for me because I know what I’m doing and understand the signals to look for. It’s not about time in the saddle; it’s about understanding the day’s exercise or purpose. Once the horse understands, it’s about repetition and building their experiences, not wearing them out by forcing it into them.”
Golden Slipper winners and rising stars
Shane Rose has seen many talented horses pass through his Bimbadeen Park facility. “I've had horses like Racing To Win, Shooting To Win, Capitalist, and The Autumn Sun come through here more recently,” Rose said.
Racing To Win (Encosta De Lago) was crowned Champion 3-Year-Old in Australia, winning 13 races, including the G1 Doncaster H. and G1 Epsom H. He also claimed the G1 George Main S., G1 All Aged S., and G1 George Ryder S.
Shooting To Win was a classy 3-year-old who won the G2 Stan Fox S. and followed it up with a victory in the G1 Caulfield Guineas. Capitalist, now a Group 1-producing sire at Newgate Farm, was crowned Champion 2-Year-Old, having won the G1 Golden Slipper and the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
Gallery: Group one racehorses race-educated by Bimbadeen Park, images courtesy of Sportpix
The Autumn Sun, one of the most exceptional horses of his generation, claimed five Group 1 victories and retired to Arrowfield Stud, where he is already the sire of three individual Group 1 winners.
Rose added, “I've also educated some top mares, like She Will Reign, English, and Frolic. More recently, I've had Autumn Glow, who is by The Autumn Sun.”
She Will Reign (Manhattan Rain) won the G1 Golden Slipper and the G1 Moir S. as a 3-year-old. Frolic (Husson {Arg}) won the G2 Reisling S. and was placed in the G1 Golden Slipper, while English (Encosta De Lago) was also placed in the G1 Golden Slipper before going on to win the G1 All Aged S. and the G1 Doomben 10,000.
“I've also educated some top mares, like She Will Reign, English, and Frolic. More recently, I've had Autumn Glow, who is by The Autumn Sun.” - Shane Rose
The Chris Waller-trained Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) has shown great potential with two career starts, her latest being a victory in the G3 Up And Coming S., making her the first filly to win the contest.
“I’ve had a bunch of nice horses come through the system,” Rose told TTR AusNZ. “I love educating horses regardless, but it’s great when they go on to have success on the track. I’ve also worked with plenty of nice horses that weren’t fast but were pleasant to work with, and others that weren’t so pleasant at first.”
When asked if successful horses shared any common traits, Rose said, “I’ve purchased small shares in several horses I’ve educated over the years. I only buy into horses that I’ve broken in because I don’t know enough about pedigrees; I just go off the feel a horse gives me, and that’s an advantage I have.
Autumn Glow | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“I think it’s a better advantage than just watching a horse walk. I get to feel the power, and that’s probably the one thing all those top horses have in common – whether sprinters or stayers, they have power.
“I equate it to sitting in a small car – you put your foot on the accelerator, and nothing happens. But when you’re in a big V8 or something with a powerful engine, you can feel the strength beneath you. It’s not necessarily about going fast to feel the power; it’s about feeling the strength that fires up when asked.”
Rose concluded, “Good horses, across any discipline, have that strength. It’s the same with my top jumping or dressage horses – they need strength to be elite in their discipline.”
Rose a fan of Justify and Zousain
Shane Rose shared his thoughts on some of the stallions whose progeny have caught his attention. “I’ve had a couple of Farnans and a Bivouac, which was nice. I’ve also worked with some Ole Kirks and a few by Anders.
“However, I probably don’t have a massive bias one way or another this year with the stallion crop. There hasn’t been a standout for me.”
While none of the first-crop stallions have particularly stood out to him this season, Rose admitted he’s a big fan of Justify (USA). “I actually bought into the progeny of a few second-season sires last year.
Justify (USA) | Standing at Coolmore
“I certainly like Justify. Every time I had one to break in, they were all big, strong, powerful horses. Whether they were expensive or cheap, all the Justifys had that lovely big, scopey, powerful frame.
“After working with them, it made sense to me why they’ve been successful on the track.”
One of the Justifys Rose recalls fondly is a colt named Axius, trained by Ciaron Maher. The colt is from the unraced Redoute’s Choice mare Orontes, a half-sister to G1 Winterbottom S. winner Takedown (Stratum).
“I certainly like Justify. Every time I had one to break in, they were all big, strong, powerful horses. Whether they were expensive or cheap, all the Justifys had that lovely big, scopey, powerful frame.” - Shane Rose
Axius was purchased for $200,000 by Dynamic Syndications, Dean Watt Bloodstock, and Ciaron Maher Racing from Coolmore Stud’s draft at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Axius was placed on debut at Randwick-Kensington, finishing behind the progressive Clear Proof, another son of Justify, with another Justify colt, Dawn Service, finishing third.
The colt then headed to Canterbury, where he was a dominant winner by 2.29l over 1200 metres. Stepping up in class for his third start in the G3 Up And Coming S., the occasion may have been too much for the young colt, as he finished unplaced behind the Rose graduate, Autumn Glow.
Axius has since been sent for a spell.
Rose added, “I’m always happy to have a Pierro as well. He’s from an earlier generation, but he’s a good sire. I’ve also been impressed with the Zousains; I’ve had a couple of nice ones.”
Zousain | Standing at Widden
Zousain, who stands at Widden Stud alongside his sire Zoustar, has made a strong start. His oldest progeny turned three in August, and he is the sire of 15 individual winners, including G3 Quezette S. and G3 Magic Night S. victress Drifting, the Group 2-placed Zouna, and Chateau Miraval, who placed in the G3 Magic Night S. and finished fourth in the G2 Spirit Of Boom S.
The Dabble Effect, another of Zousain's progeny, is a winner and was placed in the G3 David Coles AM S.
