Cover image courtesy of Sportpix
Mulberry Racing, Sydney businessman Mike Gregg’s emerging racing partnership with Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup, have been announced as having secured a slot in the G1 Everest for the next three years. Racing Manager Lachlan Sheridan is pleased with the acquisition, and believes there’s possibly a horse in Mulberry Racing’s ranks capable of taking the slot.
“We haven’t locked in our 2025 runner yet, but we are open to all options,” he told The Thoroughbred Report. “We have taken up a slot because we are confident we will have a horse or two over the next three years capable of being competitive in the race.
“I’ve personally been to Everest day a couple of times, and it’s truly one of the greatest race days I've experienced as a fan of the sport. The atmosphere and tension is palpable, and it’s something we can’t wait to be involved with.”
“The atmosphere and tension (on Everest Day) is palpable, and it’s something we can’t wait to be involved with.” - Lachlan Sheridan
Journey to the top
The journey of Mulberry Racing began in earnest in 2019, when Gregg reached out to Widdup in search of a way into Australian racing. Their first purchase together would come in 2021, and the relationship has only progressed from there; Widdup has been on site at the Karaka and Keeneland sales complexes to personally assess yearlings that Mulberry Racing buys, and in turn is their number one trainer in Australia.
“Racing with and working alongside Brad, his team, and his family has been a real privilege,” Sheridan said. “Being able to learn and absorb some of the knowledge he has gained through his many experiences and mentors is amazing. It is also beneficial as a company to work with a trainer who holds the same values about horse welfare and training.”
“It is also beneficial as a company to work with a trainer who holds the same values about horse welfare and training.” - Lachlan Sheridan
Who will fill their Everest slot remains to be seen, but since Gregg’s first official dip into Australian racing four years ago, Mulberry Racing has been busy establishing a flourishing stable. Gregg’s first yearling purchase - spending $190,000 on Jedibeel (NZ) (Savabeel) with Widdup at the 2021 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale - could even be one of said options, depending on how he continues to perform.
The sharp sprinting, rising 6-year-old rewarded Gregg’s patience and dedication from the jump with breaking his maiden on debut as a 3-year-old, and reached new heights this season when winning the G2 Challenge Stakes earlier this autumn, beating the likes of recently retired Group 1 winner Kimochi (Brave Smash {Jpn}), G1 Oakleigh Plate winner Uncommon James (Cable Bay {Ire}), and 11-time winner I Am Me (I Am Invincible). The event was one of Sheridan’s personal highlights from the season.
Jedibeel | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“Even though he isn’t officially Mulberry owned, he races in the same colours and represents the company, so I know that was massive for everyone,” he said.
The gelding nearly snagged another Group 2 in the G2 Victory Stakes in May, going down by a nose to Libertad (Russian Revolution). Sheridan part-owns Jedibeel with grandfather Gregg, racing him in the gold and black stripes that are starting to turn heads at the track.
International buying bench
While they have bought horses before in conjunction with Widdup and currently have a raft of 2-year-olds preparing to leap into the spring, Mulberry Racing has appeared on the buying bench under their own name over the past 12 months, purchasing 17 yearlings across Australasia, six at last year’s Keeneland September Yearling Sale, and a weanling filly from the first crop of Widden Stud’s Jacquinot at the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale this year.
“We were intrigued by the differences between the American and Australian racing industries, and thought buying horses and racing in the States would be an interesting experiment,” Sheridan said. “One notable difference (between hemispheres) is the speed at which bids are taken and horses are knocked down at Keeneland. It can be pretty overwhelming, compared to Australia and New Zealand.”
Brad Widdup | Image courtesy of Brad Widdup Racing
The most expensive Keeneland acquisition was a US$350,000 ($534,000) son of Quality Road (USA), now named Royal Crescent (USA), who is yet to make a start. Sheridan isn’t too worried though; the team is happy to be patient.
“We like to be very patient with our horses and give them all the time they need, so over the next season we hope to see more figuring in bigger races,” he said. “I’m hoping we can see some more of our younger horses reach the level we know they’re capable of (in the future).”
“We like to be very patient with our horses and give them all the time they need.” - Lachlan Sheridan
One such example from the current season is in Widdup’s stable; 2-year-old Nashville Jack (Farnan) may be unplaced at two starts, but Widdup saw enough to launch the colt into stakes class from the first jump, where he finished a credible fourth, three and a half lengths off of Beiwacht (Bivouac), in the G2 Silver Slipper Stakes. At his next start, he got within two and a half lengths of winner King Of Pop (Farnan) in the G3 Black Opal Stakes.
Nashville Jack | Image courtesy of Inglis
The colt is being set up for an early spring offensive, returning to the trials at Rosehill Gardens on Tuesday.
While the Mulberry Racing team are not “wed” to any particular sirelines, Sheridan admits they enjoy throwing their lot behind a promising unproven sire; the stable has a number of rising 3-year-olds by Kia Ora Stud’s Farnan, who sits third on the first season sires’ table by prize money and is second only to Ole Kirk by all other metrics. You’re The Choice (Farnan) is one such daughter, and was a narrow second on debut at Newcastle in February.
Mulberry Racing also secured a first season son of Cambridge Stud’s Sword Of State out of stakeswinning Fuld’s Bet (I Am Invincible) for NZ$540,000 at this year’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, providing the record price to date for the stallion’s yearlings. At the time, Widdup indicated the colt could be aimed at the lucrative Karaka Millions initiatives, with the Lindsays of Cambridge Stud offering to host the colt should he journey back for 2026’s Karaka Millions raceday.
The NZ$540,000 Sword Of State colt | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Natural evolution
The name of Mulberry Racing is derived from the farm belonging to famous breeder and trainer Federico Tesio’s Farm, which was originally a mulberry and silk farm before being converted into Dormello Stud. In the vein of Tesio, Mulberry Racing strongly believe that appropriate use of data and application of theorems will optimise their outcomes on the track.
“We believe data and technology is the future of every industry and racing is not dissimilar,” Sheridan said. “We use a data-driven approach in our selection process, and this is complimented by our trainers, utilising gene-testing, software, form analysis, etcetera. We consider many factors when choosing a horse at the sales, factoring in everything from conformation, extensive vet checks, to attitude.”
"We believe data and technology is the future of every industry and racing is not dissimilar." - Lachlan Sheridan
Sheridan acknowledges that breeding is likely a “natural future development” for the company, but is not in their sights just yet. Even so, it is hard to miss the residual value amongst many of their yearling purchases this season, including laying down $600,000 for Somerford (Wootton Bassett {GB}), a half-sister to Group-winning West Australian stallion Lightsaber, and $700,000 for Belle Chanteuse (Home Affairs), a daughter of G3 Typhoon Tracy Stakes winner Jazz Song (Fastnet Rock).
To complement their use of technology, Mulberry Racing has been long investing in the long-term welfare of horses in their care; the company owns a specialised equine facility near Sydney that provides a place for rehabilitation, post-race recovery, pre-training, and retirement for their athletes.
Gallery: Mulberry Racing's top Australian yearling purchases this sales season, images courtesy of Magic Millions
The last part is something that Sheridan and the team are quite passionate about, with every horse that comes through the system promised life-time care and a guaranteed soft landing if and when their off the track careers finish.
“The horse always comes first for us, while in racing and after in retirement,” Sheridan said. The Mulberry Racing website boasts a commitment to a culture of compassion, accountability, and lifelong responsibility for every horse in the stable. “We will be striving to give them all a happy life from cradle to grave.”
“The horse always comes first for us, while in racing and after in retirement.” - Lachlan Sheridan
Should their stateside purchases develop into something truly special, Sheridan sees no reason why one of them might now make a trip south to fill that Everest slot.
“We’re open to bringing our American horses home to Australia if and when the time is right,” he said. “Imagine the excitement of bringing an elite American sprinter over here for the biggest race in the world.”
