Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Triple Crown consistently delivers success on the track at all levels, but they have also made key adjustments and refinements to what it offers its ownership base, both on and off the track, changes that have delivered positive and rewarding results for both new and long-standing owners, even amid a period of economic hardship.
Without Peer emerges as a potential spring prospect
Triple Crown Syndications appears to have a horse with genuine spring credentials in the form of Without Peer (Pierata), after the Ciaron Maher-trained gelding produced a devastating debut win in the 2-year-old Handicap at Rosehill on Saturday. Settling well back in the field, he unleashed an impressive turn of foot to score in style, leaving a strong impression and a glimpse of what may be ahead.
Without Peer was purchased by Triple Crown Syndications for $120,000 at the 2024 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale from the draft of Olly Tait’s Twin Hills Stud. A son of Yulong Stud’s Pierata, he became the stallion’s 51st winner for the season.
He is the fifth foal out of Alderney (High Chaparral {Ire}), who was placed on the track and has already produced Riduna (Fastnet Rock), a three-time winner who was also placed in the G3 Tibbie Stakes. Alderney is a full sister to Ballet Suite (High Chaparral {Ire}), a Listed winner who also placed in the G3 Tesio Stakes and finished fourth in the G1 Vinery Stud Stakes. She is also a half-sister to Casquets (Fastnet Rock), a Listed winner, along with Group-placed pair Furiosa (Fastnet Rock) and Marensky Reef (Platinum Scissors).
Without Peer as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
“We were stoked, he still clearly has some furnishing to do, is very raw, and his jockey (Chad Schofield) mentioned that also, but we didn’t quite expect him to do that on debut, so we were very pleasantly surprised,” said Manion.
“He was wobbling around a bit at the top of the straight and was a bit green. He could be a lovely proposition.”
The ownership group of Without Peer includes a healthy mix of long-time loyal clients and a large group of newcomers.
“The new ones think this game is easy and they loved it,” Manion joked.
Connections of Without Peer after winning at Rosehill | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
When asked about plans for the gelding moving forward, noting that this can be a tricky time of year for juveniles turning into 3-year-olds, Manion said:
“It will be interesting to see what Ciaron (Maher) thinks. I know he’s pulled up well initially, but we’ll see in a few more days. I’m thinking that he’ll be targeting the spring, after showing that type of ability, I’d say there’s a high chance he stays in and has his runs spaced a little bit.
“It’s only his first racing preparation, so that’s the challenge. But on what he showed on Saturday, and considering how much he still has to learn, he looks like he could be very competitive in the spring.
“On what he (Without Peer) showed on Saturday, and considering how much he still has to learn, he looks like he could be very competitive in the spring.” - Sam Manion
“The aim will be to keep him fresh and happy, and the beauty of Bong Bong may assist with that.”
Bong Bong is a state-of-the-art equine facility in the New South Wales Southern Highlands, run by Ciaron Maher Racing.
Sam Manion | Image courtesy of Triple Crown Syndications
“Ciaron is able to keep horses up for a long time there and keep them happy. It’s an amazing setup. To be able to keep horses sound, fresh and happy is a great asset to have.”
Manion added, “They’re only three once, and when they have ability, you have to have a crack. He looks like he’ll improve off a run or two, and then, potentially, if he does, he could be anything.”
The 2024/2025 season that was
It has been another solid year for Triple Crown Syndications, one that the team can look back on with a strong sense of accomplishment. While some of the feature race wins may have passed them by, the operation still managed to secure significant prize money for its owners and delivered consistently across a range of levels.
“For syndication companies, it’s all about getting results, you have to get wins on the board,” said Manion.
“For syndication companies, it’s all about getting results, you have to get wins on the board.” - Sam Manion
“We’ve had a really good year, with a combination of racetrack results, strong outcomes for some of our mares at the sales, and the purchase of a lovely bunch of yearlings.”
One of the clear standouts this season has been Firm Agreement (Yes Yes Yes). The $140,000 yearling may have only a Newcastle maiden win in October to his name on the win sheet, but he has gone on to bank over $775,000 in prize money. His record includes placings in the G1 Champion Stakes, G1 Australian Derby, G3 Gloaming Stakes, G2 Tulloch Stakes, and the G3 Frank Packer Plate.
Firm Agreement | Image courtesy of Triple Crown Syndication
“Firm Agreement has had a decent season in terms of prize money and featuring in a lot of feature races,” Manion said.
Meanwhile, Mazu (Maurice {Jpn}) continues to race at the elite level. While wins are harder to come by at that top tier, he remains competitive and continues to reward his owners.
“Mazu is still running well at the elite level. He isn’t always going to win, but he’s thereabouts and still giving his owners a great time, while collecting excellent prize money,” Manion added.
“During last spring, he finished second in the Sportsbet Sprint Series, which came with a $500,000 bonus, so he ended up winning close to $1 million that preparation. Most owners wouldn’t believe that kind of bonus, he really has been a dream come true for his owners.
Mazu | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“Overall we have had wins at all levels, stakes races and provincial maidens. They can’t all be superstars, but it’s important to keep those wins coming for our owners.”
While the team has enjoyed consistent success this season, Manion believes the foundations have also been laid for an even bigger year ahead, with a strong crop of rising 3-year-olds starting to make their mark.
“We’ve got a lovely group of current 2-year-olds, and we’re really excited about them. We’ve already had four or five run at stakes level, which bodes well for what may be ahead.
“It’s been a good year, and we’ve purchased well again, 13 nice yearlings that have broken in really well. So there are lots of reasons to be excited heading into the new season.”
“It’s been a good year, and we’ve purchased well again. So there are lots of reasons to be excited heading into the new season.” - Sam Manion
Capitalising on residual value pays off
It hasn’t just been a memorable season on the track for Triple Crown Syndications, they also enjoyed outstanding results in the sale ring, highlighted by their success at this year’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, where they sold three high-quality mares who had served them exceptionally well during their racing careers.
The trio brought in a combined total of $2.58 million, headlined by the outstanding Revolutionary Miss (Russian Revolution), a multiple Group 2 and Group 3 winner, who sold for $1.6 million. Fellow stakes performer Miss Hellfire (Hellbent) fetched $640,000, while Aemelius (Hellbent) was knocked down for $340,000, results that capped off a lucrative and rewarding sale for the well-regarded syndication team.
Gallery: Triple Crown Syndications' success at the sales
“It was great to get those major results for our owners at the Magic Millions Broodmare Sale,” said Manion. “It really shows that we can pick a horse with pedigree and achieve results for them even after their racing careers.
“Of course, you don’t always get the results on the track, but sales like this highlight another layer of value that potential buyers recognise.
“It’s also another great result for Chris (Chris Ward), who does all the bloodstock work. It reinforces the fact that we’re consistently buying the right kind of horse.”
The importance of giving owners a well-rounded positive experience
One area where the Triple Crown team have taken great pride is in how they’ve evolved the ownership experience beyond just race results, focusing on building deeper, more engaging social opportunities for their clients. It’s a shift they identified as essential to their continued success, and one that’s already paying dividends.
“Historically, we recognised that we probably weren’t providing enough social, fun experiences for our owners, and we wanted to do something about it,” said Manion.
“So we’ve made a big effort to improve and enhance those behind-the-scenes kinds of things, farm visits, stable tours, dinners with loyal owners, drinks evenings, and more. We wanted to elevate the overall experience and create something more holistic for our owners, and I believe it has worked.
“We’ve made a big effort to improve and enhance those behind-the-scenes kinds of things, farm visits, stable tours, dinners with loyal owners, drinks evenings, and more. We wanted to elevate the overall experience.” - Sam Manion
“We wanted people to feel like they’re getting value for money, even if their horses aren’t winning on the track, which they can’t always do.
“What we’ve found is that attendance levels are huge. Owners love coming to everything, and they love bringing their families along too. To me, that’s the key. Our main aim is always to produce winners, but the changes we’ve made to maximise the ownership experience have been great and really well received.”
The challenges for syndicators
Despite their consistent on-track performance, Manion remains aware of the broader challenges facing syndicators, especially in an increasingly competitive market and amid difficult economic conditions. Still, Triple Crown appears to be holding its ground well.
“We’re really happy with where we’re at the moment,” Manion said. “There’s no doubt that it’s a bit tougher right now, and some people are struggling, but we’re fortunate enough to be okay and haven’t been affected too heavily.
“I’d consider our approach slightly conservative, but we’ve sold three more yearlings this year than we did last year, and last year we sold three more than the year before , so we’re steadily growing. We may not be finished for the year either, we could still pick up a ready-to-run horse or an import this year.
Triple Crown Syndications owners | Image courtesy of Triple Crown Syndications
“We’re fortunate to have a strong core of regular owners who continue to reinvest, and we’re also bringing in a steady enough stream of new owners.”
Maintaining that balance, between growth and personal service, remains a priority.
“We don’t want to get too big. We want to keep that ownership experience strong, and generally it’ll either be me or Chris, or sometimes both of us, at all of the race meetings.
“Within the organisation, Chris is more focused on the bloodstock side, while I take more of a role with the owners and building relationships with them. My favourite part of the job is bringing new owners into the game and taking them along for the ride.
Chris Ward | Image courtesy of Triple Crown Syndications
“It was great with Without Peer and all his new owners, and we’ve also had Kujenga, who won on debut and picked up black type in Brisbane at her last start. She has a big bunch of new owners as well.
“They’re loving it, and have quite openly said the experience is even better than they expected. We love our long-term owners, and they’re crucial, but there’s something I really enjoy about welcoming new owners and letting them experience that winning feeling. That will never get old.”
