Racing Personalities

Owner Profile : Wayne Harrison                      Location : Sydney Australia

Business : 2 IGA supermarkets and the Royal Hotel at Tumut

Age or how long in industry : 28 years

First horse : Missing Clue

Did it win? : Yes

Best Horse :  Cool Trent       How many wins ? :  1              Prizemoney won : $275,000

Biggest thrill in racing : Winning 2yo stakes race on Melbourne Cup day (It was his first start) .

Biggest Bet? : Testa Rossa      What odds : 16/1   Did it win : Yes   

How much did you win : Next question -mate

Best ride you have seen : Shane Dye on Octagonal in the Chipping Norton Stks

Favourite jockey : Shane Dye             Favourite track : Flemington      

Favourite horse : Octagonal 

How many horses currently in work : 4        

Which trainers : Dean Lawson (Flemington ) and Paul Perry ( Newcastle )

Any good ones we need to keep a eye on : Chinner Street     

Prefer sprinters/milers/stayers :    Sprinters/milers               

The best horse you have seen live : Kingston Town

Do you race in partnerships :  Sometime

Are you a breeder :  Yes          How many mares :  1   

Which stallions did you use this year : Oratorio at Coolmore

How many yearlings : 12 ( partnership )             Do you Pinhook yearlings :   Yes   

Best result : Lonhro Colt $60,000 to $180,000              

Worst result : Desert Prince colt $40,000 to $6000

Do you sell or retain to race :   Both       

Do you sell / trade your race horses : Money always talks

Best moment in Breeding : Had a share in a mare bought for $62,500 , sold the foal for $75,000 , (he than made $240,000 ). She had a Group 1 winner in South Africa. We retained the weanling and sold the mare for $270,000.  As well, just seeing the foals run around in the paddocks and grow up is a thrill .

Best advice for new people in the industry : Have a go. Once you do you will wonder why you didn't do it sooner. The thrill of a winner, no matter how big or small, is a unbeliveable feeling (Not as good as sex,  but sh!t - it is in the finals! )

Wayne Harrison 

................................................................................................................................................................................... 

Owner Profile  : Stephen Irwin

Business : Horse stud owner breeder

Age or how long been in industry : 38 and 24 years (left school when 14 )

First race horse : Dancing Bridges

How much did it cost : $7500 1/10th share

Did she win : Yes - at her second start                                 Prizemoney : $70,000

Best Horse : Sir Soprano won 3 of his 5 starts this prep with Mick Price

Any good ones we need to keep a eye on : Helvia with Guy Walter has won 2 trials very easy, she's by Exceed and Excel. We bought her to race for $55,000 as a weanling, she is out of a Marscay mare

Biggest thrill in racing : Listening to the radio and hearing Pelican Point come 2nd in the AJC Derby to Belmura Lad. Dad trained him and I was only 6 and we lived in S.A.  I still picture the race been run the Adelaide way of going .

Favourite jockey : Anyone that wins on my horse

Best ride seen by a jockey : Shane Dye on Octagonal in Chipping Norton stks

Favourite track : Morphetville - grew up strapping for Dad and led in heaps of winners there. I got to carry the saddle from the jockeys' room for Dad.

Favourite Horse : Saleous  

Best horse you have seen : Octagonal and Sunline  

How many horses do you currently have in work : 5

Trainers you currently use : Guy Walter 2 , Gerald Ryan 1 , Tony Noonan 1 , Mick Price 1 

Race you want to Win : Cox Plate

Prefer sprinters/milers/stayers : Like them all

Do you race in partnership : Yes, all mine are in partnership

Do you sell and trade in racehorses : No, I only sell if they are too slow

Are you a breeder : Yes                                                      How many mares : 4 , I sold 4 this year 

What stallions did you use this year : Oratorio , Choisir , Red Ransom , Calafornia Dane 

Best moment in breeding : Seeing a foal stand for the first time and it's a "cracker " makes you proud when you selected the mare and  selected the mating.

Best result in breeding : Two mares my wife Karen selected and we sold this year. By the time we sell their yearlings, we may gross $500,000 profit. I sold a Pins filly 8 days old for $50,000 from a free nomination.

How many yearlings do you have : 14                          Do you pinhook : Yes , it is a big part of our business 

Best Pinhook : Not the biggest result, but we sold an Octagonal colt for $180,000 - we made $56,000 profit and we had $52,000 in bills. It was our  second year in business and we were eating the paint off the walls. My son William kept saying all week  "One Hundered and Eighty Thousand, Dad!". Gerry Harvey  owned the other half and I think he got a big thrill as well. 

Worst Pinhook : End Sweep colt sold for $140,000 and then failed the scope. Sold for $4000 as race horse .

Advice for new people in the industry : Get good advice , don't rush in and buy for the sake of getting a horse. I prefer dealing with people who put their hand in their own pocket because they have more respect when spending other people's money.

It's a fantastic industry and I have made life long friends in the racing game.

Stephen Irwin