Racing Personalities ,Gerald Ryan ,Stephen Irwin,Wanye Harrison

Racing Profile : Gerald Ryan

" Gerald Ryan " is very well respected by the racing industry for his training acheivements and for his very hands on approach to training and selecting yearlings.

DOB : 21/5/55

You where a jockey : Yes,started my apprenticeship with Stan Cannon at Mortlake 

Winners and you biggest wins : 660 , All Aged Stks , 2 Sandown Guinnes , Moonee Valley Stks

Where are you based and how many in work : Rosehill and 75 in work

Years training : 14

First winner and did you back it : Marine Park at Flemington ,no I dont bet .

Highest price winner : 100/1 and yes the owner backed it !!!

Group 1 wins : 19 

Biggest win : Ajc Derby and 2 Blue Diamonds 

The most important win to you : Snitzel win in the Breeders Plate and the Oakleigh Plate . Snitzel was Purchased for $260,000 and sold for stud duties to the value of $12,000,000 ,makes you proud when you have a very big part in the making a great young stallion. Racers Edge winning the Ascot Vale Stks first up , a lot of people said it couldnt be done .

Best 3 horses trained : Snitzel , Hurricane Sky and Clangalang   

Favourite horse trained : Ready to Lift and Artic Scent ,both where real tough great tempermant mares and I just really enjoyed there personalitys .

Best horse you have seen : Kingston Town = Manikato 

Your favourite race horse of all time : Manikato 

Most respected trainer : J.B.Cummings 

You have a great knack of winning first up/first starters ,why? : Educated - happy - fit - placed right.

You have trained some great colts that went to stud : Yes they are Snitzel , Hurricane Sky , Zariz , Picknicker , Shinzig , Racers Edge.

Any new stable stars : They all stars till they race,but yes have some very nice horses coming through.

Favourite track : Rosehill and Doomben.

Best ride by a jockey : Cant split , Scott Seamers ride on Clangalng in the Ajc Derby ,I new I had him fit and was very confident,Seamer just sat a waited, he was very patient then he just went whosh straight up the fence. And Paul Hammersly win on Mon Meki in the Queensland Oaks,I hadnt had a group 1 for a while and it was a terrific ride by a young kid .   

Race you want to win : Prix De Arc De Triompe

Do you prefer sprinters / milers / stayers : Winners - perhaps stayers 

Most dissapointing moment in racing : Snitzel retiring to early to go to stud, fair enough from the stud side of things but as a trainer he was just getting better each prep and I would of loved to taken him to America for the Breeders Cup Sprint . He beat Takeover Target in the Oakleigh Plate and was beaten 1/2 a lenght in the Newmarket. And Sharscay coming 2nd in the Sydney Cup,he had serious problems and had just returned from a bowed tendon,myself and the staff worked so hard to get him there and it would have been a real "Fairy Tale" dream come true .It was such a team effort with Sharscay and that is what makes a great stable,is a good team.   

Are you happy to train horses that you know will be sold after a trial/race win : Yes I am - I love it .People put faith in you,and you map out a plan ,when it all comes together its a great thrill .A lot of people dont understand the difference you can make to a persons life when they get a great result .If they have paid $30,000 and it wins a trial and you take the punt and win its first start in town, they can get upwards from $150,000 overseas.That amount can change peoples lives ,its very satisfying for me.

You are at most major sales buying and inspecting horses ,are you happy for people to approach you and get your help to purchase a horse for you to train:  Yes very happy to give my advice and help select for a new client/excisting cleint , its a exciting time the sales and I love seen how excited people get before and after buying yearlings .

What are 5 key points you like in a yearling : In this order , Athleticism - Confirmation - Attitude - Action - Pedigree

You seem to have a great clientele and are you happy to find them a share in a horse wether they $5000 or $500,000 : Yes -treat them all the same .

Do you have any shares left in your Magic millions purchases : No, sorry they sold staright away, which was great .I am attending the other major sales so If anyone is interested feel free to call me and we can catch up before the sales .

Are you a breeder : Yes - small .I have 1 mare who has a Snitzel colt and have a Snitzel yearling that we will race with a few peolpe .

Best 3 returns on yearlings you have purchased/help select : Snitzel $260,000 to $12,000,000 , Zariz and Hurricane Sky were very good returns but I cant disclose the sale prices .

The " One That Got Away " : Choisir , I was under bidder .He was the best colt at the classic sale. I just loved Miss Finland but the person I had lined up to buy her decided to buy colt to be a stallion prospect instead .

What does the future hold for Gerald Ryan : Keep on keeping on ,Am very excited about some unproven horses in the stable .I am really enjoying training for the new racing syndicates they are doing a great job of getting new peolpe into the industry .  " Its not a job to me ,I just love every day training "

Best advice for new owners : Enjoy it ,dont expect to make a fortune and be patient .

As well congratulations on been a grandfather : yes Benjamen Ryan Pettit 24 November

So when you see Gerald at the sales feel free to have a chat,he will be very happy to help you select or train your future horses .

Contact Gerald on 0419394419 or visit his website www.geraldryan.com.au

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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 

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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