Viv shares in win joy
VIV OLDFIELD, an icon of Territory racing, had his greatest success in racing when Shamus Award scored an upset win in the $3 million Sportingbet Cox Plate at Moonee Valley yesterday.
Oldfield, who as a trainer has prepared many feature race winners from his Alice Springs base, has in recent times branched out into ownership the length and breadth of Australia, with the G& C Pastoral Co Pty Ltd name being attached to a host of interstate performers.
But yesterday he secured one of the ‘ Big Four’ of Australian racing when he, his partner Deanne Sealey and well-known Victorian owner Sean Buckley shared in the ownership of Shamus Award, who led throughout in the hands of hoop Chad Schofield to win the weight- for- age championship of Australasia.
Oldfield has spent millions on his racing passion, and to capture the Cox Plate, with a maiden three-year-old, is no more than due reward for a lifetime of involvement and support of the industry.
The partners’ reward for the upset win was a cool $1.85 million, but the money will be secondary to the enjoyment and satisfaction the victory would have given his connections.