US entry into Oz racing a winner
John Stewart, the American owner taking world racing by storm, has been overwhelmed by the number of trainers and fans wanting to be involved in his Australian racing interests.
Stewart bought six superbly bred yearlings at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale last week, including the $3m he spent on the I Am Invincible-Booker filly.
He was also underbidder for Winx’s daughter, his final bid of $9m trumped by Debbie Kepitis, who secured the prized lot for $10m for a yearling filly.
Stewart, who bid on the yearlings by phone from Kentucky, then reached out on social media and asked Australia’s racing public to help him pick trainers and names for his six Australian yearlings.
Bjorn Baker made a pitch to Stewart with a video message that detailed the trainer’s unbridled enthusiasm for preparing winners and also portrayed his questionable basketball skills with a backyard slam dunk that went horribly wrong.
Others to throw their hats in the ring included Team Hawkes, Grahame Begg, Clarry Conners, Lee and Cherie Curtis, Michael Hickmott, Francesca Cumani (for Matt Cumani), Proven Thoroughbreds (Joe Pride) and Te Akau Racing (Mark Walker).
“I’ve been overwhelmed by the responses I’ve got from the trainers,’’ Stewart said. “We are sorting through those at the moment then we will do some polls on the horses and narrow it down before having discussions with the trainers.
“Hopefully, when we are down in Australia next we can do something around the trainer selections and the naming of the horses, we can unveil some of that.’’