TRL Trainer Announcement

Jan 13, 2021

By Terry Kennedy

Trainers from all over the country joined The Racing League and pitched to you in the hopes of getting your vote and the opportunity to train for you and your team!

Join Ciaron Maher, Trent Edmonds and Adrian Bott from the Magic Millions Sale 2021 in the Gold Coast as we announce who will be training for the NSW Tycoons, QLD Rogues & VIC Husslers!

Take a look at all of our trainers below:

 

WA BLACKHEARTS

Simon Miller

By his own admission Simon Miller is a horse trainer with a ‘difference’. And once you watch his video pitch, you’ll definitely agree – he’s different. For a bloke who started his working life in a bank, Miller is now cashing in as one of Perth leading trainers.

Adam Durrant

In a very short space of time Adam Durrant of Durrant Racing has proved himself to be among the best trainers to emerge in WA and now he will be training for YOU and the WA Black Hearts. Adam has only been training for twelve years, but has already been crowned Perth champion trainer a remarkable seven times and without going the “early crow” currently leads the premiership table and should make it eight titles. But it’s his attention to detail that makes his strike rate so impressive.

Ben & Dan Pearce

The old saying “two heads are better than one” seems to be working a treat for Pearce Racing in WA. Sons of a trainer, brothers Dan and Ben Pearce were always destined to be involved in the thoroughbred industry and now they are a powerful combination making waves in the West. Both cut their teeth in the equestrian industry, Dan likes to work with the younger horses while Ben likes the older horses and still rides to work every morning.

Todd Harvey

Todd Harvey loves his family and he loves his horses. In fact in the Harvey household, it’s all about the horses. The entire family are involved in the business – put simply; it’s their life and they love it. Training out of Ascot, Harvey Racing has had tremendous success in particular shaping the careers of horses from the sales ring to the winners stall.

Hayden Ballantyne

As a small forward in the world of AFL, Hayden Ballantyne defied the odds to become a giant of the sport. The former Fremantle star is now looking to do the same in the world of horse racing. The thoroughbred has been a lifelong obsession for Ballantyne, he even kept a couple in work during his AFL career.

JP Taylor Racing

The Taylor name, is arguably the most famous of names in Western Australia racing. There’s not a major race in WA that Jim Taylor hasn’t won as a jockey or as a trainer. In fact, he rode the winner of Ascot Gold Cup, the day his daughter Brittany was born. Now like so many training operations, the Taylor stable is very much a family affair.

 

NSW TYCOONS

Joe Pride

Joe Pride had no family link with the racing industry, he was actually studying psychology at University when the fascination with the horse struck and he joined the powerful John Size stable. Joe proved himself to be a quick learner and when Size shifted to Hong Kong, Pride took over and quickly made his mark, first by improving tried horses like Vision and Power and reinvigorating them to achieve Group One success.

Brett Cavanough

A larger than life character, Brett Cavanough has certainly done the hard yards, riding trackwork at the age of 12 for his grandfather but that was many years and (kilos) ago. Brett turned his hand to the shearing shed and held the official world record for the most sheep (427) sheared in 8 hours. He went back to his first love, trainer horses, winning five NSW Country premiership titles and this year won the prestigious Kosciuszko at Royal Randwick with It’s Me. Brett Cavanough is without doubt a “likeable larrikin” who loves nothing more than stirring his fellow trainers like Tony Gollan.

Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott

Tradition matters to Gai Waterhouse and Tulloch lodge has it in bucket loads. Gai is arguably the biggest name in racing, her honour roll is amazing, there’s the Golden Slippers, the Melbourne Cup, the Cox Plates and everything in between. She learnt the trade from the greatest of all time, her father Tommy won 33 consecutive Sydney premierships and now she’s passing on that knowledge to Adrian Bott.

Kim Waugh

Kim is a trailblazer, first as a champion harness driver and trainer, before switching with enormous success to the thoroughbreds including Group 1 glory winning the Sydney Cup with Mahtoum who went on to finished fifth in the Melbourne Cup. While training out of the Wyong Race Club, Kim also has a state of the out spelling and pre-training farm within a stone’s throw of the track.

Mark Newnham

Like so many, Mark’s “rapid rise” has been decades in the making. Starting at the age of 15 as a strapper, to apprentice and then as a jockey with over 300 wins. Mark learnt from the best with a long stint in the stables of the legendary Bart Cummings and as a foreman for Gai Waterhouse before quickly making his mark as a trainer in his own right. But maybe Mark’s trump card is the fact, that he still rides his own horses in work and key gallops which gives him an unique insight into the horse itself.

Freedman Brothers

For this pair, it’s a bit like the “Blues Brothers” getting the band back together. Richard and Michael are now a partnership again, Richard training the older horses out of Rosehill while Michael nurtures the younger horses from the Randwick stables. Their family history in racing goes back 4 generations to their great grandfather Bill “Midge” McLachlan rode 3 Melbourne Cup winners. Their dad was a trainer and a breeder. As a team, headed by eldest brother Lee…Richard, Michael and Anthony combined to carve out their own place in thoroughbred history, winning 5 Melbourne Cups, 5 Caulfield Cups, 2 Cox Plates and 4 consecutive Golden Slippers in a tally stretching way over 100 Group One victories.

 

VIC HUSSLERS

Peter Moody

Peter Moody is a born again horse trainer, a larger than life character but even he had trouble taming AFL Legend Shane Crawford on a recent visit to his farm. Pete’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary, starting from the dusty race tracks of far North Queensland before culminating with victory at Royal Ascot with his mighty mare Black Caviar. Moody has now made Victoria home and wants to train for the Vic Husslers, but first he had to pass an hilarious interrogation from “Crawf” to make him worthy.

Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young

Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young are a formidable partnership both on and off the track. They first met as two Kiwi teenagers working at the Kranji track, things took their natural course and the pair moved back to New Zealand as a couple and started their training partnership. Trent and Natalie now train out of their Cranbourne base, and while they’ve made their name training stayers are eager to prove their just as successful with two year-olds.

Matt Cumani

If the racing industry is all about breeding and bloodlines, than Matt Cumani was always destined for success. The son of the legendary Luca Cumani, Matt has clearly had a unique insight to the “art of racehorse training” not only from his father but many of the world’s best. Now this son of Luca and sister to Francesca, is making his own mark, training winners out of his Ballarat base.

Mick Price & Michael Kent Jr.

Mick Price is the first Victorian to lay down the challenge to be selected in The Racing League. He never wanted to be the biggest trainer, but he certainly strives to be the very best and is driven every day my the love of the horse. Mick has the best of both world’s with his city stable based at Caulfield, along with facilities at Warrnambool where his horses can work and frolic along with beaches.

Ciaron Maher

Originally they said he was only a “former jumps jockey” a trainer of “hurdlers” but now Ciaron Maher is at the top of the heap…arguably the most sort after trainer in the country and now he’s training for YOU as an owner of the Vic Husslers.

Tom Dabernig & Ben Hayes

For Six Decades and now 3 Generations, the name Hayes has not only been synonymous with racing in this country, but with success at the highest level. From the legendary, Colin Hayes, to David and now his son Ben along with nephew Tom Dabernig are carrying on the most impressive tradition. Nothing markets like success and at the just completed Melbourne Cup carnival Lindsay Park Racing not only finished as the leading trainers of the carnival, but had a winner on every day of Fabulous Flemington.

 

QLD ROGUES

Tony Gollan

Champion trainer Tony Gollan was more than a promising rugby league player. He represented Queensland in the Under 19s and had aspirations of being a Brisbane Bronco. But his undenying love of the horse saw him take up horse training full time, talk to Tony and he’ll tell you his learnings from playing “the greatest game of all” have set him up for success in the “the toughest game of all”.

Rob Heathcote

As a young man Rob travelled the world in the tourism industry, than he conquered the world with his all star sprinter Buffering beating the best in Dubai. There’s been the multiple Brisbane and Queensland training premierships, over a thousand winners, the Group One glories but for Rob – the most important ingredient in the racing industry is YOU…the OWNER.

Toby & Trent Edmonds

Toby relocated from Warwick Farm to the Gold Coast not for the sun or the surf, but for an opportunity, setting up his own stable in 2011 and has never looked back. There’s been Magic Millions success with Houtzen, and now the entire family are entrenched at the state of the art stable with an official training partnership between Toby and son Trent. The pair certainly enjoy their success and may yet have a future on the comedy circuit, make sure you watch their pitch to train for the Queensland Rogues right to the end.

Michael Costa

Michael Costa now joins the ranks of those trainers and is proudly “new age”. Costa certainly has a few bases covered. He’s been a trackwork rider, a stable foreman, a steward (that’s right a steward) and is now making his mark as a trainer in his own right out of the Gold Coast. Michael also understands the value of good communications with owners and now wants to train for YOU and the Queensland Rogues. Here’s his story.

Chris Munce

Heathcote, Gollan and Edmonds flew the barriers and now Chris Munce is storming down the centre of the track. There was hardly a major race Munce didn’t win as a jockey, including the big four the Melbourne & Caulfield Cups, a Cox Plate along with a Golden Slipper. Now he trains out of Eagle Farm for the Queensland Rogues.

Chris Anderson

Chris Anderson wasn’t born into the racing game, he’s what we call a late starter, but wow has he made up for the lost time. A one time successful publican & executive in the liquor game, he cast that career aside to follow his passion. His late start means there’s no preconceived or outdated ideas. Anderson is now a training powerhouse in Queensland and wants to train for YOU as part of the Queensland Rogues.