You’ve got to be in it to win it

GETTING a great return on investment, or ROI, is not always the reason people invest in a racehorse syndicate.

Most see their ROI in terms of fun and the thrill of the race not the percentage increase in their share. And that goes for Foundry, who’s one of the ten horses voted to run in the upcoming $5million All-Star Mile.

More than half of the 35 people who own Foundry, a nine-year old gelding, are from Ballarat.

The horse, trained by Terry Kelly at his Twin Eagles stables in Coghills Creek, will run in the richest 1600m race in the world at Flemington Racecourse on Saturday, 16 March.

Mr Kelly paid $8500 for the sprinter in October.

He hasn’t run any races since then and won’t until the All-Star Mile.

“He had some injury issues that are now fixed and he is on track for the All-Star Mile,” Mr Kelly said.

“He is a good group 1 horse who has been through a pretty tough training campaign. Previous owner Lloyd Williams [high-profile thoroughbred racing and breeding operator] only ever bought these horses to win Melbourne Cups.”

Andre Agterhuis, founder of Integra Group is part of the Foundry syndicate.

“I am an old stable stalwart of Terry’s, I have had many horses with him over the years,” he said. He is not in the syndicate to make money.

“It doesn’t work like that, it’s for the thrill of winning and having a horse in a race and we have a lot of fun as a group,” said Mr Agterhuis.

He thinks Foundry has a chance in the big race.

“A first five finish would be wonderful, we do have to remember he is an older horse and running against a lot of other group 1 horses.”

In a first for Australia, horse racing fans have determined who runs in the nation’s newest feature race.

The All-Star Mile is based on the concept of the Arima Kinen held in Japan since 1956 in which racing fans vote for most of the runners.

It goes over 1600 meters with a prize pool valued at $5 million. Even the last horse past the winning post will trot away with $90,000.

Fans are invited to vote for the horse they want to see jump from among the list of nominated potential starters. They got Foundry into sixth place on the ticket with 5558 votes.

Mr Kelly said he has prepared Foundry to win over the mile.

“With the training facilities here at Twin Eagles they are the ideal conditions to get this horse right for the day,” he said.

Phil Canny is another Ballarat based syndicate member.

“It is a group of mates just having fun, we love having horses with Terry because it is a great social experience,” he said.

“We never pay big money for horses, we go in it to have fun and its great to have a horse in a big race like this.”

Mr Canny believes Foundry has good chance, he is very well bred and performed well at the highest level here in Australia.

“There will be a big bus travelling down the highway to Flemington on the big day filled with the locals in the syndicate,” he said.

“Win lose or draw we are just happy to be in the race, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.”