As we celebrate the birthday of the horses and the start of a new Racing Season, we would like to take a few moments to think about the year just gone, and the people who have made it all possible.
This has been a year of great success and growth for Pat Carey Racing, with wins in Group and Listed races, metropolitans and maidens. In terms of numbers Pat has had an excellent year, finishing 21st on the Victorian Trainer's Country Premiership and 41st in terms of Total Wins. The statistics for the 2011-12 Racing Year show:
- 24 wins
- 23 seconds, and
- 28 thirds – from 256 starters
- 9% winners to runners
- 49% of all starters finished in the first 5!
This is an amazing achievement from a boutique stables, with a small number in training and without a string of million-dollar fashionably-bred yearlings!
None of this would be possible without the dedication and skill of the Epsom Lodge team, the unsung heroes behind the scenes who are up in the early hours of the morning in all weathers doing the hard and gritty work of caring for the horses. Many, many thanks to foreman Mark Henson, John, Adam, Caroline, Mick, Ally, Karel, Tommy and Yoko, Mandy and Pam. Thanks also to Rick and Gordon of Epsom Vets, Farrier Lee, Michael and Janice Bryant, John, Danielle and Tracey.
We appreciate the skill and daring of our jockeys, and have particularly enjoyed sharing milestones like a first Metropolitan win with Katelyn Mallyon, the AJC Derby with (our former apprentice) Rhys Mc Leod, and the first ever winner for Patrick Moloney. Our thoughts and best wishes are with Katelyn as she progresses in her recovery. We are also thinking of Mark Thomas, and wish him a speedy and complete recovery following his recent accident.
We are grateful for the support and loyalty of our owners, and are happy to have shared some joyful times – on the racecourse and off – with them. Special times have come from Dame Claire (5 wins), Ethiopia (AJC Derby), Ulundi, Karoo, Kasane, Spot On Maggie, Angela's Dream …. and who could forget Our Serena.
Congratulations to all, we could not have done it without you – and here's to a happy, safe and successul New (Racing) Year.
Pat and Cheryl