About thoroughbred ownership
Everyday Australians are entering the inner sanctums of racing to experience the buzz of the occasion, excitement of the competition and bond with the animal.
What ownership is all about...
Interested in part-owning a racehorse but unsure where to start? Do you have questions about which trainer to contact or how much ownership will cost per month? We have you covered. Welcome to the exciting world of racehorse ownership.
Choose the type of ownership that’s best for you
Syndicate
Joining a syndicate is a great way to meet new friends and enjoy the thrill of racehorse ownership at a fraction of the cost. Many syndicate groups coordinate social events and encourage their members to meet on race day to hopefully celebrate a winner.
For ease, decisions such as the selection of the horse, trainer and jockey can be left up to the syndicate manager who will oversee the finances and report to members on a regular basis.
A lot of syndicates are also enjoyed together by workmates, family members and friends.
| Number of Owners: | 20+ |
| Share Percentage: | Buy as little as 1% to 5% |
| Budget: | Financially friendly, with all costs shared. |
| How to join: | You’ll need to join a syndicate that’s registered with Racing WA (RWWA) with an appointed representative or manager. |
Lease a Racehorse
Leasing is effectively ‘renting’ a racehorse from an owner for a specified period of time and does not involve an upfront purchase fee.
The term of the lease will see you pay all costs associated with racing the horse along with an agreed ‘leasing’ fee which may include a percentage of prize money earned.
Breeders and trainers lease racehorses they wish to retain ownership of, often for breeding purposes, while keeping a small interest in their racing careers.
Joint Ownership / Partnership
Partnerships allow you to share in the excitement of racehorse ownership with work colleagues or friends and split the costs. Partnerships are another form of syndication but can be done directly with a horse trainer.
Up to 20 people can jointly race a horse. A joint ownership/partnership will usually see all 20 members take responsibility for their own share of the horse. It is not uncommon to have syndicates within syndicates, which is rising in popularity due to the low costs and accessiblity to more horses.
Sole Ownership
Being the sole owner of a racehorse means you reap all the rewards, but also carry all the costs.
You have total control over the key decisions, including the naming of your horse and the racing silks it will carry on race day.
Owning a horse outright will also see you deal directly with the trainer about its progress.
Buy West and Reap the Rewards
Choosing a trainer
An important cog in the wheel of a racehorse’s racing career, and your ownership experience. These people are tasked with ensuring your horse has the best chance to succeed.
Western Australia has more than 300 registered Thoroughbred trainers located across the state. These range from small boutique trainers (1-10 horses) to mid-range trainers (10-30 horses) and larger operations (30+ horses).
Depending on your location, lifestyle, budget or syndicate, choosing a trainer is an important step to ensure your racehorse is given every possible chance to exceed on the track.
Remember too that in most cases you can join a syndicate or purchase a horse through the trainer you choose.
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They (trainers) put in so much work, sweat and tears - they love their horses.
- Mark Yeak (Owner)
Need some more help?
Contact one of the following industry organisations:
WA Racehorse Trainers Association
The Western Australian Racing Trainers’ Association is the peak body representing licensed Thoroughbred trainers in WA.
- Contact: Trevor Andrews or Warwick Bradshaw
- Email: waracingtrainers@iinet.net.au
WA Racehorse Owners Association
WAROA is the official voice of racehorse owners in Western Australia.
- Contact: Mark Luzi (WAROA President)
- Email: markluzi@hotmail.com
Where to source your Thoroughbred?
Sounds obvious, but in order to buy into a racehorse, you need…a horse, of course! There are many ways to get involved, and you can talk to any of these people to get started.
Buying a thoroughbred
When you are ready to take that next step into racehorse ownership, the Magic Millions Yearling Sales can be a great avenue to acquire a potential equine superstar.
The annual Perth sale takes place in February at the Magic Millions Swan Valley complex, which is located at 56 Dale Rd, Middle Swan. The sale is FREE to attend, and Racing WA has a marquee on site to assist newcomers in sourcing ownership opportunities.
Other ways to source a horse is the annual Winter Sale which takes place at the same complex and offers buyers a choice of yearlings, weanlings, broodmares and tried racehorses. Another avenue is online with the Magic Millions digital sale platform.
Magic Millions has offices in Perth, Gold Coast, Adelaide, and Melbourne, plus representation in New Zealand. More than 5,000 yearlings are sold at Magic Millions sales each year.
Magic Millions Race Series
Magic Millions Racing Women's Bonus
Since 2020 Magic Millions in conjunction with Racing WA has been proud to offer an annual $75,000 2YO WA Racing Women’s Bonus, shared by the first three all-female owned (or leased) horses in finishing order in the $250,000 Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic run at Pinjarra each February in addition to race prizemoney.
For the first time in 2024, a new $25,000 3YO WA Racing Women’s Bonus is also on offer in the $250,000 Magic Millions WA 3YO Trophy. The new $25,000 3YO Bonus will be distributed in entirety to the first eligible all-female owned or leased horse in finishing order in the Magic Millions WA 3YO Trophy.
That’s $100,000 in WA Racing Women’s Bonuses on offer annually at the Magic Millions WA Raceday!
To be eligible for the 2025 (2YO) & 2026 (3YO) WA Racing Women’s Bonus, a free registration for the WA Racing Women’s Bonus must be submitted by 2 September 2024. Complete the WA Bonus registration form here. For further information on the WA Racing Women’s Bonus please contact Cassandra Simmonds on 07 5504 1220 or email raceseries@magicmillions.com.au
Expert advice
Your trainer or syndicate promoter can help you find your perfect racehorse. Alternatively, you can use a bloodstock agent. An agent can provide advice and assistance in purchasing at a yearling sale, but you will need to establish in advance what the charges are. Your adviser can also arrange for a veterinary inspection of the yearling.
Find out more about the Magic Millions Sales
What to look for in a racehorse
The qualities and characteristics to be aware of:
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1.
Hindquarter
The powerhouse of the horse. Strong, deep and well angled.
2.
Neck
Strong and in proportion to the body, set evenly on the shoulders.
3.
Head
Expressive, intelligent eye with an alert outlook. Big, broad nostrils.
4.
Hoof
Neat, medium sized. Two front and two hind should be matching pairs.
5.
Girth
The more depth the better. A deep, rounded girth allows more room for the cavity containing the lungs and heart.
6.
Forearm
Straight, good bone and strong muscle tone. The forearm will be larger in sprinters than stayers.
7.
Knee
Symmetrical, ideally flat, smooth and tight to touch, forward facing.
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Shoulder
A strong powerful shoulder sloping at a 45-degree angle. A sprinter will tend to have straighter and more heavily muscled shoulders than stayers.
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Fetlock
Strong, tight, round, symmetrical.
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Back
Short and strong. Back should be strongly muscled with the loins short and firm.
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Cannons
Short, strong cannon bones. Firm, clean tendons.
The age of the thoroughbred
Foal
A foal is a horse up to six months old. It becomes a ‘weanling’ at six months old when it is weaned off its mother.
There are approximately 30 Thoroughbred breeding farms in Western Australia which are responsible for nurturing and raising these future champions of the turf.
Yearling: A horse that is 12 months of age is known as a yearling.
2YO Thoroughbred
The first offical two-year-old trials can begin in late August or early September each year. The first race for the juveniles is the Initial Plate at Ascot Racecourse which is scheduled in October. It is run over 1000m.
Not all yearlings purchased at the sale will trial or race as a two-year-old, with some requiring a little more time to mature, whereas some are early-running types. The most lucrative race for two-year-olds is the $500,000 Karrakatta Plate, which is run in the autumn at Ascot Racecourse.
3YO Thoroughbred
A three-year-old Thoroughbred is likely to have trialled or raced as a two-year-old, but if they require a little extra time to mature, it will be as a three-year-old they will make a race debut.
A three-year-old has built great muscle and developed mental and physical strength, and as such there are big races and prize money on offer for this age group. These include the ‘Classics’ such as the Derby, Oaks and Guineas.
4YO+ Thoroughbred
Thoroughbreds aged four years or above are often considered to be in their prime, particularly longer distance horses which have matured and developed good bone and strength.
A four-year-old Thoroughbred has the option to contest all of the major races on offer but not those restricted to two or three-year-old horses.
Naming your thoroughbred
Naming your racehorse can be an exciting process and one that will be shown on television screens nationally and internationally, as well as race books, newspapers, and other media outlets.
That said, there are several common-sense rules by which you have to abide.
- It can’t be the same (or sound the same) as an existing racehorse
- It can’t be any more than 18 characters long, including spaces
- It can’t include any offensive material, so no expletives or those that sound like it
- It can’t be stolen from someone else, such as a famous brand or celebrity name
- Finally, it may be rejected if it is too difficult to pronounce
To be safe, visit Racing Australia and type in your name in the availability search. The Horse Name Search should be used as a guide only. Even if a name shows as available, this is not a guarantee the name will be approved when submitted.
The Registrar under the Australian Rules of Racing (AR18): May refuse to register any name which for any reason he/she may deem undesirable; and may cancel any horse’s registered name for whatever reason he/she deem necessary.