Tom Magnier: Fourteen Million With Just Ten Sovereigns
Coolmore Australia Principal Tom Magnier manages an expansive portfolio of expensive bloodstock and racehorses in Australia. As the son John & Susan Magnierwith legendary Irish trainer&Coolmore’s founder Vincent O’Brien, he was always meant to have a horseman’s heart and business magnate’s mind.
The Everest Diaries talks to Magnier about their 2019 contender, Ten Sovereigns and much more.
Q) What factors do you consider when choosing a horse for The Everest to represent Coolmore’s interests?
A) There are a number of factors that need to be considered when choosing a horse to represent Coolmore in The Everest. Ultimately, we are trying to find a horse capable of winning an incredibly competitive sprint race in a country that is famous for producing some of the fastest sprinters in the world. Secondly, we also use it as a way of promoting Coolmore stallions to a very broad audience, which can be beneficial to our loyal clients that breed their mares to our stallions. This year, in Ten Sovereigns we have a representative for our very exciting young stallion No Nay Never, who is currently standing his fourth season at Coolmore Australia. He has made an outstanding start to his stud career in the northern Hemisphere, however his progeny are yet to hit the track in this part of the world. If Ten Sovereigns was to win, or run a good race in The Everest, it would be a great advantage to those who have supported him at Coolmore Australia in previous years.
Q) What are your plans for Ten Sovereigns if he races in The Everest?
A) Ten Sovereigns will be trained for The Everest on October 19thand any subsequent plans will be made in consultation with Aidan O’Brien and his team after the race. We have great faith in Aidan O’Brien and his very experienced team, so we will be guided by them as to the plan following the race.That being said, there are a number of options for him after The Everest which must come into consideration, including the Group 1 Manikato Stakes on October 25th and the Group 1 VRC Sprint Classic on November 9th, for which he holds entries in both.
Q) How has Coolmore benefited from being a ‘The Everest’ slot holder? Will you be seeking to renew the partnership with ‘The Everest’ again?
A) The Everest has been an overwhelming success in increasing the profile of racing in Australia to a global audience and putting racing on the front pages of the newspapers. Coolmore is supportive of anything that promotes our sport to a broader audience and expands the reach of thoroughbred racing in Australia. We are unwavering in our support of The Everest as a slot holder, now and well into the future.
Q: Now that most of the field is known, are there any concerns about any of the other contenders?
A) It is a hugely competitive race and all the runners are there on merit, so all are major contenders.
Q: Which would be the greatest sprint race you have witnessed and why?
A) Two races that spring most readily to mind are Starspangledbanner’s win in the Gr.1 Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2010 and Merchant Navy’s win in the Gr.1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes, also at Royal Ascot, earlier this year. The former’s performance to make-all and beat 23 rivals was incredible. From memory, over half of the field had won at least 1 Gr.1. In the case of Merchant Navy, he went to Royal Ascot as a very young horse and to beat a great field in the brilliant fashion that he did marked him down as a special horse.
Q: Given the fact that The Everest concept has caught on like wildfire, what do you make of the modernism, innovation and change at the heart of racing in Australia?
A) The Everest looks to have captured the imagination of the general public, which is a hugely positive result. It is in the best long-term interests of the sport to continue to see the participant base grow and if concepts like The Everest can help this happen, then they are fantastic initiatives.
Q: How would you predict the southern hemisphere will shape up in the next couple of decades as a centre for racing? Where is investment expected to come from?
A) Racing in Australia looks to have a very bright future. The best Australian horses can compete with the best anywhere in the world, as has been shown over the last decade in particular. Prizemoney is very strong and the spectacle of the best racing in Australia is as captivating a sporting spectacle as one will find. I think these factors are important in continuing to attract investment in the Australian thoroughbred industry.
Published In Everest Diaries Platinum Souvenir 2019
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