Borgs finding power at a different pace

When it comes to combining their harness racing pursuits around their employment, Melton's Borg brothers Charlie Borg and Joe Borg have it down to a fine art.

Charlie and his older brother Joe have reined in their harness racing commitments, now preparing a small team of three – a far cry from years gone by when they would prepare up to 30 horses.

"It's more of a hobby these days and I reckon we are both enjoying it a lot more," Charlie said.

"It would have been probably 15 years ago when we were doing the big numbers and then up until three years back, we still had 10 or 12 in work, but we've continued to cut it back," he said.

The brothers are still passionate about their horses but with working full time, nowadays they are for fun and relaxation.

"I'm in the spray-painting business and work during the day, while Joe is a traffic controller on night shift," Charlie said.

"We both more or less have set tasks at the stables-but it's working well. We are having fun especially when we bob up with a winner. We work in together really well and enjoy our catch-ups at weekends-that's when we mostly see each other."

The brothers are following in the footsteps of their father Tony, an astute trainer who enjoyed success with Eyes Are Looney, Gozo Boy, Borg Stein, Borgs Choice, Miss Kellie and others.

"When we were little kids growing up at Rockbank, we'd always be mucking around with horses," Charlie said.

"I've been driving for over 30 years but I mainly just drive our own these days. I've still got the passion, I love it."

Charlie showed a fine touch at Yarra Valley recently to land Seize Power (Real Desire-Jayne Tee (American Ideal), who shot his rivals out of the water in the Toyota Pace at the bolter odds of 66/1.

To watch the video replay click here.

Settling second last, Borg made his move three wide with 850 metres to go. He joined the leaders on the home corner and Seize Power stuck to his guns nicely.

"I really didn't think he should have been those odds because his previous run at Melton was good and he had no luck at all in a 56 second last half," he said.

Charlie Borg and Seize Power salute at bolter’s odds at Yarra Valley

"Joe claimed him off Lance Justice in late 2018 and got a win with him at Bendigo. He was going well early, then we couldn't get him right and the vets found that he had a cracked bone in a back leg.

"So he had time off and then when he came back in, he still didn't seem right. We found an abscess then and treated him up and thought he was ready to go until another one burst out. So he's had a few stops and starts.

"But he's fine at the moment and should keep improving with more racing. He's our stable star that's for sure. When you haven't the big numbers in work, you can concentrate on them pretty well."

Terry Gange

NewsAlert PR Mildura