Emma Stewart considering a bold move overseas

Leading harness racing trainer Emma Stewart is considering a bold move overseas to campaign a team of horses in the United States.

Stewart, who is fresh from claiming yet another metropolitan and state premiership double, has revealed her desire to travel with partner Clayton Tonkin and tackle the competitive American industry.

“Me and Clayton were thinking about going over there for a few months, taking just a select team over,” Stewart told RSN.

“It’s something we really have to think about. Because we are so big here, we have to decide whether we want to slow down or not.

“I think it would be a great learning curve for both of us and it’s something we are really considering.”

Stewart prepared 808 starters nation-wide through 2022 for 304 winners and almost $6million in prizemoney, but the hectic schedule and large numbers in training might soon be a thing of the past.

“I’m more looking at other ways of doing it whereas Clayton is totally driven, he just wants to win everything and he would keep going at this pace until he physically couldn’t,” the 41-year-old horsewoman said.

“We are getting a little bit older now and we’ve won nearly most of the things we want to win. The Grand Circuit is where we have sort of failed in the past because we have been concentrating on the younger horses.

“Our training may shift a little bit and I’m really interested in going overseas…”

Stewart said she had been in discussions with the team at Summit Bloodstock – a leading harness racing syndication business – about establishing a property in the United States.

If the move does occur, Stewart and Tonkin would follow in the footsteps of former New South Wales-based couple Shane and Lauren Tritton, who now train out of New York.

The Trittons have enjoyed good success since making the move to the US in 2020, and have recently taken over training duties of star pacer Lochinvar Art.

Stewart started her training career in the 2001-02 season and has prepared more than 2800 winners – including over 100 at Group 1 level – since that time.

LISTEN TO STEWART SPEAK ON RSN BELOW:

by Tim O’Connor, for HRV