Sulkies and now saddles for Bain

South Australian-based standardbred juggernaut Aaron Bain Racing has taken the first step into its new racing future – but he’s adamant a shift into gallops won’t mean leaving harness racing behind.

Yesterday was day one at the new dual code Aaron Bain Racing home base at Gawler and not surprisingly the entrepreneurial Bain is optimistic about the potential of the new venture.

After being born and raised into the trots, Bain took out a gallops licence at the start of the thoroughbred season, and this week brought on board well-credentialed stable foreman Ned Taylor as assistant trainer.

“We could have fumbled through and done one or two gallopers and learnt slowly how to get a winner when we were lucky – but the other option is to start this journey with someone with great experience to learn from, and that’s Ned,” Bain said.

“We’re excited to have him board – seven years’ experience with Ciaron Maher and David Eustace reads pretty well on the resume, so he’s a pretty sound guy to have in the team as we move into this new stage.”

The Bain team is based on a property at Gawler, but, in addition, will take up a bank of 10 stables at Gawler racecourse, once a barn development is completed at the complex.

“Eventually we will have the two facilities, but they’re literally two minutes apart, so I think it will work well,” Bain said.

And while Bain and his team are learning the ropes in the thoroughbred game, Taylor will also be expanding on his own knowledge base.

“Ned will be hands on overseeing the day-to-day operations in both our gallops and harness racing stables. He’s obviously got the thoroughbred background, but there’s a lot to learn on the harness racing side of things, and as you would expect, he’s learning quickly,” Bain said.

“He’s like us, though, we all live and breathe horses every day.”

Bain’s approach to harness racing ownership has been a groundbreaker for the industry, and Aaron Bain Racing has grown to have phenomenal influence over the past three years.

The operation provides a mix of ownership opportunities, trailblazing the popular “ownership clubs” concept in South Australia, as well as a more traditional mix of share opportunities for racing involvement at all levels.

Aaron Bain Racing has 110 pacers and trotters currently racing in every State in Australia, and in October they topped the million-dollar mark for total season earnings for 2021.

The harness racing team has recorded more than 175 winners for the season, including equalling its monthly record of 26 wins in October.

“Horses that are headliners, like Spirit of St Louis and Humble Ladd which we have a small share in, are Interdominion bound, and they get people’s interest, along with some exciting new up and comers like Parisian Artiste that also encourage people to get involved,” Bain said.

“The club concepts like the Lads Club which races The Kapiti Express (four wins this season) and the Ladies Club, which races Arco (five wins this season) have attracted a lot of attention and have brought new people into harness racing, which is what we started the clubs idea for,” he said.

“We’ve got 750 owners on our books now, and a database of 900 people, so that’s a great opportunity to bring people with us as we move over into the gallops code. For most of us, it’s the animal you love, and racing gets in your blood.

“Harness racing is what I grew up in with my grandparents and parents all involved, but the sport hasn’t been growing. We’ve been doing our utmost to change that and we never want to be out of harness racing,” Bain said.

“Getting into the gallops is about taking it to the next level – it’s really about growing and futureproofing our business. Gallops is a progressive industry at the moment and the time was right for us to come across and dip our toes in the water.”

In addition to Taylor, there are three full time harness racing staff at the stable: Aaron’s dad Peter, along with Theresa Neilson and Samantha Pascoe. Another three or four part-timers are also involved.

Administration is taken care of by Bain’s partner Amy Hiscock, and a business advisor Rob Curnow is instrumental with day-to-day advice. Another full-time staff member is due to begin next week, who will be developed as a track rider.

Bain said the stable now had 26 standardbreds in work, and, from this week, six thoroughbreds.
“We’re planning to grow the thoroughbred number fairly quickly up to about 10 or 12, just depending on what interest there is,” he said.

“The horses we have so far have all been purchased by owners from our existing database, and we hope that will continue to grow.”

And while yesterday was the start of an exciting new era, the harness racing winners didn’t stop – recording four victories for Team Bain horses in three States within an hour (Talent Agent at Cobram; Pebblesonthebeach, Alexia Rose at Globe Derby; and Belfour Bacardi at Pinjarra).

The first of the Bain gallopers is expected to race early in the New Year.

By Terry Gange for Harnesslink