Three-State winning spree for Boots

Seven winners in three States at the weekend might have trots watchers sitting up and taking notice of prominent Riverina owner Michael Boots. And with a genuine love of horses and harness racing Boots is relishing his steady build into a big-time player.

Boots, who has an earthmoving business at Leeton, spreads his large racing team across 24 stables throughout New South Wales and Victoria and recorded his seven wins on Friday and Saturday with seven different trainers.

Boots had winners at Melton (Hi Manameisjeff, City of Melton Plate), Menangle (Fire Fox, in a heat of the Autumn Gift) and Hobart (Hiranya in the Tasmanian Derby) on Saturday night.  The successes came after a memorable night for Boots at Wagga Wagga on Friday night where he had four winners: Miss Chantilly (Ellen Bartley); Itz Miss Montana (Colin Thomas); Cut N Run (Keith Kenna) and Schiavone (Norm Diebert Snr).

Boots places horses with a long list of trainers across the eastern seaboard.  In addition to the weekend winning trainers, Boots also has horses with Belinda McCarthy, Rob Morris, Craig Turnbull, Amanda Turnbull, Craig Demmler, Ellen Bartley and Jodi Quinlan.

Boots said horses were always a part of his life when he was growing up.

“My father David owned thoroughbreds. I reckon I would have been just a two-year-old when I first got put on a horse and rode it,” he said.

“I’ve gone to the harness racing side. It’s a bit of an outlet from work which can get extremely busy, but it’s probably a hobby that has grown in numbers very quickly!”

“The first one I raced was a horse named Jaydens Castle – I had a pretty good run with him.”

Jaydens Castle won 22 races in his career, including 16 (three at Moonee Valley/Melton and a runner up performance in the Vicbred 4yo Super Series Final) during three years from 2009 to 2012.

But Boots said the numbers began to steadily escalate when he was given three mares during the drought years and began breeding.  The Sokys Atom-sired mare Dolly Sokys produced winners in Magic Maddie (9), Camroller (16) and Cams A Million (4), while Pebble Rock (1), Dancinginthedark (5) and Sinister (3) are still racing.

In recent years Boots has been a regular buyer at sales in Australia as well as making a number of astute New Zealand purchases.

“Over the years I’ve made a lot of contacts who might spot something that I might like, and then it’s up to me to make up my own mind. I also work with a few agents,” Boots said.

“Lately I’ve been to pretty much every sale and have been buying a few at each. I’ll be at the coming Nutrien Melbourne sale early next month,” he said.

“I’ve got 12 yearlings in and there’s another four to come home and I still own a few good broodmares.”

Boots said having such a wide spread of his team meant getting to races in person was often difficult.

“But I’ve been with Col (Thomas) for years and I’ve got quite a few with him at the moment. He’s a great horseman and a gentleman—I go to the meetings with him whenever I can,” he said.

“As for my best horse at the moment, I’d have to say Bundoran (Lincoln Royal – Mullaghmore). It’s with Amanda who does a great job.”

Bundoran finished runner up to King of Swing last month in the Group 1 Allied Express sprint, booking himself a spot in the Miracle Mile, where he finished a brave and close-up fifth, running home from last at the 400.

Boots said after leaving school at an early age, he went on to qualify as an auto electrician.

“Dad knew I wasn’t enjoying school all that much and told me it was time to go and get a job and get to work!” he said.

“I’ve also tried my hand at a few other things over the years like being a garbo, doing interstate truck driving and worked a few pubs.

“Dad started the earthmoving business and then when he got sick I took over. I remember at Christmas in 2020 we had a staff of 105 and 15 subbies. We’re still very busy, but we’re down to about 55 staff now.

“Our work involves subdivisions, roadmaking, irrigation construction projects—and building a few trotting tracks!”

Boots and his partner Erica Tongs have a 20-acre home property and have another 20-acre property and a larger 230-acre farm.

Boots said he was thoroughly enjoying harness racing, despite there being “more lows than highs” at times.

“I’m not into fishing or things like that. I’m just not a patient person—I’ve got to be on the go so the horses are really a perfect outlet,” he said.

“All the same, there’s nothing better than having a few beers and wandering down to the spelling paddocks at home to check on the horses and the broodies. It keeps you alive.”

By Terry Gange for Harnesslink