Richmond premiership syndicate chasing Melbourne Cup glory (SEN)

[one-eyed]

THE RICHMOND PREMIERSHIP SYNDICATE CHASING MELBOURNE CUP GLORY

By Andrew Slevison
SEN
25 October 2022

There is a group of Richmond premiership players who are dipping their toes into the racing caper in a bid to land a big winner at the track.

Led by Nathan Broad and Liam Baker, the Tigers syndicate consists of fellow flag winners Jack Riewoldt, Tom Lynch, Jayden Short and Jack Graham.

The group have shares in several horses with prominent Melbourne Cup-winning owner John O’Neill who persuaded them to buy into an international stayer named Soulcombe.

Three-time premiership defender Broad said it was an easy sell by the man who part-owns the likes of Verry Elleegant, Hitotsu and Incentivise, among many others.

“Johnny sells things very well to you,” Broad told SEN Track.

“He’s a mad man. We’ve got about four or five other horses with Johnny. He sent us a video of Soulcombe over in Europe and it was an easy yes.”

A winner of three races back home in the UK, Soulcombe is set to race first-up in Australia in the Queen’s Cup (2600m) at Flemington on the final day of the carnival on Saturday week.

Baker was asked if the intel from O’Neill has been strong so far.

“Just get on?,” Baker said.

“That’s what we’re hearing so we’ll definitely be doing that.

“We’re backing Johnny in, he tells us he’s going to be winning so we’re hoping it does.”

Baker also said a couple of teammates, current and former, opted out of the syndicate that is chasing glory at the races.

“It’s us two (Baker and Broad), Riewoldt, Lynch, Short and Graham, there’s six of us,” he added.

“A few jumped off though, (Dion) Prestia and (Kane) Lambert.”

Broad admits the syndicate hasn’t tasted too much success as of yet, but is hoping the wins soon start rolling in.

“We haven’t had too many winners with Johnny, a lot of them are young and starting out,” said Broad.

“Hopefully Soulcombe on Saturday week will be the big one for us.

“We watched it roll around (at Flemington on Tuesday morning), it’s a massive horse and is in good nick, so we’re pretty excited for Saturday week.”

Owning a winner during the Flemington carnival would be quite the thrill, but would it be as good as winning in front of a packed house at the MCG?

Or even winning an AFL premiership?

“Probably even better, that’s what they reckon,” said Baker.

Broad added: “I said that to Johnny yesterday, I said if we can pull a Melbourne Cup one day, that’d be better than winning the flag.”

And it is the Melbourne Cup that is the path for Soulcombe who is considered a longer-term prospect for O’Neill and the broader ownership group, which includes Ozzie Kheir.

The son of Frankel could be aimed at next year’s edition of the great handicap race provided all goes well this spring and early into next year.

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2022/10/25/the-richmond-premiership-syndicate-chasing-melbourne-cup-glory/

[one-eyed]

"Just get on?"

@Richmond_FC premiership stars Nathan Broad and Liam Baker are part of the ownership group of SOULCOMBE with @mummify57.

He runs in the Queen's Cup at @FlemingtonVRC on Saturday week.

#HorseRacing | @SENGiddyUp

Watch here: https://twitter.com/SEN_track/status/1584747133034369024

[JP Tiger]

Soulcombe?  I had a Soul-kombi once ... it was very beautiful, man ...     

[mightytiges]

Soulcombe?  I had a Soul-kombi once ... it was very beautiful, man ...     

On a hippie trail, head full of zombie
I met a strange lady, she made me nervous
She took me in and gave me breakfast

 

[one-eyed]

Tiger time at Flemington as Soulcombe salutes

Peter Ryan
The Age
November 6, 2022



Richmond premiership stars Jack Riewoldt, Liam Baker, Nathan Broad and Jack Graham know what pressure is like having won flags in the yellow and black.

But they did not look like seasoned sporting stars as emerging stayer and hot favourite Soulcombe sat last midway through the group 3 Queen’s Cup.

Given it was the first horse of any note the quartet at the track, and their two absent teammates Tom Lynch and Jayden Short, have held shares in, their anxiety was natural.

But it soon turned to jubilation as they realised jockey Craig Williams was starting to make ground on Soulcombe once they straightened, and he had the race in hand as he passed the mounting yard with 100 metres to run.

“That’s exactly how they said they would ride it,” Baker said. “They said he should be good enough down the straight if he got the right run.”

Broad could not believe his luck being involved with horse owners and syndicators Ozzie Kheir and John O’Neill (a Richmond fan) who have seen plenty of success on the track but celebrated with even more enthusiasm than usual.

“That’s our first winner,” Broad said.

When asked how it compared to the emotion he felt when winning the three flags in 2017, 2019 and 2020 his response was simple.

“It’s up there,” Broad said.

The UK-bred Soulcombe who was having his first start at Flemington does not shape as a one-hit wonder either. The well-bred four-year-old gelding is favourite for next year’s Melbourne Cup and under the care of Chris Waller is sure to get a perfect preparation.

“It is a different style of racing but no better place than Flemington, the bigger tracks, and that will give the horse a lot of confidence,” Waller said. “It’s all about seeing how he recovers today. Most importantly he knows how to win at Flemington.”

Williams is interested in sitting on Soulcombe’s back next year.

“That’s no different to his races back home. He’ll adapt to our racing, and he’s got really good ability,” Williams said.

“He’s so raw and untapped. Credit to Chris Waller and his team of owners. They will develop a tough, seasoned horse for next year.”

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/tiger-time-at-flemington-as-soulcombe-salutes-20221105-p5bvu9.html