Story from TTR

In our latest Q & A series, The Thoroughbred Report seeks insights from a variety of professionals, be they agents, trainers, breeders, handlers, owners, administration and ancillary, etc., to hear their thoughts on our industry.

In today’s Q & A, we feature a quick-fire round with Duncan Ramage, owner of DGR Thoroughbred Services Pty Ltd (FBAA).

Favourite moment – racing, sales or breeding related – for the 2022/23 season?

Duncan Ramage: As the former yearling purchaser of and still the manager for a significant portion of the So You Think Stallion Partnership with Coolmore, to see the horse become runner-up for a second year in a row of the Australian General Sires’ Table is an obvious highlight. Long will the highlight repeat.

Which sire do you consider a value sire? Fee <$50k and not a first-season sire.

DR: $50,000 is not an insignificant service fee in itself, but in the parameters of the question, Smart Missile at an advertised fee of $13,200 (inc GST) to get a young mare on the scoreboard as a dam of winners is a value bet.

What young sire (less than three crops) do you think will one day be Champion Sire?

DR: They all have to get in the queue. With some oldies still very much in the game and the cohort of middle-aged sires likely to fill that mantel the young sires might be in the far queue.

What, if any, is your greatest current-industry concern?

DR: Lack of junior-aged staff particularly riders in racing stables aside from stud farm staff.

Name an emerging human talent in the industry, and say why?

DR: Corey Brown in his new role as a racing commentator gives very succinct and insightful analysis of what is occurring to the viewer.

If you had $10 million to invest in an industry initiative, what would it be and why?

DR: A Jockeys Academy in the model of the South African Academy including on-site accommodation (vital to keep the little blighters focused). Not all will become successful jockeys, but they will feed through into various industry roles, not just the hands-on workforce but over time commentators, stewards, educators themselves.

Which yearling purchase in 2023 are you most excited about?

DR: I THINK it’s EXTREMELY HARD to JUSTIFY just one.
Refer to dgrracing.com.au/current-offers/