Hawkesbury training duo Jason and Lucy Keegan-Attard flew the flag for local stables when they combined to win Saturday’s Midway Hcp with the giant gelding Knight. For a Hawkesbury trainer to win a Saturday race at Randwick or Rosehill is satisfying enough. To beat the elite stables on home turf is something else. The locals made a very good job of it when Claire Lever’s Highly Desired completed the Midway quinella.
Knight didn’t just beat them. He dominated the race in conditions that tested many of the 102 horses who competed on the day. The big boy raced outside the leader from the outset and was left in front earlier than jockey Keagan Latham desired. Knight’s massive stride carried him through the Heavy 9 conditions, to post a winning margin of almost two and a half lengths.
“I’ve never actually checked his height but I’m sure he’s over seventeen hands,” said Jason. “I doubt there would have been a bigger horse at Hawkesbury on Saturday. While not sure of his exact height, I do have some data on the length of his stride. I’m a user of an equine monitoring device called E-Trakka which records a horse’s heart rate, ECG, speed, stride length and sectional times. I was stunned the first time I saw his stride length of 8.1 metres. He’s certainly not the kind of horse who can stop and start in a race. Keagan Latham rides him perfectly.”
He's a big lad! Knight's huge stride was evident as he powered away with the Midway. Keagan Lathan in the saddle - courtesy Steve Hart Photographics.
The galloper’s name is plain and simple, and probably stems from the fact that he’s a son of former Godolphin Gr 1 winner Helmet, now standing at stud in Germany. History has seen few more elaborate helmets than the ones used by medieval knights in the ancient pursuit of jousting. This thoroughbred Knight wouldn’t have been out of place lending his considerable weight to the attacking technique of one of the jousting stars of the middle ages.
Helmet’s son Knight was originally trained by Kim Waugh who won four races with the hulking gelding. He was having his fourth run for the Attard stable on Saturday and found the right race under the right conditions. “He can overdo things a bit and is very strong if he decides to get on his way,” said Jason. “We’ve used ear muffs at his last couple of runs but decided to take them off on Saturday. Keagan said he raced pretty generously outside the leader. We’ll leave them off for now and see how he goes. His next assignment will probably be the Scone Cup on May 13th.”
Jason Attard is a lot more than just a Hawkesbury racehorse trainer. He’s spent his entire life in the immediate vicinity and it’s fair to say that the Hawkesbury Valley is in his DNA. He spent his childhood at Freemans Reach, a locality abounding with horses and horse people of many and varied interests. Despite his natural ability as a rider, young Attard couldn’t help but become involved with harness horses. His uncle Joe Farrugia always had a small team of standardbreds in work, while nearby neighbor Eric Shepherd became a valued mentor. “Eric was essentially a trotting horse trainer but had a great all round knowledge of horses. He taught me many of the basics. I was very close to acquiring a harness driver’s licence at one stage, but preferred the saddle to the sulky. I have no regrets.”
Jason and Lucy seconds after the Hawkesbury Gold Cup win - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Eventually Jason’s reputation around the district brought him to the attention of the late Ted McCabe who was managing Bob Ingham’s landmark Belmont Park spelling and pre-training farm at North Richmond. He was only 15 years old when offered a full time job on McCabe’s horse breaking team. Despite his tender years young Jason quickly emerged as a naturally gifted handler of young horses. He had mixed feelings in 2007 when he learned that Bob Ingham had sold his entire thoroughbred operation to Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley empire. A very happy chapter in his life was about to come to an end.
Ted McCabe at the time was getting towards the end of his seventeen years as Chairman of the Hawkesbury Race Club. He listened intently when fellow board member Sid Kelly mentioned that he was searching for a suitable horseman to manage his Freemans Reach property “Reibycroft” and break in a small number of his yearlings annually. Jason Attard got the job on McCabe’s recommendation, and so began a long and amicable association. “In the beginning Sid would move his young horses on to outside trainers but later encouraged me to get my own licence,” said Jason.
“I had a lot of fun with Reiby Rampart for Sid. She won a couple at Hawkesbury, one at Newcastle and finally cracked it for a Randwick win in 2018 with Adam Hyeronimus in the saddle. She also ran eight placings. You’d love a barn full like her. Reiby The Red was another good money spinner in the Kelly colours. He won three races for us including one at Warwick Farm by a big space. When I finally had enough horses to justify a training career, Sid was kind enough to allow me to train from Reibycroft.”
Reiby Rampart (Adam Hyeronimus) wins a BM85 in the Sid Kelly colours at Randwick in 2018 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Thanks to the support of valued owner John Kelly, young Jason Attard got to train two talented horses in the same time frame. Full siblings Kellyville Flyer and Sons Of John unquestionably propelled his training career to another level. Both horses started their careers with other trainers, but spent the majority of their racing years with Jason. He posted five wins and five placings with Kellyville Flyer. Three of the mare’s wins were on metropolitan tracks. “She had constant foot issues and really appreciated a rain affected track. Two of her city wins were in very heavy going,” said the trainer. “I have her first foal in the stable currently. He’s a three year old Flying Artie gelding called Ruby Flyer. He’s had bone chips removed from a fetlock joint and needed plenty of time off. We’re hoping he’s half as good as his mother.”
To this point in time Kellyville Flyer’s full brother has been Jason’s “horse in a lifetime”. Sons Of John had registered two wins and two placings for Mitch Newman before being transferred to Jason in 2014. He would go on to win another five including the Gr 3 Hawkesbury Cup with Jeff Penza in the saddle - a maiden Group success for trainer and jockey. The Oratorio gelding spelled after the Hawkesbury Cup win, destined to strike his best form in the following preparation.
Sons Of John (Jeff Penza) scored an easy win in the 2015 Hawkesbury Gold Cup - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Following two trials he resumed with a cracking first up second to emerging superstar Winx in the Theo Marks Stakes at Rosehill. Although beaten, Sons Of John carved himself a little piece of history. In going under by a head the gelding got closer to Winx than any other horse during the champion’s thirty three win streak. The talented horse retired with a record of 34 starts for 7 wins, 7 placings and over $475,000 in prize money. “He could have raced on for a bit longer, but he had a few little niggling issues, and we all felt he had absolutely nothing to prove,” said Jason. “I’m thrilled to say he’s the star boarder on our property and is enjoying life in retirement.”
Blake Shinn lands Sons Of John a narrow winner in the Gr.3 Bill Ritchie Hcp at Randwick 2016 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Lucy Keegan-Attard officially joined forces with her husband only two years ago, although her input had been significant for a long time before that. English born Lucy had been a brilliant exponent of the show jumping art from an early age, and later earned recognition in the hunting pursuit. She later garnered valuable experience in stud work, earning her technician’s certificate in artificial insemination along the way. The year of 2010 brought her to new horizons in Australia, beginning with a stint at Richard Bull’s well known Tamarang Quarter Horse Stud near Tamworth where her experience in the AI field proved invaluable.
Later her burgeoning interest in thoroughbreds led to a full time job as a trackwork rider at Darley’s beautifully appointed Osborne Park training property at Agnes Banks. Then followed a sponsorship association with Patinack Farm’s Hawkesbury arm during which time she gained further experience riding track gallops and working with pre trainers. When the Patinack enterprise collapsed, Lucy was relieved to secure a similar arrangement with the Chris Waller stable at Rosehill. She looks back with gratitude on her three years with one of the nation’s most professional training operations.
Between them Jason and Lucy have accumulated tremendous experience on their journeys through life. The combination of those talents was the catalyst for the establishment of A.K.A. Racing. The partners have established a very workable horse training property on 15 acres of undulating land at picturesque Grose Vale. Features include a massive sand arena which embraces close to an acre. “For horses coming up from spells, or horses who don’t need a gallop the arena is proving to be a great asset,” says Jason. “We can do any amount of conditioning work in the sand. I’m hoping a few stayers find their way to our place. Obviously, we do all of our fast work at Hawkesbury and we’re at the track most days.”
Jason and Lucy with Tim Clark after a Randwick win with Kellyville Flyer in 2017 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Lucy made a quick trip home to England to catch up with family over Christmas. What should have been an absence of a few weeks turned into two months with Covid travel restrictions. Prior to her departure last December, Lucy would spend some time in the saddle every day. “I got the shock of my life when she finally arrived home with the announcement that she no longer wanted to ride,” recalled Jason. “She’d given the matter a lot of thought during her time away, and believed it was time to concentrate on the administration of the business.”
“I wasn’t too disappointed because she’s very good in that department. She’s still a keen observer at the track each morning and is an excellent judge of gallops and recovery rates. As an example of her astute judgement in most matters, I can tell you she walked the Hawkesbury track a couple of times before last Saturday’s race and was of the opinion Knight should race about four horses away from the rail. She was right on the money.”
Booming prize money in NSW has become a double edged sword. It’s enticed a flood of new owners into the game, but at the same time the list of registered trainers is getting longer by the day. Many owners prefer to be involved with smaller stables where they’re every bit as spoiled as their horses. Jason and Lucy have devoted their lives so far to the care, management and training of horses. They’re busting to put that kind of experience to good use in racing’s current boom time. They’ll also throw in a million dollar view of the famous Blue Mountains.
(Banner image - Knight strolled home in the Hawkesbury Midway - courtesy Steve Hart Photographics.)