John Steinmetz was about to leave the 2018 Inglis Scone Yearling Sale when he decided to cast his eye over a Casino Prince colt he’d spotted in the catalogue. The sire had already made his mark with several stakes winners including four time Gr 1 victor All Too Hard, and the colt was out of a metropolitan winning mare in Rasay Mist. “He was perhaps a touch plain and noticeably immature, but correct in every detail,” said John. “Furthermore, I saw no sign of the unpleasant nature that would come to light later. I was more than surprised to get him for $4500.
“You can imagine the shock I got a few weeks later when the breaker told me he’d have to be gelded immediately. He said the colt was far too aggressive and likely to hurt someone if not visited by the surgeon. We had him gelded, gave him a few quiet days and actually continued with the breaking in process. We hoped our problems would be over before they got started, but we were in for a shock.”
The new look gelding had everybody on their toes from the day he came into the stable for his second preparation. He would charge anybody who ventured into his box or day yard with mouth wide open and teeth bared. If he couldn’t achieve a result by biting, he’d swing around with the obvious intention of landing both hind feet on his hapless victim. “He was just plain ornery,” said John. “I’ve never seen a horse like him. There’s no limit to his nastiness in the stable, and everybody has to keep their guard up at all times. Even at feed time he’s wanting to charge or give you both barrels. There was an occasion before he’d raced when he lashed out over his stable gate at a horse who walked too close to his box. He got both hind legs over the gate and stripped himself badly. We had to turn him out for six months or more, which probably benefited him.”
Butter wouldn't melt in Dr Evil's mouth when he's at the races. Here he is with John parading at Gosford with Andrew Gibbons up. He ran second. - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
During his third preparation John brought his wife Alison and good mate Mick Bellenger into the ownership. When the time came for the unsociable gelding to be named, John had one at the ready. Some years earlier he’d seen one of three spy action comedy movies about a fictional character called Austin Powers. He remembered that the arch villain in the trilogy was a vile character called Dr Evil played by comedy genius Mike Myers. “Just like the movie character this horse was always looking for a way to cause grief. The name suited him perfectly.”
With every preparation John hoped the horse’s personality would mellow, but he was doomed to disappointment. The mean spirited gelding continued to bite and kick, and before long was turning his head on the way to trackwork doing his best to grab the rider’s foot between his teeth. When things were not going his way he would sometimes jib and rear. Thankfully Dr Evil has always been prepared to do the right thing once he’s actually on the track. “Had he not put his mind on the job once the jockey dropped over his neck, I would have pulled the pin early in the piece,” said John.
John gives all of the credit for Dr Evil’s racetrack achievements to the skilled horseman Wayne Wheatley, a regular at Warwick Farm trackwork. Wayne retired from a professional career around 2013 with 220 winners to his credit on Northern NSW tracks. He opted for a future as a specialist trackwork rider, and his skills were quickly recognised by Warwick Farm trainers. Two years ago he was encouraged to join the ranks of NSW amateur jockeys who are happy to travel huge mileage to picnic meetings all over NSW. With the much higher weight scale, Wheately is enjoying race riding more than ever.
An example of his enthusiasm is the fact that he flew into Moree last Saturday morning in plenty of time to enjoy a “sweat” at the town’s famous artesian baths before being driven due west to the Mallawa picnic racecourse. He was winless in all six races on the quaintly shaped little track, but managed a couple of placings and had a ride in the Mallawa Picnic Cup. The meeting was the second of the three day Golden Triangle carnival. Wayne Wheately was delighted to be a part of it.
“Without Wayne’s dedication and well documented talents it’s unlikely this horse would have made it to the races,” said John Steinmetz. “He’s unfailingly reliable and happy to take on a serious task. Believe me Dr Evil has been a task from his first preparation and nothing much has changed. Wayne has done a tremendous job with a very difficult horse.”
Dr Evil’s wilful ways have resulted in a very light racing schedule to this point in time. The rising six year old has had only twenty three race starts for five wins, seven placings and $134,840 in prize money - a massive dividend on his purchase price of $4,500. His last three runs clearly indicate the horse is on the improve. Three starts back he couldn’t have been more impressive in winning a BM64 over the Canterbury 1900m. With Regan Bayliss in the saddle he swept around the leaders five wide on the turn before exploding away to win by almost three lengths. Ten days later he stepped up to Midway class at Scone and came from near last on the turn to grab third behind Colour Sergeant with Reece Jones in the saddle. Nothing hit the line better at the end of the 1700m.
Dr Evil trounced the opposition in this BM64 at Canterbury recently. Regan Bayliss was the jockey - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
He was back in distance and having his first run in a month when he lined up in a BM68 over the Newcastle mile last Saturday. Koby Jennings who’d ridden Dr Evil in his maiden win was reunited with the son of Casino Prince after several months. From a wide gate he elected to go back and had only two behind him in the eleven horse field as they neared the 600m mark. Koby got going at that point and was carted six and seven horses deep on the corner. The gelding was probably in front sooner than the jockey expected and looked vulnerable when Intuition loomed menacingly at the 100m. Dr Evil showed all of his trademark resentment for his challenger and rallied strongly to score a gutsy win. Trainer Steinmetz is well aware the gelding may have been assisted by heavy ground in recent starts and will reserve judgement until the horse strikes firmer tracks.
Dr Evil (Koby Jennings) looked beaten close to home but rallied to win Saturday's BM68 at Newcastle from Intuition - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
John is fervently hoping the horse improves sufficiently to warrant a crack at races like the Grafton, Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie Cups - a natural enough aspiration given the trainer’s close links to northern NSW. Born and reared in the tiny hamlet of Kendall, John grew up in a strong racing environment. His father Jacko was a registered bookmaker on north coast tracks who taught his son the language of racing from an early age. While his dad was away fielding on race meetings up and down the coast, his ever reliable mother was looking after another “arm” of the business on her home telephone. John’s Uncle Bob also held a bookmaker’s licence in the same era. For young Steinmetz it was a case of comply or go in another direction. He did eventually take another direction, but racing was always in his thoughts.
By the time John gained his Diploma of Education and Bachelor Of Commerce degree at Newcastle University, he was suddenly aware that the racing genes were again making their presence felt. He quickly began his teaching career in Sydney’s western suburbs but felt the need to get some hands on experience in racing stables. He spent spare time in the Warwick Farm stables of Graham Brown and the late Peter Balzen and has never forgotten the generosity and goodwill of those trainers. His teaching and horse training careers began at the same time. He’s had at least one horse in training for close to forty years, sometimes two or three. Currently that number sits at seven and is unlikely to increase.
John took a day off school to watch Minh Khai win at Warwick Farm 03/07/2013. He talks to the press after the race - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
John’s teaching career began at Hebersham followed by a posting to Liverpool. Then followed a lengthy stint at Cabramatta High before spending his latter years at Canley Vale High where he served for some years as Deputy Principal. He was promoted to Principal a short time before his retirement in 2014. John taught several subjects during his 38 years in the role, but focused mainly on Economics and Business Studies. He’s always delighted to run into former pupils in his travels.
With such small numbers of horses in his care over the years John has never expected to come up with a champion, but has enjoyed great times with a handful of handy gallopers. Pay Cash at 66/1 was his first Randwick winner in 1992 with Aaron Huke in the saddle. Handy mare Minh Khai won three consecutive city races almost a decade ago, ridden in all three by Lester Grace. Hillary Step was another metropolitan winner for the Steinmetz stable, while in more recent years Tinker Dan may have been the good horse to get away.
The son of Dylan Thomas had won three races and registered nine placings before a freak trackwork accident at Warwick Farm claimed his life in 2019. Tinker Dan got away as he was being led off the track when a runaway horse knocked his handler to the ground. The gelding predictably headed for home at the gallop, but sustained serious injuries when he struck the wall of the underpass. John was devastated when vets advised he would have to be put down.
John Steinmetz wouldn’t swap his life as a small team trainer. His current muster of seven horses comprises Dr Evil (5 wins), Writing Unexpected (6 wins), Microna (4 wins), Turnaround Time (2 wins), maiden performer Khumbu, and unraced two year olds Good Once and Ever Was. He enjoys the camaraderie of the trainer’s observation deck on the turn out of the straight at Warwick Farm. “Most trainers use the infield tower but I’m happy in the facility known as Clarry’s Tower after Warwick Farm elder statesman Clarry Conners,” said John. “Clarry is obviously a regular with son Marc, while Craig Ritchie and Jason Coyle watch their horses from our vantage point. We can clock them accurately and get a good view of them on gallop mornings. Former trainer Rod Craig pops in on Saturday mornings and slaps up a quick breakfast for us on a portable hot plate we keep in the tower.”
John with Deanne Panya after a win by Hillary Step at Canterbury 2018 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
John and Alison Steinmetz along with part owner Mick Bellenger are looking forward to Dr Evil’s future programme. It’s unlikely his temperament is going to change at this stage of his life, but he’s a definite improver who might get to some of those north coast Cup races,” says the trainer. “I noticed a quote from Gai Waterhouse over the weekend regarding Alligator Blood’s recovery from spinal issues. She said he’s a much happier horse these days, and added that the happiest horses make the best horses. I can show her an unhappy one who’s won five races so far and hopefully isn’t finished yet.”
(Banner image - Dr Evil's second win in a BM58 at Goulburn with Tyler Schiller in the saddle - courtesy Bradley Photographers.)