A win with Lights On The Hill at Moruya on Friday put Jamie Stewart in the right frame of mind for the long trip to Rosehill with Iconic Dame the following morning. He was quietly confident the filly would give Saturday’s TAB Highway an almighty shake, but didn’t expect her to win the way she did. The trainer wasn’t fazed by the prospect of a deteriorating track and believed that Tyler Schiller’s 2kg claim would greatly enhance her chances. “These were the reasons we decided to use her inside draw and ride her positively,” said Jamie. “She travelled generously despite having Well In Sight on her outside all the way to the turn. This enabled her to let down the way she did under the conditions. She was very impressive over the last hundred metres.”
In just five years as a professional trainer, Jamie has built a healthy strike rate on southern district tracks. In winning his first metropolitan race on Saturday, the 39 year old announced his arrival in spectacular fashion. “I’m a great believer in taking horses where they have the best chance of winning,” said Jamie. “I’d rather win a race at Moruya or Sapphire Coast for my owners, than run a nice fourth in a Canterbury midweeker. It’s just a matter of identifying one with enough ability to measure up in the city, and then finding the right race. Everything worked out perfectly on Saturday. You’ve got to enjoy it on the day because you know it won’t happen every time.”
Iconic Dame gave Tyler Schiller his 61st city win for the season - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Iconic Dame is a true Moruya homebred, the product of a mating between the high profile stallion Nicconi and the Snippetson mare Remarkable Girl. Her dam had limited ability but managed to win two races - a 900m Kembla maiden in late 2009, and a Class 1 at Wagga fourteen months later. Remarkable Girl was part owned by Janelle Dunkley, now a Doctor of Veterinary Science who has the respect of horse people right through the southern region. It was Janelle who closely studied Remarkable Girl’s pedigree before sending her to Danzig’s grandson Nicconi. Had Janelle known what Nature Strip was destined to achieve, she may have found another mare or two to send with Remarkable Girl.
Janelle invited her partner Steven Cummins and nine other friends to join her in the ownership of the Nicconi filly, and when the time was right Jamie Stewart was selected as her trainer. Stewart was just three years into his solo training career, after more than a decade learning his craft from some very high profile horsemen. He’s handled the lightly framed filly with patience and expertise from the outset. Iconic Dame was a December three year old when she debuted with an emphatic win in a Sapphire Coast maiden in late December with Kayla Nisbet on board.
Seventeen days later, the filly overcame a three wide run to go under narrowly to Platara in a Moruya Class1 on a Heavy 8 track. So significant was her progress over the next couple of weeks that Jamie decided on a throw at the stumps in an 1000m TAB Highway at Randwick. It meant a gap of more than six weeks between runs, but the trainer was already certain this filly required a minimum of fast work and plenty of time between runs.
On a “bottomless” Heavy 10 track and from a wide gate, Iconic Dame was three wide from the outset in a pretty handy field. She was far from disgraced in finishing 5th of 10 runners just over six lengths from the winner Shelby Sixtysix. The winner’s subsequent form confirmed that it was better than the average Highway. Jamie went home content in the knowledge that his filly wouldn’t need to improve too much to win the right TAB Highway. Following a “freshen” Iconic Dame returned almost four months later to convincingly win a 1000m Class 1 at the Sapphire Coast with Richard Bensley in the saddle. She went into Saturday’s race with three weeks between runs and proved that Jamie knows her very well indeed.
Jamie sometimes doubles as strapper. Here he is with Rapidity after a Canberra win 14/11/2021 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Bega born Jamie Stewart has been in the company of horses from an early age. His father Bruce bred a number of thoroughbreds and shared a close friendship with legendary Bega horse trainer Ray “Nugget” Wheatley. The latter trained racehorses for close to five decades winning multiple country Cups and excelling whenever a city class horse appeared in his stable. He won seven straight races in the late 1980’s, with brilliant sprinter Ima Carpenter. One of the speedster’s wins was in the Gr 3 Royal Sovereign Stakes at Randwick, nowadays called the Arrowfield Sprint.
“The conversation around our dinner table usually centred on racing because of Dad’s friendship with Ray Wheatley,” recalled Jamie. “My father developed a deep interest in racing and it was hard not to get involved. In the early days my horse interests revolved firstly around ponies and later showjumpers. I got right into the showjumping sport and had the good fortune to train and ride a couple of really nice horses. I really didn’t know what I wanted to do at that stage of my life, but I knew I wanted to work with horses.
A former Bega friend Jason Warren had kicked off his professional training career at Mornington in Victoria and was making a name for himself as a breaker and pre-trainer. He offered me a job as his assistant and didn’t have to ask twice. That led me to a job with Lee Freedman who was having tremendous success from “Markdel”, the magnificent training complex he’d developed on the Mornington Peninsula with brothers Anthony, Michael and Richard. I was a member of the ground staff and rode regular trackwork at a time when they had 120 horses in training on the property. I stayed seven years and what a learning curve it was.”
When “Markdel” was disbanded, Anthony moved to Flemington and offered me the opportunity to join him at headquarters. I was his travelling foreman for a while and got to take Santa Ana Lane away on several of his interstate trips. My next adventure was a stint with John Sadler, a great trainer and a beaut bloke to work for. Most of my time in the Sadler operation was spent at their Ballarat base which was used exclusively to educate and pre-train the younger horses. I also had a stint in John’s Flemington stable. All in all a tremendous experience. My final Victorian connection was with the Leon/Troy Corstens operation. Again, they were terrific people and wonderful horsemen. It was then time for me to go home.”
Jamie didn't take long to start producing winners after gaining his licence in 2017 - winners like Akeed at Canberra 18/09/2020 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Back in beautiful Bega, Jamie took time out to contemplate his future in the racing industry. While considering his options the well prepared young horseman helped his Dad around the property and even “pulled a few beers” at the Grand Hotel. The landmark Bega pub was, and still is owned by Peter Turner who doubles as a bookmaker at southern districts race meetings. Jamie made the snap decision one morning to give it a try as a trainer in his own right. He had the good fortune to gain stabling for up to eighteen horses on the Moruya racecourse and couldn’t be happier with his location. In addition to his own horses, Jamie looks after a small team for Canberra trainer Matthew Dale. “Matt uses Moruya for horses who need some beach work or those requiring a change of environment.
“We have access to a magnificent stretch of beach, or we can take them for a wade in the Moruya River for a change of scenery,” said Jamie. “We have the use of an excellent B Grass, a sand track and the course proper on specified days. As far as work riders go we’re very fortunate to have the support of local trainer Colbey Hill who rides work for local trainers when her own commitments are completed. Jockey Mel Kinny is a trackwork regular, as is my partner Tash Winton, a former jockey whose input is invaluable to my stable.”
Like most freshman trainers Jamie has had to feel his way in a very tough business. He started out with a handful of average horses constantly looking for the support of local enthusiasts prepared to join ownership syndicates. He’s also had to learn the art of running a business from scratch. The thrill of training his first winner remains an indelible memory. The magic moment came in August 2017 when a little mare called Case won a Class 3 event at Moruya with Jeff Penza in the saddle. “It was a massive thrill,” said Jamie. “I got her from Paul Murray who’d won a maiden with her previously. She had four more starts without a win and we retired her gracefully. She was pretty important to me at the time.”
Jeff Penza was the jockey to provide Jamie with his first win as a trainer. Case scrambles home at Moruya 2017 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Jamie has chipped away quietly since that maiden win, establishing a respectable strike rate and earning a reputation as a pretty good hand with a horse. Mr Magical has been a good ambassador for the stable - a $15000 Scone purchase who’s won six races with five placings for $127,000. He’s in the paddock currently with a minor issue but will be back in work shortly. Akeed was a $6,500 Inglis Digital purchase who’s gone on to win four races on the southern circuit. One of his wins was in the $50,000 Moruya Town Plate, giving his new owners a huge thrill. Secadia, Scottish Soldier, Rapidity, Globalize and the aforementioned Lights On The Hill have all helped to keep the stable flag flying.
In keeping with his policy of spacing Iconic Dame’s runs, Jamie won’t bring the Nicconi filly back to town until July 30th. Rain, hail or shine she’ll line up in a Class 3 Highway over 1200m at Rosehill. Future plans will be finalised after that race. In the meantime, the trainer will concentrate on finding the right races for the remainder of his team. Thanks to Iconic Dame and her dashing Rosehill win, Jamie can be assured owners are now aware of his presence in the idyllic surrounds of the Moruya racecourse where the turf meets the surf. As much as he loves the place he won’t mind dragging himself away for the day should another Highway horse or two emerge.
Mr Magical (Jordan Mallyon) in one of 6 wins for the Stewart stable - Sapphire Coast 01/06/202 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
(Banner image - It's a good performance when they're winning by this kind of margin - courtesy Bradley Photographers.)