The weekly TAB Highways have become something of a holy grail for NSW country trainers. Goulburn’s Tash Burleigh was beginning to think she’d never win one of the darn things. In fact she’d all but given up on the prospect of ever training a metropolitan winner. Perhaps she felt her absence from Royal Randwick on Saturday might help rather than hinder the prospects of her two TAB Highway runners Pokerjack and Princess Spice. With the truck due to leave Goulburn at 7.30am Tash decided to stay back and work the last few members of her twelve horse team. There was also the small matter of eleven month old daughter Elly who required her mum’s attention on the day.
Elly attended her first trophy presentation in the arms of new mum Tash after Al Mah Haha's Goulburn Cup win 2021.
Tash has come agonisingly close to metropolitan success in the past. There was the heart stopping moment when Al Mah Haha was nabbed in the last stride by Gracie Belle in the Country Championship Final in 2020. There was Boxing Day in the same year when Shanaya looked home in a TAB Highway before being swamped in the last few strides by Pinnacle Prince whose performance on the day was all but freakish. The former jockey wondered if either Pokerjack or Princess Spice might be the one to break the drought as partner Ash Gouldner and staff member Michaela Shirvington drove away from the Goulburn stables. The fact that both horses had “drawn the car park” kept it all in perspective.
Four hours later Elly must have wondered why her mother was doing handsprings around the living room at home. Pokerjack, aided by a composed ride from Amy McLucas, let down brilliantly from a rearward spot to put the issue beyond doubt in a few strides at the 100m. Princess Spice on the other hand used plenty of petrol to settle down outside the leader, before weakening to beat two home. “It was a huge thrill for me to get the monkey off my back in the city,” said Tash. “Owners Lakis Polyviou and Dr David Smith live in Sydney and were delighted to win at Royal Randwick. It was the first time Michaela had been to Randwick, and the opportunity to strap Pokerjack made it a very special day for her.”
Amy McLucas sported a wide grin as she charged past high profile riders like Willie Pike and Jason Collett in the TAB Highway - courtesy Steve Hart Photographics.
Tash was both surprised and thrilled when Lakis Polyviou and Dr. Smith contacted her out of the blue to train two horses they’d bred from a broodmare called Princess Ailani - a three time winner in 2015 when trained by Matthew Smith. Pokerjack (Casino Prince) is a year older than Princess Spice (Sooboog) but both have paid their way. Pokerjack’s two wins and three placings have netted almost $88,000, while Princess Spice’s two wins and three placings have brought almost $56,000. “Frustratingly Princess Spice is on the quirky side and can do things wrong in her races, while Pokerjack is the more tractable of the two and is getting more professional every time he goes around,” says Tash. “Mr. Polyviou and Dr Smith were saddened by Princess Ailani’s sudden passing after foaling Princess Spice.”
Tash is quietly chuffed to have old favourite Al Mah Haha back in work after a short break. Despite his eight years the son of Al Maher is problem free and as professional as ever. The lightly raced veteran of just thirty seven starts has won four races and recorded ten placings for a healthy prize money tally of $605,000.
“His wins include two Goulburn Cups, a Country Championship Qualifier and a maiden win at Canterbury,” said Tash. “Don’t forget a second in the Country Championship Final and all of those placings have contributed to his earnings. An honest horse can earn such worthwhile money these days. Not sure which way we’ll head with him yet, but another crack at the Goulburn Cup is on the radar.”
Stable warrior Al Mah Haha (Jordan Mallyon) wins his second Goulburn Cup Oct 2021 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Victorian born Tash Burleigh has crammed a lifetime of experience into her thirty seven years. She was originally apprenticed to Todd Rawiller (brother to Nash and Brad) at Bendigo. Her first winner was provided by Paul Banks who put her on a More Than Ready gelding called Tamland in a 950m “scamper” at Berrigan on August 27th 2011. Tash had ridden fifteen winners when she moved to Warwick Farm under the tutelage of Leanne Aspros who allowed her to ride some work for several other local trainers. Tash has never forgotten the first winner she rode for the late Guy Walter. “He put me on a mare called Baggy Green in a mile maiden at Goulburn and told me to ride her quietly,” she said. “Baggy Green flew the gates and led of her own accord. I was relieved when she won and even more relieved when Guy said nothing at the track the following morning.”
Tash disobeyed instructions to win a Goulburn maiden on Baggy Green for the late Guy Walter - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Tash eventually found her way to Goulburn and to a new job with respected trainer Graeme Spackman who lost a battle with cancer five years ago. When Graeme offered her the position of stable foreperson she made the decision to quit the saddle. “I’d ridden about fifty winners and enjoyed the experience, but opportunities were scarce and it was time to plan my future,” she said. “Graeme was a remarkable man and a very gifted horseman. Shortly before he died he suggested I get my trainer’s licence and keep the stables going into the future. He was a key figure in my life.”
Tash won her first race as a trainer at the Bong Bong Picnics with Reverence in November 2016. “It was a low key start but the thrill couldn’t have been greater had the race been at Randwick,” she said. “My second win was even more special. I won with a horse called Hangover Monday at Nowra on the very day that Graeme Spackman passed away. I’ll never forget it.”
Tash won 50 races as a jockey. She still helps out with trackwork chores at Goulburn - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
The majority of horses to come through the Burleigh Racing operation early days were “hand me downs”, but she maintained a healthy strike rate with winners like Territorial, Lucky Prospector, Trevelyan, Bocelli, Fireman Sam I Am, Ribands, and Napoli. Other than Saturday’s success with Pokerjack, Tash has won a number of races in recent months with horses like Iron Will, Smarter Than You, Taylor Be Swift, Tulla Park, Ambari, To The Nines and Princess Spice. The trainer’s passion for riding thoroughbreds remains as strong as ever although she does restrict herself to only two or three horses per morning.
Despite the ferocious competition fuelled by ever increasing prize money levels, and the equally ferocious Goulburn winters Tash Burleigh makes it very clear that she’s around for an indefinite period yet. The demands of motherhood have changed the landscape quite dramatically, but to date Tash and her team have been able to manage by including Elly in the stable routine. “She comes to work every day and is never without supervision from myself or a member of the team,” said the first time mother. “She’s a settled baby and sleeps for much of the time. Mind you she’ll be on her feet shortly and that’s when we’ll have to reassess the situation.”
In the meantime trainer Burleigh is hoping Pokerjack can continue on his current upward spiral. “He’s not a big horse and twelve months ago he was lacking constitution,” said Tash. “He barely made 450kgs on the scales and was feeling the stresses of training and racing. He’s come on in leaps and bounds this preparation which was very evident on Saturday. He let down brilliantly in the straight and went right to the line. He’ll always be the horse who got us started in the city.”
Amy McLucas rode Pokerjack the perfect race to win the TAB Highway - courtesy Steve Hart Photographics.
As a Class 2 horse Pokerjack will concentrate on the TAB Highways in the immediate future. “We’ve actually popped him into the paddock for a week or so,” said Tash. “He’s done a good job and deserves a short break. He’s a fragile sort of a horse who’ll appreciate these little holidays. Could be a month before you see him again but keep your eyes on the Highway fields.”
Amy McLucas who handled Pokerjack perfectly on Saturday will no doubt come under the notice of city trainers who’ll be eyeing off her 3kg city and provincial claim. The twenty two year old only recently completed a three months stint with Randwick trainer John Thompson, before electing to base herself at Goulburn. “Amy wasn’t as distressed by the wide draw as I was on Saturday,” said Tash. “She told me she’d go back and just get the horse into a nice rhythm. She was confident he’d reel off a pretty good closing section and how right she was. Wherever Pokerjack goes in the immediate future I’m sure Amy will be right behind him. Elly and I might even make the trip when the right Highway comes up at Randwick or Rosehill.”
Tash gives Wings a celebratory kiss after a Canberra win 2017 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
(Banner image - Pokerjack (Amy McLucas) breaks the city drought for Tash Burleigh - courtesy Steve Hart Photographics.)