Having enjoyed immense success in the racing industry, Jamie Walter of Proven Thoroughbreds knows what it takes to make it in the syndication business. This week we were lucky enough to be given the opportunity to pick his brain about what the syndication business is all about and how he has become so successful.

When selecting horses for syndication, what specifically do you look for?

Could roll out all the usual clichés…….”an athlete with an attractive pedigree etc etc.” But think the key to purchasing  yearlings is recognizing how they’re likely to look in 12mths.

Anyone with half an eye can pick the standout types on conformation and commercial appeal at the time of the sale but predicting how they’re going to look a year on is the challenge.  The kid who’s shaving at 14 might be dwarfed by his contemporaries at 19! And given most buyers are on a budget, the premium required for the precocious, well bred yearling is generally in excess of what most syndicators can afford. So we tend to look for horses with some scope for growth who also have pedigrees with some upside.

How and where the horse has been reared is also significant. Like everyone in racing, I am superstitious so tend to gravitate to where we’ve had some luck. All sounds good in theory but ultimately comes down to price which is determined by the degree of difficulty marketing/selling a given horse.  

What is your favourite part of running a racing syndicate?

Going to the races and seeing the enjoyment had by owners following a victory.  It’s human nature I guess, to contribute even in a small way, to someone’s unbridled joy which witnessing a winner invariably induces.

Am also fascinated by the training component with all the manifold and often subtle variables that influence a racehorse’s performance.

Who has had the biggest influence on your career in the Thoroughbred Industry?

Unquestionably my late brother, Guy.

When selecting a trainer, which things do you take into consideration?

Clearly their training record or untapped potential as a trainer, their degree of dedication as there’s no more demanding gig and probably just as important as anything, their character. Racing, like most industries, is as much about people and relationships as the horses. So having a harmonious, trusting, mutually respectful relationship is crucial to a long term association

What is your most memorable moment as a syndicator thus far?

There are two I’d suggest. Winning the Goulburn Cup in 2002 (I think) with the first PROVEN horse we put together, a lovely old gelding called MARKET UNIT. To help kick start the business a group of close friends each took a share and Guy had him cherry ripe on the day. We were all present on the day and a very young Hugh Bowman kicked him so far in front 200m you could “put away the glasses”! Think he won by 5 lengths and it was a great thrill.

The second is this year’s Qld Guineas victory by SIR MOMENTS the day after Guy’s funeral. It was a very powerful moment as he snatched victory in the last stride.