Emerging Sydney based racing syndication company, Prestige Racing, experienced an important milestone on Melbourne Cup day when its three year old filly, Sebrina, recorded her maiden victory at Royal Randwick.

It was only the fourth start for the daughter of Sebring and Beautiful Crown’s (USA) Group Three winning mare, Crown Princess, and, in an unusual twist of circumstances, just fifteen or so minutes later Sebrina’s older full sister, Shebrings Class, broke her maiden status with a win at Kembla Grange.

For Prestige who to date have only two horse to the races, but several others in early stages of preparation, it was the Company’s first winner. Judging by the nature of her victory, however, it would seem that Sebrina’s win will be the first of many for the horse herself and for Prestige.

Sebrina was purchased at the 2013 Magic Million June National Yearling Sale for $40,000 and had already shown her trainer Bjorn Baker a considerable amount of promise prior to her breakthrough.

In her first start as a two year old at Wyong in June, Sebrina flew home for 6th in a race and on a racecourse unsuitable to her racing style and three weeks later finished a narrow runner-up to the classy Abduction over 1300 metres at a mid-week Warwick Farm meeting.

Her initial education complete, Sebrina spent three weeks in the paddock at Wild Oaks near Camden before returning to pre training at that same property and to full training at Baker’s stable three weeks later.  

There had been a good deal of confidence in the Sebrina camp prior to her Randwick engagement, especially given she had won a jump-out and performed satisfactorily at a trial ahead of her first-up run at a Canterbury night meeting on October 24th.

With her regular rider, Kathy O’Hara, aboard, Sebrina raced just off the speed in a small field but was balked for a run when going for a narrow rails gap and full of running in Canterbury’s short straight. Although the Randwick outing was perhaps a few days early for a second-up appearance, Baker was of the opinion that her Canterbury run had hardly been taxing and opted for the 11 day turnaround in a Benchmark 67 race over 1300.

As one of the part-owners of the horse I made the decision to fly down to Sydney from my home on the Gold Coast for the day as it is not often you get to enjoy the outstanding owner’s privileges made available at Randwick especially on Melbourne Cup day where the crowds flocked to the revamped and now world class facility.

Although Bjorn Baker was not declaring her, his comments suggested she would be right in the finish. That gave even more reason to jump on the plane and head south.

It had been many years since I had been to Randwick but everything had been extremely well organised by syndicate Manager and Managing Director of Prestige, Shane Mourad, ensuring the day would go without any fuss or embarrassment.

The facilities available to owners at Randwick, make the day a very egalitarian experience with no feeling of discrimination whether a multiple horse owner or someone like myself who is involved with several others in just one.

Fortunately I arrived early, allowing me to establish my bearings and to determine where might be the best area to view the race.

One of the great rituals of racehorse ownership is to visit the horse in its race-day stall prior to the race to talk with the strapper and eventually the trainer and this day was no exception although after visiting Sebrina in her stall I eventually caught up with Bjorn Baker and his right hand man James in the delightful owners lounge sited just above the new ‘Theatre of the Horse’.

Their understated belief that the horse was as good as they could get her for the task ahead made for even more confidence in the outcome of her assignment.

After several of the owners had joined Baker in the parade ring for his pre-race instructions to Kathy O’Hara, we followed the horses through the tunnel to the rails to watch her preliminary. Surely someone was going to stop us but as many a twenty of the group including family members had up close and personal access to what would be for many their greatest thrill in racing.

Sebrina jumped with the field and settled just off the pace and as they swept into the long straight she was beginning the challenge for the lead. She hit the lead at the 250 mark and in and adrenaline filled 18 or so seconds she held off her challengers to win by ¾ of a length.

If there is a word to describe the feeling it could well be surreal. It is a thrill that people talk about but until experienced it is hard to comprehend and even then it still is.

Kathy O’Hara was afforded a great reception on her return. Her engaging manner and seeming rapport with Sebrina has struck an accord with the syndicate generally. Ever since her first run at Wyong, Kathy had been taken by the horse’s ability and has expressed a desire to stick with the filly.

There was no doubt a great sense of relief and satisfaction for O’Hara who might have felt she made a strategic mistake at Canterbury. For her faith in the horse and the owner’s faith in her to be vindicated with such an impressive win was no doubt a special moment for her also.

There was much back slapping and hugging between the syndicate members. Near strangers had become the closest of friends, allied in a common cause, success and celebration.

The next stop was the winner’s lounge where the successful owners were treated to drinks and nibbles for the next half hour or so and invited to stay for as long as we liked. Bjorn Baker joined us and discussion was had as to where next for the filly.

In the heat of the moment and the euphoria of victory there was consideration to giving her another start but more measured heads prevailed and a decision by Baker was made to put her in the paddock for a month. After all, the autumn awaits and, given what she has shown in her two preparations and only four races to date, then those involved in Sebrina perhaps have even bigger fish to fry.

It was then back to the airport and home to the Gold Coast, content in the knowledge that a decision to go with the Sebring filly and Prestige Racing twelve months earlier was already providing experiences many could only dream of.