Next generation of trainers hope to catch wave that carries racing industry into the future and beyond

MATT Cumani might not have the profile of his sister in Australia but he hopes to change the face of horse racing over the next decade.

Hamish Turner, Jann Stuckey and Matt Cumani at the launch of the Magic Millions carnival. Picture: Jerad Williams

MATT Cumani has slipped under the radar more than his sister ever has in Australia but he hopes to be part of a new generation of racehorse trainers that can change the face of the sport over the next decade.

While sister Francesca has been front and centre at this week's Magic Millions carnival, her brother has been accumulating as much intelligence as possible about Australian racing in his first visit to the Coast.

Cumani, who works with his champion training father Luca in the UK, is part of a new breed of horse trainers, who hope to take the sport to a new generation of participants and supporters.

He joined Group 1-winning trainer Tony Gollan, racing royalty descendant James Cummings and Caulfield Cup-winning jockey turned promising trainer Brent Stanley this week to discuss the future of the sport.

"With this next generation coming through, there's a wave coming and when it breaks on the beach we all want to make sure we're in the right place to catch it. It's coming at some point," Cumani says.

"It is quite easy to get bogged down. Racing is always kicking itself. We need to be a little more positive about it."

Both Stanley, who rode for trailblazer Contract Racing and now trains for the David Moodie-headed group, and Gollan believe syndication is one area where racing has made the right choice in recent years.

The move to go from 10 to 20 owners in the racebook has been a sensible one in their eyes and so too the gathering of sometimes hundreds of people in the one horse.

"Let's face it, racing is extremely expensive, but when you get 20 people in, all from different demographics, they make friends they've never had before and it becomes very social," Gollan says.

Francesca Cumani poses at the opening of the Magic Millions sales. Picture: Gaye Gerard

"If you own five per cent of a horse, you get the same information as the person who owns 100 per cent.

"We understand what it's like to own a winner. A lot of people don't. When they get that feeling, it's quite addictive."

Stanley believes syndication has been the lifeblood of racing and remains its future.

"You can get 20 or even more people into a horse compared to trying to track down a single person to pay for the same horse, which is too difficult.

"Now you can get a bunch of mates from the pub to race a horse, it's only going to cost them what they spend at the pub each weekend anyway.

"If they have a great experience, they will tell their friends, who might come in as well."

Cumani is keen to learn more about syndication, because it's something that hasn't been embraced in Europe yet.

"We're in a way worse situation than you guys. Our costs are higher and prizemoney is appalling," he said.

"In terms of our ownership, we don't have many young people, we don't have many syndicates. It's not like Australia.

"That's why I'm here. I want to find out more how you're syndication works.

"If you put 20 people into a horse, five of them might get really hooked on racing and one of them might become wealthy enough to race on their own. It's a win-win with syndicates."

Cumani expressed some surprise at the profile his sister enjoys in Australia, but said he too would be open to the idea of spending more time here if the right opportunity presented itself.