Want to own the next Winx? Here's how

Invest just a few keystrokes and a minute of your time and you could be the brand-new owner of a racehorse - it’s as easy as that.

Winx

Invest just a few keystrokes and a minute of your time and you could be the brand-new owner of a racehorse - it’s as easy as that.

As the champion mare Winx has carved out her place in history over the past five years, earning millions in prize money, it’s a fair bet racing fans all over the country have had the same thought at one time or another.

How cool would it be to own a racehorse?

Six lucky punters are about to find out thanks to the Gold Coast Turf Club and leading racehorse breeder AQUIS, which has launched a competition in which the prize is shares in a racehorse for two years.

More on that later, except to say it will cost the winners nothing. No training fees, feed or stabling costs. It is an incredible opportunity to be part of the glamour and excitement that owning a thoroughbred can bring.

Who knows, the six successful entrants might end up with another Winx, which was just another horse with potential when it was bought.

Winx is owned by a syndicate of three - Peter Tighe, Debra Kepitis and Richard Treweeke.

The mare was picked out of a line-up of yearlings at the Magic Millions sales on the Gold Coast in 2013 by Tighe, who has had a long career buying into horses in search of winners.

Even with his experience, he saw nothing particularly special other than good breeding as the young horse was paraded in front of prospective buyers.

“She was in the draft, she came up and we bid to a budget,” Tighe says of the decision to buy.

Winx cost $230,000, which seems like a great investment now considering she has won well over $20 million in prize money.

Obviously, that sort of outlay is getting beyond the reach of many punters, but there are myriad examples of great horses being acquired for far less money.

While a day at the races is a pleasure enjoyed by thousands of people regularly, the level of excitement ramps up significantly when a horse you have a share in is running.

And it is through syndicates that just about everyone can experience the thrills and fun of being a racehorse owner.

Toowoomba-based syndicator David Silver, who runs The Last Stride syndication and racing information company, told The Courier-Mail that syndication was the perfect option for people to get into horses for the first time.

Syndication reduces costs and makes horse ownership affordable – with 20 owners in a horse, a monthly training fee can be as cheap as $100 per month each.  If they are the next Winx, Buffering or Houtzen it will be one of the best investments you’ll ever make.

But even if the horse doesn’t reach those lofty heights, it is still money well spent. Other benefits as an owner include free access to racedays your horse is racing, stable open days, and bragging rights to friends.

“Syndication is a great way for people to get directly involved in the ownership of racehorses without spending a fortune,” he said.

“With five, 10 or more people in a syndicate, the costs of buying and racing a horse appeals to many people’s budgets.”

Silver said people should look at buying into syndicates as “an investment in fun” rather than a profit-making venture.

“I tell people not to look at it as an investment to make money. It’s to enjoy the ownership with friends, family or others in a horse,” he said.

“It’s about seeing your colours the name of your horse on screen in the mounting yard and having a bit of fun without costing a fortune.”

The syndicate which bought Queensland’s highest-earning racehorse of all time, Buffering, paid just $22,000 for him at the 2009 Magic Millions yearling sale. When Buffering retired in 2016 the gelding had amassed more than $7,000,000 in prize money.

Buffering’s efforts were incredible considering his career coincided with champions Black Caviar, Chautauqua and others.

Queensland’s most famous syndicate was formed in a pub. Four ordinary battlers threw in a bit of money each and ended up buying a legend - the great Goondiwindi grey, Gunsynd.

In 1969 newsagent Bill Bishop, hotelier George Pippos, drapery shop worker Jim Coorey and small-time grazier Germaine “Winks” (now there’s a coincidence!) McMicking paid $1300 for the horse at the Brisbane yearling sales and gave it a straightforward name that was short for Goondiwindi syndicate.

Gunsynd captured the public’s imagination then just as Winx and Buffering have done in this era, amassing an impressive pile of wins and endearing himself to huge crowds drawn to the track by his will to win and habit of bowing to the punters.

Gunsynd had a song written about him, there’s a statue of the horse in Goondiwindi and he was named as one of Queensland’s Q150 icons in 2009.

For Bill Bishop and his mates, being in that syndicate was one of the greatest joys of their lives, and thanks to the Gold Coast Turf Club you have the chance to experience something of what they shared for free.

Could you be the owner of the next Winx, Buffering or Gunsynd?

The competition is open to Queenslanders aged 18 and over, and all you have to do is go to www.gctc.com.au and complete the online registration form.

The random draw will see six lucky winners share in the lease of a racehorse prepared by Gold Coast trainer Toby Edmonds.

Edmonds has won the Magic Millions sprint before with Houtzen, a horse bought by a syndicate for just $105,000. She has since earned more than $2m.

All training and upkeep costs will be covered for two years, after which the syndicate have the option of extending the lease for another year at their expense.

Sign up now. With an outlay of a few keystrokes and a minute of your time, it’s got to be worth a punt.

Originally published as Want to own the next Winx? Here's how