Our Trainers
Lindsay Racing
Ben and JD Hayes were joined by their brother Will in the Lindsay Park Racing training partnership on August 1st, 2023.
Growing up steeped in the traditions and proven training methods of their Hall of Fame father David Hayes and grandfather Colin Hayes, the three brothers bring boundless enthusiasm, passion and innovation to their trade. Already proven more than worthy of taking up the reins at Lindsay Park and well-versed in the business and in hands-on horsemanship, the trio are committed to continuing the integrity, success and tradition of Lindsay Park Racing.
Lindsay Park Racing is a private training facility near Euroa in Victoria where trainers Ben, Will & JD Hayes train. Following in the footsteps of Hall of Fame trainers, father David and grandfather Colin, they use unique world-class facilities in a 1500 acre horse paradise to create successful equine athletes.”
Anthony Freedman
Anthony is the third eldest of racing’s famous Freedman brothers. He has been in integral part of the vast Freedman Racing operation since the mid-1980s. After Anthony completed Year 12 at Canberra Grammar, he joined his brothers Lee and Richard, as an assistant, at Warwick Farm in 1983. He was part of the move to Melbourne, training out of Flemington, in 1984.
Lee held the licence but the brothers worked as a team. A few years later, youngest brother, Michael, join the team.
Late in 1992, Anthony pioneered the Freedman brothers’ first foray interstate, when he opened a stable at Randwick. In that first year in Sydney, Anthony (under Lee’s licence) prepared Bint Marscay to win the 1993 Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes at Rosehill.
Anthony, who has a keen eye for a yearling, is heavily involved in the yearling sale inspection process. It was Anthony who selected and bought Naturalism as a yearling for only $35,000. And he also selected Mummify ($60,000) and True Glo ($40,000) out of the Adelaide Sales.
Saab Hasan
“I always maintain a horse doesn’t know what a $50 note is. If you give a horse love and give them passion, they will respond” – Saab Hasan.
Saab’s mantra comes from his extraordinary path to becoming a trainer, which started early in his childhood in the Turkish side of Cyprus.
War forced Hasan and his family to head to Australia for a better life but Saab had already told his grandfather he would become a horse trainer, despite not laying his hands on a horse on the family farm.
Saab’s family relocated to Australia in time for the youngster to see Van Der Hum win the 1976 Melbourne Cup in torrential rain but the newly-arrived Hasan was hooked on the great sport that is thoroughbred racing.
Saab tried every stable at Flemington at the time looking for a job in racing before Mick Cerchi gave the 15-year-old his first break in the game.
Hasan learned from Cerchi and other outstanding horsemen such as John Sadler, David Hayes and the master trainer Bart Cummings before branching out on his own.
Saab is now based at the famous Chiquita Lodge stables at Flemington where his horses get the best of everything at the world class training centre.
Robbie Griffiths
Robbie was fortunate to be born into the Thoroughbred industry and destined to be involved in some way or another. He completed a successful apprenticeship as a jockey riding in excess of 250 winners both on metropolitan and provincial racetracks and included riding for the likes of the Late Colin Hayes, Bart Cummings, Lee Freedman. It was as a result of this that Robbie was able to outride his apprentice claim in his first 2 years of riding.
Robbie’s transition to Training commenced soon after he became foreman for Tony Vasil. Robbie spent 12 months in this role before spending time overseas observing leading European trainers training techniques. Robbie obtained his trainer’s license in 1991 and has earned the reputation as an innovative and successful trainer by achieving success in Group and Listed races.
Metropolitan success was achieved with the likes of Dandy Kid, (holds the Moonee Valley record for most flat wins at the course), Confederate Kid, Beltrois, not to mention the Group 1 placed Cocinero, Solar Antiquity & Cancanelle. Recent times have see the likes of Danzylum, Avionics, Mr Riggs, Dash to Viz.
Robbie has also won leading Super VOBIS trainer of the year for consecutive years.
Phillip Stokes
Phillip Stokes Racing is a dual-state operation with stables on-course at Morphettville and Pakenham, giving the stable the luxury of placing runners in either State to give them every opportunity to be metropolitan competitive.
Stokes has a special ability to get horses ready for the moment, his local and international knowledge has become invaluable in the way he approaches his training methods and firmly believes in having a hands-on approach when it comes to the horses in his care.
He won four straight South Australian State Trainer Premierships from 2012/13 – 2016/17.
Over the years he has built a fantastic reputation for guiding fillies to black type race success and his open mind with his horses allows the stable to tackle any race across Australia. If the horses are going well enough, Phillip and his team will travel them to their best advantage.
Phillip Stokes Racing is backed by a committed team of staff dedicated to help provide the best results for their clients.
Mitch Freedman
Mitch Freedman took a slight detour to his father and grandfather but racing was always in his blood.
Freedman’s grandfather was a bookmaker and his father worked for him, meaning Mitchell was always around horses and racing from a young age.
Mitch worked for some astute Victorian minds in the period before getting his licence, spending time with Kathryn and Craig Durden, Andrew Payne and Dan O’Sullivan before starting a lengthy period working in Warrnambool.
Mitch also travelled overseas to gain some insight into European training techniques with top trainers David Simcock and Andrew Balding, which when added to his local education, gave Freedman a strong training philosophy that he follows to prepare his team.
Freedman and his wife Jenna, the daughter of the late highly respected Warrnambool horseman Mark Primmer, run the stable together with the help of close family and terrific staff that loves the horses.
Watch a video interview by clicking on the link below:
https://youtu.be/nJ2QV3GACNs
Matt Cumani
Newmarket born and bred, the son of revered English Derby winner, Luca Cumani, and brother to renown racing expert & commentator, Francesca, Matt has racing in his blood.
Matt’s approach seamlessly blends the best of old school horsemanship with his own take on globally-informed techniques and up-to-the-minute industry advancements.
Having made his mark in the frenetic worlds of finance and British politics respectively it wasn’t long before Matt inevitably returned to the very passion he was born to pursue.
Matt boasts ten years of varied and intensive experience under the tutelage of some of the world’s most celebrated trainers, among them, Todd Pletcher, Paddy Gallagher, Chris Waller, Ed Dunlop, and of course, Luca Cumani.
It is this dynamic range of exposure and learned techniques that grants Matt a unique breadth and comprehensive depth unrivalled in the industry. We welcome Matt to the ATB team.
Ciaron Maher (VIC)
Apprentice to CS Hayes then a successful jumps jockey, including captaining the Australia team against Ireland in the International Jockey Challenge, Ciaron realised his size would deny his riding ambitions. Despite that, his love for racing and his natural interest and curiosity in training saw him commit to a career as a trainer at a young age. Knowing you learn best from the best, he spent time with Bart Cummings, Aiden O’Brien and Willie Mullins before starting in his own right, with 6 boxes on his dad’s farm. He knows you never stop learning and continues to connect with the greats, only last year spending time with Wesley Ward (USA), Roger Charlton (UK) and Richard Hannon (UK), Andre Fabre (France) and Joseph O’Brien (IRE).
Archie Alexander
An exciting new chapter of Archie Alexander’s training career commenced on July 1 2014 when Alexander Racing opened its doors in Ballarat.
With the experience gained under Nicky Henderson, Alec Head, Criquette Head-Maarek, Todd Pletcher, Mark Johnston, Aidan O’Brien and Robert Hickmott (with the Lloyd Williams team), Archie now has completed his ‘apprenticeship’ and is ready to mix the methods he’s learned in Europe and Australia to create a winning formula.
In the peaceful surrounds at Ballarat, which Archie believes is ideal for a racehorse, Archie has the confidence in his ability to compete with the best.
Click on the link below for a Video Profile:
https://youtu.be/3_hB-VSc_UU
Another New Winner For Dandino
Featured in a recent Breednet story, former classy stayer and now promising sire Dandino (GB) posted his fifth winner at Cranbourne on Wednesday.
Trained by Michael Trotter, three year-old gelding Barrington Manor raced on the pace and was tenacious to the line in winning the 2025m maiden by a short half head at his sixth start.
Fourth and fifth at his first two runs back from a spell, Barrington Manor was fit and ready to fire with more wins in store.
Barrington Manor runs for a big group of owners including his breeder Sharon Money and is the first winner from Xaar Best, a metro winning daughter of stakes-placed Tiffany’s Best.
Xaar Best was covered again by Dandino (below) last spring.
An elite performer by champion sire Dansili, Dandino had 37 starts and won or placed in 18 Group/Stakes races racing in seven countries, a glowing testament to his attitude and adaptability, which are highly desirable traits he is passing onto his progeny.
Dandino stands at Bombora Downs at a fee of $5,500 and for those breeders seeking to produce a stayer of the future he represents great quality and value.
Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock have racehorse shares for all budgets, email peter@atbloodstock.com.au for more information.
Article: Tara Madgwick – BREEDNET
Photo: Racing Photos & Bruno Cannatelli