Well-known racing photographer Peter Rubery is used to being behind the lens capturing the action for winning owners, but at Waverley on Tuesday he was able to experience that winning feeling himself.
Rubery, who operates racing photography business Race Images NZ, is part of the ownership group of Churchill gelding Super Gold, who broke through for his maiden win in the Matty Neil Building (1650m) for trainer Nicky Goss and apprentice jockey Toni Davies.
It was Rubery’s first win as an owner, and he said he was delighted to experience the joy of winning a race for himself.
“I was thrilled, it was really huge,” he said.
“I haven’t had a winner with a horse before and I was a wee bit nervous about taking photographs if he got up to win, but I went into automatic mode, and it was amazing to be involved.
“I have been going to Waverley for many years and the Club always looks after owners and everyone on course. There were lots of congratulations from people, it was really cool, I am used to being on the other side of it.”
While Rubery has been involved in racing as a photographer for a few decades, he only decided to venture into ownership at the turn of the decade when seeing a number of owners reduce their investment in the industry.
“I made a decision to get involved when we went into COVID lockdown,” he said. “I ended up being very busy going around stables photographing horses to be sold. There were a lot of people reducing the number of horses they were racing, and I thought I needed to put my hand up, step in and get involved.”
Rubery had formed a close association with trainer Nicky Goss during her time as a racing photographer, and he approached her to find a horse to race.
“I have known Nicky for many years,” Rubery said. “She came out here to ride, and she was riding over jumps in the mid-nineties. For a short while, back in the film days in the nineties, she worked for us as a photographer. I have always kept up a connection with her.
“I encouraged Nicky to find a horse, and this (Super Gold) is the second one that we have had, and we are looking forward to the future.”
Super Gold was previously trained by Mark Forbes, placing in one of his four starts for the Cambridge horseman before being offered on Gavelhouse.com earlier this year where he was purchased by Goss for $3,900.
Rubery said Super Gold’s success showcases that people can enter racehorse ownership at an affordable level.
“I deal with a lot of owners who have small shares in horses and they are getting just as much of a thrill out of it as those forking out a lot of money,” he said. “It is just getting a group of people together and taking a share.”
Rubery has enjoyed the social aspect of racing a horse with a group of friends and said ownership can help attract more eyes to the industry through supportive friends and family.
“It is a very social group of owners who are involved in the horse,” he said.
“It has been really cool. I am sending photographs out to my non-racing friends, my daughter and all her workmates in Wellington played it (race) live in their workplace and they were all punting it.
“It shows the spirit when someone owns a horse, the actual people who come in who may not normally come into the industry and bet or follow horses will follow them. I am proud to say there have even been people who have opened up betting accounts. They are all the knock-on things that happen (with ownership).”
Rubery is looking forward to continuing his ownership journey with Super Gold but said he may now head to the spelling paddock for a well-deserved break.
“We are really pleased to get him out of maidens and that just gives her (Goss) some more opportunities to find another race for him,” Rubery said.
“He is by Churchill and he is bred to go over distance. Nicky gets the fitness into her horses, and he has recently started swimming as well, which he is loving.
“He has all of a sudden come together and he is a nice horse. He has been up for a wee while and he possibly deserves to have a break now.”
While rapt to get his first win as an owner, Rubery was straight back to business in the following race at Waverley and will head to Hastings on Saturday in high spirits to capture Group One racing action on Arrowfield Stud Plate Day.
“I have always used the analogy that raceday photography is like a game of golf – every race is like another hole, and you are trying to get your perfect set of photos for each race,” Rubery said.
“You go to each race trying to get that really good action shot, win shot, a strong striding photograph of the horse coming back after a race, saluting, and the owners with the horse and presentations. You do that race after race, and every race you are trying to do it better than the race before.”
Rubery loves his job and said there is no better place to be on raceday to take in the excitement of the finish.
“I stand right down on the winning post every raceday,” he said. “I am about as close as you can get to the final stages of a race without being a jockey. You hear it all, you feel the horses’ hooves, and everything that is happening as they head to the winning post. It is an amazing place to be.”
