When Feroce (NZ) (Super Seth) took out the Gr.1 Australian Guineas (1600m), giving him his first elite-level win as a trainer, Dom Sutton was nonetheless more than happy to share the limelight in terms of publicity with Collingwood coach Craig McRae, who has a share in the horse.
And he is hoping it will be a case of same again after the Gr.1 Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday with the three-year-old gelding.
Sutton wasn’t surprised that McRae’s part-ownership in Feroce stole the headlines because, since arriving in Australia, the Englishman has become well aware of the pulling power of the AFL and the Magpies, due in no small part to his relationship with Collingwood supporter John Kanga.
It was the Melbourne Racing Club chairman who formed the AFL Premiers syndicate, which includes his friends McRae and Collingwood assistant coach Jason Leppitsch, who both have a share in Feroce.
With McRae being on-course to cheer Feroce home, it was no shock to Sutton that newspapers and television news services focused on the premiership-winning coach.
McRae said in the days following the race that winning the Group One was a memorable experience and one that may have gotten the better of him.
“I lost my way a bit when he hit the front at the clock tower,” McRae said after the win.
“That’s an experience I haven’t had and I’m lucky enough to be involved with. It was amazing and quite different to others in my life, but it’s something I’ll never forget.”
Sutton meanwhile said it was good publicity for his stable.
“It’s about having good people involved and Craig is a great bloke and he has a lovely wife Gabriella. It’s nice to have them part of the team,” Sutton said.
Sutton had been in contact with McRae before the Australian Guineas via text messages and, while he has left him alone recently because the AFL season is now in full swing, with Collingwood having a bye this week, he hopes the coach may attend again.
So too does Feroce’s jockey Billy Egan, who is a Magpies supporter and thought it was a great experience meeting McRae after the win.
“It just topped off an unreal day. I couldn’t believe it,” Egan said.
Egan attended Collingwood’s 2023 Grand Final win with his father Brendan and his mate and fellow jockey Daniel Stackhouse.
“Winning my second Group One and my first at Flemington on Feroce is the highlight of my career but being at the Grand Final in 2023 wasn’t far off as I’m a one-eyed Collingwood supporter,” Egan said.
Sutton’s good luck charm is his father Nick, who will fly in from England to attend the Australian Cup, like he did when Feroce won the Guineas, and the rising star of the training ranks is looking forward to his galloper tackling 2000m for the first time in his career.
“2000m is in his wheelhouse. He looks and gallops like a 2000-metre horse, but you never know until you are there,” Sutton said.
“It’s going to be a very strong pace and there will be no place to hide. If Deny Knowledge takes on (Pride Of) Jenni, then hopefully that’s the undoing of those two and we can be somewhere just off them and in striking distance.”
Feroce is $10 with Sportsbet to win the Australian Cup.
