Gilt Complex For Gold
In-conversation with Cliff Brown, trainer of Singapore Horse of The Year (2017), Gilt Complex.
Gilt complex
- Q) How is Gilt Complex settling in to Dubai? How was his journey? Has the heat been giving him any trouble?
- A) It is his first trip abroad. He has a rough ride over but now that he is here, he’s settling in quite well. He is not yet in peak condition but he will improve as we go along. But we expect him to race well this Thursday.
- Q) Tell us a bit more about his owners and their involvement with racing.
- A) Trish Dunellis one of New Zealand’s leading equine photographers. She and her husband Graham Mackie bought him for NZD 10,000 at the Karaka Festival Sale in consultation with Anna Scott. They are thrilled to see him do so well.
Another one of their hoses Spalato won the Gr.1 Singapore Derby in 2014. Both Trish and Graham love racing and love their horses.
- Q) What kind of a horse is? Does he like crowds and new people?
- A) Away from the race course he is a quiet horse. But onraceday he fires up. He sweats a lot and he always ends up breaking a sweat at the track.
- Q) I was really chuffed at Gilt Complex winning the Singapore Gold Cup because of his name. Again he’s aimed at the Dubai Gold Cup. Is this is coincidence that he is really good at these distances and these race types or was this a planned course of action?
- A) No, there was no co-relation between his name and the race names. He is a nice staying horse and we just felt the Singapore Gold Cup was the best race for him after his Raffles Cup win.And now based on his abilities, we have aimed him towards The Dubai Gold Cup (2018).
- Q) Gilt Complex deservedly claimed back to back Group 1 victories in the Raffles Cup and Singapore Gold Cup. What are your plans for him beyond the 3200m Dubai Gold Cup?
- A) After the Dubai World Cup race day, we plan to take him back to Singapore for a bit of rest. He will then start training to defend his Singapore Gold Cup title.
- Q) Who do you feel are the main horses also aimed at the Dubai Gold Cup who could give Gilt Complex some serious competition.
It is too early to say yet, we are the ones that need to see if we are good enough.
- Q) Did you find ‘another’ Gilt Complex at the Magic Millions Gold Coast yearling sale?
- A) We buy 10 – 12 yearlings each year. They are bought over from Australia to Singapore when they are 18 months old.It is a long process however it has been very fruitful for us. I think in the last 3 years we have purchased 2 Horse of the Years in Singapore as well as the Champion Sprinter in the last 3 years.
- Q) Tell us a bit more about Gilt Complex the racehorse.
- A) To be honest I don’t have any one story about him. He is a very honest and easy horse to train that is pretty fuss free at home. Coming away has been a very big experience for him and he has taken a week or so to settle right in which is to be expected as some don’t handle it as well as others. I learned an awful lot last year as far as travelling a horse to Dubai and have made several changes so that we perform better when the time is right. I have allocated 3 races here for him which will give him time to adjust to the new surroundings before his Grand Final arrives. Bringing Debt Collector last year was a good and bad experience as I made so many fundamental errors that didn’t allow him to perform to his very best on the night so I was very disappointed in myself straight after. Like most things in racing there is nothing like experience and mistake making to improve oneself.
- Q) When did you arrive in Singapore? What were the reasons behind relocating from Australia to Singapore? Please tell us a bit about your family? Were your parents into horses (racing, breeding, training)? What about your family presently? Do you have any kids? What does your family do?
- A) As everyone involved in racing knows it is a 24/7 business and Australia is certainly no different. When the decision was made it was at a time when I had a young family (3 children) that I just want seeing enough of. At the time I was working from 4am and wouldn’t get home till late if I had had races in the afternoon. Added to this it wasn’t economically viable for me and I sat down with my wife (Jo) and said we had to make a change as it just wasn’t working for me on several fronts. We made the decision to look at Singapore and we both took a trip up there and had a look around and we both loved Singapore from the moment we hoped off the plane. After this we put in an application and had to wait and hope to see if we could gain a position. Thankfully about 12 months or so later we were offered a position and it has been a wonderful move. I would recommend to any trainer that was thinking about moving to Singapore that if they were lucky enough to gain a position grab it with both hands. I must also say that I have a very supportive wife who is always supportive of decisions we make like moving to Singapore which is a huge advantage!
I grew up on a farm where mum ran the broodmares and foals and Dad would decide all the matings while running his business in Melbourne. I were very fortunate as between Dads pedigree knowledge and mums ability to raise good sound horses. We bred one Rosehill Guineas winner, 2 South Australian Derby winners and a host of other Group winners from only ever keeping 10 mares. I was very fortunate to be guided by two very clever people in my parents
- Q) Have you been to Dubai earlier? If yes, what do you really enjoy about Dubai? If not, what do you hope to see in Dubai during your stay?
- A) I came to Dubai last year and as I said above I messed up the training of one of the best horses I have trained in Debt Collector! That aside I loved my time here and found everyone involved with the Dubai Racing Club to be very helpful and accommodating. Dubai has a real vibrancy that is infectious and I enjoy just getting out and have a walk and exploring. Last year my wife and youngest child came with me. We all had a wonderful time so much so his oldest siblings want to come later in the season.
- Q) And finally, who do you feel would be the next horse you would like to see win the Dubai World Cup?
- A) To be honest I think we were all spoilt last year watching Arrogate win. This year’s winner will no doubt be an exceptional horse as to who the winner will be it’s probably a little too early to say.