A desire to find his way in the thoroughbred industry led 21-year-old James Gray to Karaka as a bid spotter, and he was lucky enough to take the bid from David Ellis on the million-dollar Fastnet Rock-Tell The World filly.
Gray is just one of a number of young people who were working at Karaka trying to find a career pathway into the various fields in the thoroughbred industry. His sister Katie also worked for NZB and Raceform also caught up with a couple of other passionate youngsters Maria Scott and Callum Jefferies.
James is the son of Singapore trainer Stephen Gray and grandson of the legendary trainer Kevin Gray. He admits that if his father had stayed in New Zealand, he would probably be well on his way to becoming a horse trainer, but due to his Singaporean upbringing that’s not the case.
“I might be ginger and pasty, but I think of myself as Singaporean, I was brought up in their culture and eating their food, and have done my stint in the military,” Gray said.
Under Singaporean law, Gray was not allowed to go to the races until he was 18 nor have anything to do with the horses in his father’s stable.
“I just grew up watching races on TV,” he recalled.
“My Dad and my Grandad are horsemen, but my sister Katie and I never had that opportunity. I promised my parents and grandparents that I would get a university education, especially Dad who never had the chance. So, I am doing a dual degree in international business and film at Victoria University. I was also fortunate enough to get a contract working with SENZ producing and uploading content which helps pay the rent and fits in with my studies.
“I came here to eventually work in the industry and find out where my family came from and learn from Grandad. I worked with him for nine months. I went to learn about how to train a racehorse, but I found I am really interested in breeding.
“I remember going to the races and hearing the punters talking about breeding, saying things like that horse can’t win it’s by such and such a sire. I decided to get a job with NZB as a bid spotter to see what’s going on, it’s a good way to learn. Why is David Ellis bidding on that horse, is it because it’s by Dundeel, does it look like other Dundeels, is it correct and so on?”
That was in November for the Ready to Run Sales. Gray had so much fun that his sister Katie, who is studying Law and Criminology at the University of Melbourne, decided to join him at Karaka this summer and was signing up the successful buyers.
“It was pretty cool taking the million-dollar bid, I loved it,” he said with obvious delight.
“Honestly, I loved to play around a little bit as it’s a serious business trying to convince someone to put on that extra $10,000, they make out like they haven’t got it, but they are probably wearing designer clothes and have a Gucci wallet.”
Gray is not sure where he will end up in the industry but wherever it is, he will be an asset.
“I feel like I owe a little bit to the industry thanks to my Dad and Grandad, and although I’ll never be a proper horseman, I can be creative and show people what a fabulous sport we have.”
On the other side of the ring helping the auctioneers with their paperwork was Maria Scott, a year 11 student at Matamata College. Maria, who turns 15 this month, is the daughter of trainer Andrew Scott and was there getting to know another side of the industry.
“I definitely want to be in the racing industry but not sure what part, so I’m looking for opportunities,” she explained.
“I am really grateful that I got the opportunity from NZB to work at the sales and see behind the scenes. Just being there and seeing the yearlings from the beginning, and seeing the horses go from the sale and then seeing how Dad and Lance turn them into good racehorses.
“At the sales I worked on reception for two days, then I was assisting the auctioneers with their paperwork. I have also worked processing the forms for the vets to do the bloods and scopes.”
According to her father, Maria is just a sponge for knowledge
“Maria is a hard worker and helps on the farm, and loves to go to the track and trials, she’s always asking questions,” Scott said.
“It’s her passion, I think obviously she will find a career in the industry, but she has got options, especially now we have qualifications for people working in the industry and the New Zealand Equine Academy in Auckland. There is so much more.”
Inside the ring for the first-time last week was Callum Jefferies, who presented Lot 884 by Proisir out of Mifflin for Highline Thoroughbreds. It sold for $115,000.
To add to the pressure of the occasion, the colt belonged to his father Warwick, breeder of this season’s Group One-winning stars Legarto and Dark Destroyer. Jefferies senior, a sheep and beef farmer in the Bay of Plenty, upped the ante in his breeding interests about a decade ago, upgrading his mares and buying a share in Proisir. He has involved his children Alice, Callum and Eva along the way.
Alice Jefferies is currently in Ireland studying at the National Stud as a recipient of the NZTBA’s Keith and Faith Taylor Equine Scholarship.
“I feel pretty proud, it’s the first horse I have ever led through,” said Callum, a 19-year-old student at Lincoln College. I watched my sister Alice leading horses over the years and thought I would like to do that. I did it and managed to make a bit of money.
“I am doing a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in agri-business; I see myself leaning towards the horse industry rather than beef and sheep farming. I did a season at Cambridge Stud, and was just helping out at Highline where Dad had two yearlings.
“I know there is the NZTBA scholarships to help create a pathway, and after my degree I may head down that track, but I can definitely see a future in the industry.” - Michelle Saba, Raceform
