Seven years after being thrust into training following the sudden death of her father Lewis, Danielle Seib will mark a significant career milestone with her first Group One runner at Randwick.
Seib will run Due Calzini in Saturday’s Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) and while he is one of the outsiders of the 11-horse field at $101, the fact a small and fledgling country stable can participate in one of Sydney racing’s time-honoured features is a feat in itself.
“It’s a bit amazing. You have to pinch yourself a little bit,” Seib said.
“It’s what you dream about.
“It’s a good job by the stable and it’s testament to the work of the people around me.”
Seib was combining fulltime university studies with working alongside her father in the stables when he passed away in 2017.
She made the tough decision to continue his legacy by taking over his team and for the first couple of years, did so while working part-time as a teacher at a local school.
Five years ago, and thanks to the support of her partner Aaron Day and their families, she was able to concentrate on training fulltime
“Aaron is from a famous trotting family, so they understand the demands, and my family is great as well. My mum has been so supportive,” Seib said.
“You have to give a lot and moments like this make it worth it.”
Due Calzini was a $60,000 Magic Millions yearling purchase, Seib drawn to the son of D’Argento out of a More Than Ready mare on type.
While his only win in eight starts has been in a maiden at Goulburn, he did contest a hot form race at Newcastle at his second start that included Broadsiding and Just Party and bumped into subsequent Group 1 placegetter Snow In May at Wagga at his next run.
Settling worse than midfield from an awkward draw in the Gloaming Stakes (1800m) last start, Due Calzini didn’t shirk his task and Seib expected him to appreciate a distance rise.
“That gave us the confidence to potentially consider this race, and given the low nominations, we put him in it,” Seib said.
“From the wide draw, we had to ride him back a bit further than we would have liked last start.
“It’s in the back of our mind that if he runs well and comes through it well, there is the (Victoria) Derby in a week, although we would be daring to dream again.
“But he has had a faultless fortnight between runs, and I couldn’t be happier with the horse.”
Due Calzini, who will be partnered by big race jockey Kerrin McEvoy, will be one of three Randwick runners for Seib along with Cable Express and Ghost Walker in the TAB Highway Handicap (1600m).
Seib expected the latter pair to run well and warned punters to disregard Ghost Walker’s most recent Highway appearance when he had no luck, and instead judge him off his last-start second to Tulsi at Canberra, that horse since performing well in stakes grade.
“He’s got the right form and he was three-deep, no cover in the last Highway he contested and he gets a nice draw on Saturday,” Seib said.
“Cable Express has a real bit of upside and he’s not screwed down yet.
“It’s hard to split them. They’re both nice horses.”
