Matthew Lindsay has realised a dream with the only horse he trains winning at his home track at Caulfield.
Magnesium Rose is the first horse 32-year-old Lindsay has trained and the filly won on debut at Bairnsdale in July before making it two wins from four starts with victory in Sunday’s Sam Segman Handicap (1100m).
Along with training Magnesium Rose as he starts his own training journey, Lindsay also works as Colin Little’s assistant trainer at Caulfield.
Lindsay described Sunday’s win at the rescheduled Saturday city meeting as “a childhood dream”.
“I’ve spent the majority of my life at Caulfield,” Lindsay said.
“It’s great to get a Saturday metro win here at my home track. I just can’t believe it. It’s fantastic.
“My Dad used to take me here as a kid and I’d stand up against the fence and watch the races. So it’s just a massive thrill to now be here in the stalls, training my own horse to win a race at my home track.”
Lindsay’s association with Little started when he worked part-time in the trainer’s stables while he was still in high school.
More recently, he has been Little’s assistant for about the past four years.
“He has been like a mentor to me,” he said.
Lindsay bought Magnesium Rose at the 2016 VOBIS Gold Yearling Sale for $18,000 and gradually sold shares in the filly to friends and family.
“A lot of them of them are first time horse owners, so this is a massive thrill for them,” he said.
“It doesn’t usually go as easy as this. But they’re having the time of their life.”
After sitting just behind the leaders, $4.80 favourite Magnesium Rose raced up under jockey Craig Williams to hit the front passing the 200m and went on to beat Teleplay ($6) by three-quarters of a length with another long head to Ultra Smart third.
“She’s still the only horse I’ve got. She’s kicking goals for me,” Lindsay said.
