Winning Edge analyst Lachlan Mosley on winning the Lightning Stakes as a part-owner of Gytrash

We catch up with Winning Edge analyst Lachlan Mosley, who runs our Blackbook Bets service, to re-live the journey to becoming a group one-winning owner. Lachlan watched on as Gordon Richards-trained SA sprinter Gytrash, the horse he part-owns, took down hot favourite Nature Strip and dual Everest winner Redzel to claim the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington last Saturday.

Q: You’re now a part owner in a G1 winner, firstly let’s clear this up. What’s the correct pronunciation of Gytrash? 

A: The horse has many pronounciations but as far as we are aware it's Gee (as in McGee) and Trar! 

Where did the name come from?

Champion SANFL Footballer Gary McIntosh (who has a share in the horse) came up with the name. Apparently it means a lone hunting black dog that can change his appearance or something? Why he has come up with that I have no idea but it's a unique name at that.

Tell us the story of the horse. Where did you find him & what did he cost, who found him and what was the attraction to the horse?

Gordon cast his eye over the horse at an Inglis Premier Sale at the Junction in Melbourne and liked what he saw. A few days later the horse went through the ring and a representative for Gordon picked the horse up for 41k. As for how our Syndicate found him, it's VERY lucky that Gordon's wife Jacqui is in our syndicate and we had some play money in the kitty and she grabbed us a few percentages!  To me this just shows that anyone can play in this game and that you can have G1 success for a minimal outlay if you just get together a group of mates and throw some money in. Gytrash is owned by two syndicates and a handful of others who have a small slice of the horse. 

When did you know he was a handy horse, and did ever believe he’d be a G1 winner? When did you first think he had G1 potential?

We knew he was a handy horse pretty early on after a couple of restricted grade wins. It wasn't until he trialed on a July 2018 morning at Morphettville with Anna Jordsjo on board and he won with his head on his chest in slick time. He then came out first-up and towelled up Lake District Girl (who at the time was a spruik horse) and actually ran a fastest time on the day than Sunlight (who ran 2nd to Nature Strip). That's when I think a few of the owners were starting to think "hey, we have a potential Group horse here".

Run us through the journey to what happened when he won last Saturday in the Lightning STakes at Caulfield? Also, from an owner's perspective, how was the build-up, and then how were the celebrations?

The day was amazing. I posted a photo on social media of myself and Gordon in the Members' Lounge saying "happy just to be here". Never could I imagine that we could beat those top-liners. All pf the owners met early in the Mumm Bar in the grandstand and just sat around chatting, drinking and just enjoying each other's company. As the race grew near a few of us were getting a little anxious. We all made our way down to the Owners' Bar and mounting yard and had the priviledge of watching Black Caviar parade before the race. Before the race our mindset was "let's hope he closes the race well and puts in a good one for the Newmarket". As the race was running I was standing with Gordon and a couple of the owners and he was keeping up with Redzel quite well. When Redzel clicked things up Gytrash picked up the bit well and I could tell we were going to go past him. I then looked over the Grandstand side and thought "hang on a tick NATURE STRIP isn't going that well here". That's when we all started losing our collective minds thinking could be do the impossible? He shot away and was quite dominant on the line! We all started jumping up and down and losing out sh*t! It was one of the greatest feelings you could imagine. As for the celebrations... Massive! A few owners had to fly back that night but some of us headed out to a pub and drank the night away! 

What’s next for him? There’s been overseas invites - were they considered and why did you decide to stay here?

After the race a representitive of Royal Ascot (who was there to formally invite Nature Strip after his win) came into the Winners' Lounge and threw out the invite to us. It was quite exciting and a surreal feeling to know that your horse has been noticed to race on the big stage. I think Gordon has decided to stay here to target an Everest. The immediate goal is the Newmarket Hcp then possibly the Goodwood Hcp.

Gordon has been in racing for 50 years, how did you get involved with him and how great was it share his first G1 win?

I used to work for Trevor Dansie at Morphettville and every morning after trackwork had finished I used to go around to Gordon and Jacqui's stables for a coffee and chat. From there I got a job as a stable worker with Gordon and the relationship grew from there. It was amazing to be a part of his first G1 win as there's not a person in racing that deserves it more than Gordon and Jacqui. They are the nicest people I've met in racing and they treat all the owners with so much love and respect. They are genuine people and it just shows that good things happen to good people. For me this win has nothing to do with the owners. We just show up, drink and have fun and watch our horse. This win belongs to Gordon/Jacqui and his hard working stable staff. They are the ones that get up at 3am and do all the hard work with the horse. Donald Green, Nicole Browne, Damien Moyle (who will be a great trainer in his own right one day) Lizzy Annells and Midge. This win is all because of them. Even people like Anna Jordsjo and Dominic Tourneur that did plenty of work with the horse early days and identified the horse's ability. They all play a part! 

What was the biggest race you’d won as an owner before Gytrash?

I've never had a big win before Gytrash. Only Enki winning his benchmark races in town and Beau Rivage winning a few good races early in his career. Hopefully there is some more G1 success with Gytrash because I have no doubt I'll never get another one as good! 

Image: Racing.com