Adam Durrant won his ninth WA premiership last season and, apart from a warm well-done to his staff, it was straight back to the business at hand. Winning races.
Durrant Racing did just that at the recent Ascot summer carnival with feature winners like Beret (G3 La Trice Classic & LR Starstruck Classic) and Son Son (TBWA Stallion Tender Scheme Trophy).
Beret (Helmet) is the most improved mare in Western Australia this season but Durrant wasn’t resting on his laurels after her fourth victory in a row at Ascot on New Year’s Day. He was back at the Belmont midweeks to win with Soviet Spy (Belmont) and at Pinjarra the following day with Prized Miss (Dundeel).
A hands-on approach gives Adam the advantage of knowing exactly what is going on with all of his horses although he’s the first to admit delegating is part of the deal in the hurly-burly of a seven-days a week industry.
His parents Geoff & Vicki are integral members of the team as are stable foreman Jason Miller and Racing Manager Duran Carter. He prepared 67 city winners in the 2020-21 season to finish well ahead of runner-up Grant and Alana Williams (51). And the overall total of 127 was just one off his PB.
The big pay-days have also arrived at regular intervals in the Group 1 Railway Stakes and Group 2 Perth Cup. Durrant Racing bagged its first Sydney Group 1 when they sent Come Play With Me across to Chris Waller to win the 2019 Metropolitan at Randwick.
“It’s been a bit tough with COVID and getting staff,” he told The Western Australian journalist Jay Rooney. “It would be nice to creep up towards 150 but I just want to train as many winners as possible this season.”
The infrastructure at Karnup in continually being upgraded to cater for increased numbers. “We have 90 horses stabled here at Karnup and you could halve that again with pre-trainers and horses out spelling,” Carter revealed. “The system in place is working but the pressure is always there to keep improving the winner-count year-on-year.
“We’re extending the bottom paddock to build new yards and horse bays. We also use Prism software (www.prism.horse/plus) for client communications and stable management. The feedback has been very positive with Prism. It’s perfect for keeping owners up to date with vision of pre-race gallops, travelling plans and nominations.”
The next batch of yearlings will be targeted at the 2022 Perth Magic Millions in February. Durrant Racing purchased 11 yearlings last year led by the Magnus filly from Bellbridge Park (as agent) for $120,000.
Her dam Black Carat (Lonhro) is a proven broodmare having foaled LR Beaufine Stakes winning mare Nerodio (Playing God). The Magnus filly has been named Magnificent Carat and she will be raced by a syndicate that includes Adam, Oakland Park, Fred Fairthorne jnr and Divitini Racing.