Begg starts new venture in Victoria
Multiple Group One-winning trainer Grahame Begg is nervous and excited about his new challenge in Victoria.
Begg stepped away from training in Sydney after 25 years, closing his Randwick stables in December 2014.
After considering his options, including a move to Queensland, Begg decided to restart his career in Victoria.
He will train out of the Pinecliff training facility on the Mornington Peninsula where Lee and Anthony Freedman also have some of their team.
“They’re pretty outstanding facilities,” Begg said.
Begg announced his plans earlier this year and got the tick of approval from the Racing Victoria licensing committee on Thursday.
Now he’s ready for business.
“The process starts on Monday,” he said.
“We’ll be down there in the middle of the week and then about a fortnight later there will be some horses come in.
“It’s a new challenge.
“I’m looking forward to it with nervous anticipation.”
Begg doesn’t want to pre-empt when he will have his first runners but expects to saddle up starters before the season ends on July 31.
“We’ve got a few horses in pre-training just ticking over,” he said.
“I would think probably by mid-July we’ll certainly have runners, before the season finishes.
“We’re only going to start with a small number initially until we get things going. Obviously over the winter months you don’t want to be too top-heavy, but gradually building up.”
The John Thompson-trained dual Group-placed filly Mossin’ Around, who Begg part-owns, has been in pre-training for a couple of weeks.
She will join Begg’s team soon and he hopes she will be his initial headline horse.
“That was the plan to have her ticking over for about a month up here before she comes down,” he said.
“And that allows us time for the transition.
“But we’re open for business, certainly looking for horses to train.”
Begg prepared a number of top-line horses out of Randwick with his first Group One win coming with Whisked in 1990, soon after he got his trainers’ licence.
His father, retired trainer Neville Begg, was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame last week.
GRAHAME BEGG’S HIGH-PROFILE WINNERS
* Whisked (1990 Thousand Guineas)
* Telesto (1994 George Ryder Stakes, 1994 Chipping Norton Stakes)
* Monopolize (1995 and 1996 Hong Kong Bowl)
* Bonanova (Winner 1999 Emirates Stakes
* All Silent (2008 Emirates Stakes, 2009 Patinack Farm Classic)
* Secret Admirer (2010 Flight Stakes, 2011 Epsom Handicap)