Neighbours turned life-long friends celebrate ‘dream come true’ after Oaks win
Matthew Irwin and Peter Harris claim first Group 1 success with Edward Cummings-trained Duais
With a love of the Aussie bush that developed during his time studying agricultural economics at the University of New England, Matthew Irwin always dreamed of racing a horse in the country.
So, he contacted leading Tamworth trainer Sue Grills to ask her if she could buy a horse for him.
She answered the challenge and purchased him a filly for just $22,000 at the 2009 Inglis Scone Select Yearling Sale that went on to race as Meerlust (Johannesburg).
She won her debut on March 11, 2011 at Grafton but, due to knee problems, she never realised her full potential on the track and was retired after only five starts.
Meerlust’s racing journey might have been short but what a producer the mare, who’s now 13 years of age, has since gone on to be.
Her crowning glory was on Saturday when her daughter Duais (Shamus Award) delivered Irwin, and his close friend Peter Harris, the Queensland Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) at Eagle Farm.
“It’s been a big dream come true.
“We were all there yesterday. If you saw a bunch of yahoos in the background celebrating, it was us. You don’t miss being there for one you have bred from humble beginnings,” said Irwin.
The victory shared between the former neighbours, who are now great friends, was made even more meaningful by the fact that it was trainer Edward Cummings’ first Group 1 winner since branching out on his own, away from the comfort of a training partnership with his father, Anthony, to set up at Hawkesbury.
“You are very proud to see this come to fruition, you dream of it and when it happens you need to pinch yourself,” added Irwin.
“And when it’s with your friends and family and someone like Ed, it makes it very special.”
Irwin met Ed, the son of Anthony Cummings and grandson of Bart, over a game of golf and was impressed with the young man, who hails from one of Australia’s most famous racing dynasties, so decided to back him with a horse to train.
“We decided to entrust Ed and the Cummings family with our filly. It’s been a remarkable story for him to go out and train on his own.
“Duais was his first city winner, first stakes winner and now his first Group 1 winner,” said Irwin.
Duais, who will now forever be remembered as the one that launched the career of Ed Cummings on the elite stage, isn’t the first high class horse Meerlust has produced.
The David Vandyke-trained Baccarat Baby (Casino Prince) is another of Meerlust’s progeny to provide long-time friends Irwin and Harris with stakes success.
Among her most notable wins is the Sunshine Coast Guineas (Gr 3, 1600m), while a second placing in the Queensland Guineas (Gr 2, 1600m) added further black type.
“She’s a very versatile broodmare,” said Irwin. “We have always bred to race and that’s the important thing, we love racing together and it makes it even more special if you can breed them yourself.”
Irwin and Harris sold Baccarat Baby at the recent Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for $650,000 and she will be covered by Spendthrift Farm’s Dirty Work (Written Tycoon) this spring having been purchased by the Australian arm of B Wayne Hughes’ global operation.
Telemon Stud sold her on their behalf and Duais will now be sent to their Queensland property for her winter break before being targeted at races in the spring.
“We have to let dust settle and we understand she has pulled up well. It’s up to Ed where we place her in spring, we can only dream now.”
Nowadays, Irwin, who is semi-retired, owns a farm at Armidale in the New England region but still lives in Sydney. His great friend and racing partner Peter Harris is based in Queensland.
To keep it all fair and balanced they alternate the horses they invest in together between the two states.
“It has been a partnership where we split horses going to Brisbane and Sydney and we never argue over a horse.”
The system has worked so far and their friendship is still well intact after 27 years.
Furthermore, what’s additionally exciting to the outcome they shared together at Eagle Farm at the weekend, is that they currently have Duais’ two-year-old sister Amity Gal in training with David Vandyke.
Sue Grills hasn’t been forgotten among all the city successes, either. She was one of the first people Irwin spoke to after the Oaks win and she still trains a few for them to this day.