Twitter is one of the best things in the world, just ask a group of harness racing owners who have a share in Harness Jewels hopeful Burnaholeinmypocket.
In fascinating sign of the technological times, five mates from the Victorian country town of Horsham bought a 25 per cent share in Burnaholeinmypocket via twitter.
“Twitter is a great way to keep people updated and connect,” trainer Andy Gath said. “I posted a tweet saying I had some shares available in a well-bred Bettors Delight yearling and it all happened from there.”
Horsham boy Brad Sudholz rang his mate, Damien Kilpatrick, told him about Gath’s tweet.
“I direct messaged Andy on Twitter, said we were keen to know more and quickly pulled together a group of five of us to take 25 per cent of the colt,” Kilpatrick said.
“A few of us had been talking about getting back into horses after a couple of years out, so Andy’s timing was perfect.”
Kilpatrick and Sudolhz recruited Sudholz’s father, Ken, Jeremy Schmidt and Matt Schier to take five per cent each and make-up their quarter ownership of Burnaholeinmypocket.
“I’d never met any of the guys before they tweeted me,” Gath said. “It’s great to have a mix of newcomers to my stable racing this horse with some regulars in Wayne Gowland, John Lugg, Helen Dunne and Trent Cooper.”
While Gowland, Lugg, Dunne and Cooper are Ashburton-bound for Saturday, the Horsham crew will gather to watch on TV in their hometown.
“It’s disappointing, but the timing doesn’t work. Most of us have commitments here and still play local sport, so we can’t make the trip,” Kilpatrick said.
“But don’t worry. We’ll be cheering as loudly as anyone, just from Horsham.”
Kilpatrick and friends as more excited about Burnaholeinmypocket’s future than what he’s done so far.
“Andy never had a huge opinion of him, but it’s grown. I think the Breeders Crown semi win was the start of the excitement and it’s still growing,” he said.
“All along, Andy’s said he’s a slow maturer and we won’t see the very best of him until he’s four or five. If that’s the case, we’re in for some fun times.”
But Kilpatrick is also a realist when it comes to the enormity of Saturday’s challenge.
“It was always going to be hard, but drawing the outside over a mile with the big guns drawn so well makes it almost impossible,” he said. “Our aim is a top five finish, knowing we’ve got a horse who is still on the way up."
CODY WINNELL
COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA MANAGER
