The pursuit of excellence is a case of mission accomplished for Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin.
The 2015-16 season’s end has seen the Smythes Creek stable’s elite standing etched in stone, having dominated the Renown Silverware State Trainers’ Premiership, amassing 197 winners from 472 starts, 88 more winners than second-placed Andy Gath.
It was a performance matched only by the stable’s dominance in the Taylors Metropolitan Trainers’ Premiership, where it produced 70 winners, with David Aiken next best on 26.
“It’s a lot of work, but we love it and it is pretty rewarding when you get the results,” Stewart said.
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The success has followed commitment and toil.
“We used to go away in September and put ourselves out of it for about three months, but we’ve worked through the last three years,” Stewart said. “We are going to Bali for 10 days this month. We still have horses in work, but will have a little breather before we get straight back into it.”
Making the last season all the more hectic was the stable’s part move, a transition that’s already paying dividends.
“We have been terrified to move because the horses have been going so good, but we decided to move a handful across about two months ago,” Stewart said. “The horses have really taken a shine to it and the new track has worked out pretty good. The horses have just gotten better and better.”
That was to be seen on Breeders Crown Sunday when the stable exited with two Group 1 (Our Little General and Rocknroll Magic) and two Group 2 (Ideal For Real and Lovelist) victories.
Those horses were ever-present throughout the season and featured among Stewart’s many highlights.
“The (Australian) Pacing Gold win (of The Storm Inside) was particularly good, because they are always the hardest races to win, and to finish the season with two (Group 1 Breeders) Crowns was pretty exciting,” Stewart said.
“Our aim was to record 200 wins and we did that when our interstate wins are included, and when you can do that the premierships may also come along.
“These are the sort of awards that I imagine when you are a bit older and things slow down you can look back on and be pretty proud of them.”
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