LET’S GET LOUD!

WRITTEN BY KRISTEN MANNING

A woman boasting an impressive and varied resume, Lorilie is a relative latecomer to the racing game but the sport is lucky to have her. For in a short time she and Gary have contributed not only financially with significant investment, but also to the image of racing at a time when there has been a definite aura of negativity about.

“When I started racing horses and talking to people about it so many would say to me ‘oh how can you do that, racing is so cruel.’ But I knew in my heart that it was not.”

And so instead of merely defending racing with words, she set about seeing what it was about racing’s image that fuelled the detractors - one of the main misconceptions being that owners simply use their horses for glory and cash (every long-time owner has a bit of a chuckle at that idea) with no thought to long term welfare.

“But what I have found is that most trainers and owners tend to be very passionate about their horses,” she said, citing trainer Tony Gollan’s wife Jane who - after years of helping to re-home the stable’s horses - has channelled considerable energy into the establishment of the Transitioning Thoroughbreds Foundation.

Putting retired horses through a 12 week reeducation programme in order to ascertain their suitability for other disciplines, Jane has been funded mainly by owners but would like to do more - which is why Lorilie stepped in.

By establishing “Well Groomed Racing,” an organisation that sets out to “change public perceptions about and showcase the deep love and respect of the animals prolific throughout the industry... and champion their post-racing life.”

With the twin aims of fundraising and increasing interest in racing, Lorilie organised and hosted a very successful event at an Eagle Farm meeting in September.

“It was just an amazing day,” she enthused. “It raised funds for Jane who is hoping to spend the money on helping owners and horses in regional Queensland whilst it also brought new people into racing.”

“We had a lot of people who had never been to a race meeting before and the feedback since has been great, many of them looking forward to returning to the track and enjoying carnival time.”

Fund-raising is not new to Lorilie who has transferred her success in the business world (more on that soon), taking her skill sets to the philanthropic sphere.

The talk of the town in Brisbane back in February was the “Let’s Get Loud” event held at the City Hall, an extravaganza of music, dancing and colour. All organised by Lorilie who also took part, happy to be up there on stage with the talent strutting her stuff!

All part of the good fun and good aims of the “Dancing CEOs” group of which Lorilie is a proud member... an organisation in which “brave business leaders swap the boardroom for the dance floor to end domestic violence.”

Lorilie is a record breaking fundraiser for the group which raises money for Women’s Legal Service Queensland (for whom Lorilie is an ambassador) which provides free advice to women affected by domestic violence.

It is a cause that Lorilie is passionate about, noting that calls to the service’s hotline “increased over 50% during covid.”

Also involved in fundraising for male mental health issues, Lorilie certainly has her fingers in many pies - also thoroughly enjoying her role as management committee member for The Little Red Company, a Brisbane based musical theatre group that has staged a number of highly successful productions.

Drive has always been something that has come naturally to Lorilie who even dedicated the first ten years of her working life to something she did not particularly enjoy - accountancy.

“I started off at the University Of Queensland studying journalism but it was during a time of budget cuts and the course fell apart.”

Not wanting her time of study to go to waste she transferred to another course, not even sure years later why she chose commerce, laughing as she said “I went into it completely naive in regards to just how boring and dry it could be!”

But maybe it was just meant to be, her time in finance proving a valuable education for her future business and charitable endeavours.

And what success she (and her family) have enjoyed, proving a dab hand at whatever she sets her mind to doing.

Such as designing and selling her own (very vibrant) clothing and establishing and running with her daughter Stephanie Rooke the homewares boutique “Happiness Place.”

And then there is the decade spent building up a highly respected business in, of all places, Nashville Tennessee!

“My husband was managing health care centres here in Australia and during that time noticed how differently the discipline of physiotherapy was being practiced here than to aboard.”

America in particular - physiotherapy there at the time (the mid 1990’s) conducted with an “exerciseand-a-hotpack” approach. And so the seeds of a business idea were sown - to take highly skilled Australian practitioners to the United States.

An idea which saw the birth of “Results Physiotherapy” which now has 250 locations spread across twelve states. The Cunninghams played a big part in running the company (Lorilie overseeing the financial side) for ten years based in Nashville, the couple later working from Australia with regular trips north as their young family made their way through their school years.

Whilst now permanently based back home (with Gary remaining on the Board Of Directors), the Cunninghams have set their sights on another venture... which brings us to Lorilie’s horse racing story!

Whilst she and Gary have been long time casual horse racing fans (a younger Lorilie heading to the occasional race meeting with friends), the idea of serious involvement was not something they really considered until one day thinking it would be nice to visit the Magic Millions Sales.

“We had just partially sold our American business and we happened to be at the Gold Coast in early January so I said to Gary, ‘why don’t we go out and have a look?’”

First port of call was the sales office, enroute to where they came across Magic Millions Bloodstock Manager Clint Donovan.

“He walked out of the sales office, greeted us with a big smile and told us how best to buy a horse!”

Securing a table to watch the action, they began chatting with a lunchtime neighbour... Tony Gollan.

It did not take a great deal of arm-twisting for the Cunninghams to be talked into buying a horse and on the advice of Tony and agent John Foote an attractive filly by the dual W.S Cox Plate winner was secured.

On June 6, 2018 Light Up The Room made her debut at the Gold Coast. Gary was overseas and his and Lorilie’s kids either away or busy. And so Lorilie headed to the track by herself, on that relatively quiet winter Wednesday cheering up a storm!

“I REMEMBER WATCHING HER MAKE HER RUN IN THE STRAIGHT AND THINKING ‘OH MY GOD SHE IS GOING TO WIN!’”

“I was screaming there all by myself and proudly telling strangers ‘that’s my horse!’”

As anyone in racing knows - one’s first horse winning their first start, well that is a recipe for addiction and the Cunninghams certainly haven’t looked back. They derived great pleasure from Light Up The Room’s career, one which saw her win two city races - earning black type with placings at Group 3 and Listed level.

And now Light Up The Room is the dam of the first Cunningham foal, a Lonhro colt who Lorilie is just “dying to see!”

Recently returning a positive pregnancy test to Capitalist, Light Up The Room calls Ridgmont Farm in the Hunter Valley home and of course during covid border closures, a visit at the time of writing had not yet been possible. The first meeting is bound to be an emotional one!

The ideally located Scone property was secured early last year by a partnership consisting of Andrew Duneman, Neil Douglas and Cunningham Thoroughbreds.

They now own several well related broodmares within the partnership, as well as a few of their own whilst also racing a number of racehorses with the Tony Gollan stable - seeking the advice of industry expects such as agent Jim Clarke.

Whilst horses bring great joy to Lorilie there are other aspects to racing that she relishes, the “wonderful people from all walks of life” she has met and the way the shared passion brings her family together.

Son Mitchell heads Cunningham Thoroughbreds whilst Xavier has gained invaluable experience spending time at Godolphin (currently working at the Gollan stables whilst completing his law degree)... making this breeding venture most definitely a family one.

The smaller aspects of the process of racehorse ownership have also been enjoyed by the family - such as designing the silks and naming the horses.

Known for her flair and a deep abiding love of all things bright and colourful (you will not miss her on race day!), Lorilie was at first keen to have eyecatching colours for the family silks but realised that other may be keener on the more subdued.

“I liked the idea of something dazzling, gold and purple! But Mitchell’s tastes run a bit more to the classical and I was happy to come to a compromise.”

And she is very happy with the royal blue/gold striped silks agreed upon - “they look very striking,” she said.

Meanwhile the family’s horses are named by a mixture of historical or family meanings. “Many are named after our children and grandchildren and their interests whilst Gary as someone who loves history and reading puts a lot of thought into the meanings of names - some of which may not be all that obvious to others!”

One wonders after talking with Lorilie just how she fits in all of her interests and passions but where there is a will there is a way and she loves every minute of her day.

“I am so busy all the time,” she said, “but I feel privileged to be in the position that I can do so many things.”