Dream OWN THE
Contestants in Racing WA’s award-winning Own The Dream competition ask the same question every year – what’s the catch? The answer is simple. There isn’t one.
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wn The Dream gives everyday people with limited or no knowledge of the racing industry a behind-the-scenes look into how the sport operates. The unique competition is free to enter and there are a raft of prizes up for grabs, headlined by the major prize of a $20,000 bundle for a share in a Westspeed Platinum yearling at the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale. “Own The Dream gives prospective owners the chance to find out about getting involved in racing,” Racing WA’s racing marketing manager Brennan Fyans said. “It’s one thing going on to a website to find out how to become an owner, but it’s that hands-on experience that the competition provides that makes the difference. “Teams have the opportunity to learn more about the industry with four free events. They find out pathways to get into ownership and have the chance to win a share in a horse. It’s the best of both worlds.” Teams of between four and 10 members must include no more than 50 per cent of current racehorse owners, with the aim to introduce more newcomers to the industry. In 2024, Own The Dream kicked off with a stable tour at leading co-trainers Dan and Ben Pearce’s property in Karnup. The sundowner event gave contestants an insight into how the Pearce brothers’ stable operates and how they prepare their gallopers for raceday.
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Breakfast With The Trainers, the third event, was a trackwork morning at Ascot racecourse. “It’s a really good opportunity to meet five of our leading metropolitan trainers,” Fyans said. “They will all have horses galloping on the main grass and take teams through how they run trackwork and their training regimes.” The grand finale takes place at Magic Millions’ Middle Swan sales complex on day one of the Perth Yearling Sale. Teams will experience the excitement of the sale before the allimportant major prize draw. “There are three major prizes and five other teams will win consolation prizes, which are $2000 vouchers to use for a share in a Westspeed Platinum yearling,” Fyans said. “It’s also a good opportunity for teams to meet trainers and syndicators to see what yearlings they bought on day one and potentially buy shares in.” “We also have three challenges throughout the competition with more prizes up for grabs. There is a name a racehorse challenge, design racing silks and a pick seven tipping competition for the Magic Millions raceday at Pinjarra.” First introduced in 2018, Own The Dream has soared in popularity to the point where a cap of 40 teams had to be put in place.
The second event was a tour of leading WA studs Lynward Park and Yarradale. “Teams will meet the breeders and see yearlings that will be sold at the Magic Millions sale,” Fyans said.
“In it’s first year, there were an average of 32 people at each event,” Fyans said. “When I took over in 2019, it went up to 119 and in 2020 it got out of hand with more than 600 at each event. In 2021, we put a cap on to reduce the numbers we were taking to studs and stables. That’s been the system since and it’s worked.”
“A lot of them won’t have any idea what to look for in a racehorse, so the breeders will take them through that and how to get a foal to yearling stage.”
“We’ve had more than 250 team applications for 2024 and we’ve got to reduce that to 40, so the teams have to put forward a good application. It’s grown really fast.”
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