August 19, 2024 • 6 mins
Alan Sharrock joins Craig Cumming to chat about his 1000th NZ racing win after 42 years of horse training
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
You always talk about success. Well, one thousand wins as
a New Zealand trainer happened over the weekend. And the
man who we're talking about as Alan Sharrecks a good morning, Alan,
how are you? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Good Graig?
Speaker 1 (00:11):
Well, congratulations from nine nine nine to one thousand. But
it took a few took a few races. You were
sitting there, i'd say, a few bridesmaids in those first ones.
Did you think you're going to get there? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (00:22):
The script win arise. Yeah, I was getting a bit windy, mate,
three seconds in a row. I thought this isn't going
the way I expected it. That the old star wart
just asked me, you got the job done for me?
So yeah, it was good to achieve it. Made of
men sort of at it for forty two years and
kept going and I never sort of did a thousand,
(00:42):
but he eventually does.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
It's a remarkable achievement like that. That's a lot of
times of I mean again, a lot of wins, but
also means you've probably had a lot of seconds, thirds
and fourth as well.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Yeah, mate, lucky enough to train eighteen Group one winners.
And yeah, like I've said, you know, talking to another
radio station, a lot of headaches and a lot of anxiety.
But it's been a great ride, mate, you know, it
really has.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
I'm always interested to know. I mean you've been doing
there for so long, and I mean, as you know,
everything's changed from you know, science to recovery to preparation.
What's been the biggest change over that time that's helped
you be successful?
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Well, I think adapting to different trends and way we
train horses. That the horses are probably not as tough
and resilient as the older horses were in the old days.
They're probably find the bread. You know, staffing's changed, that's
a hell of a lot different to it was years
(01:41):
and years ago. Yeah. I think it's the main thing
is to adapt to new methods and and sort of
work through it that way.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
How challenging is it for you though, because you've got
things that you know that maybe old school work, but
you've also got, you know, I suppose the new methods
which people are saying you've got to do. So how
have you been able to juggle both in that adept?
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Yeah? Well, I think it's just looking and learning. Like
I started with my father, as I say, forty two
years ago, he was a great horseman, probably hard nosed
and tough, and that was what I was taught in
early days. But you keep modeling yourself on probably successful peers.
You keep an eye on what they're doing and how
(02:22):
they train their horses, and how they work their horses,
and where they race how often and different things like that,
and you adapt it to your own, your own way
of training. So yeah, I think that's a big part
of it.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
I mean also, I mean we've got you know, there's
a lot of discussions around at the moment, but I mean,
you know, when it comes to tracks and those things,
what's what's been the biggest challenge when it comes to
I suppose evolving with the environment that we currently have
as well.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Yeah, well it's you know, my brother's run attended her
so he hasn't got a niece of job either. But
you know, track services have changed, you know, implicated poly racing. Yeah,
there's been a lot of changes, some good, some bad.
But yeah, it's hard to put your finger on everything,
(03:11):
but yeah, things have changed, and probably the participants there,
I say it, with health and safety, they've got a
little bit, as I could say it, a little bit
cheapish at times. To be honest, and the people running it,
they've got to be aware of help and safety as well,
because we don't want a case that costs millions of
(03:33):
dollars someone gets hurt. We don't want to see anyone
get hurt. We're not in the industry for that. But
it's all part of it. Mate.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
Have you always had a good nose for or you know,
when it comes to looking at a horse again, yet
that's going to be a good one.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
Yeah. Well, I've sort of been very successful selecting horses,
you know. I just feel that it's no different to
a stockman with cattle. It's a gift to give it,
and some people haven't got it. Some have, so I
think I was. But I learned a lot of that
off my father and other trainers, older trainers that I
(04:07):
sort of struggled up to and watch what they did
and talked to them around the rings when we were
buying horses why they did this and why you did that.
If you're not prepared to listen to your peers, I
don't think you go anywhere, mate, because certain people with
the experience.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
Absolute I think it's a great point. I mean, I
coaching cricket, but you know when you say you listen,
you learn your talk. Having the ability to be spot talented,
whether it being a horse or be in an athlete.
You know, it's an intuition. I think there can't be taught,
but you can certainly evolve, as you said, by talking
to good people and listening to good people.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Yeah, Maiden and the horses an athlete, yes, you know
it's quite You know, my brother before he took on
the role at the MGTA, he managed footballers and you
know they'd go to Fiji looking for talented young fellows
playing under fifteen because that was part of his job,
working out who was telling the enough to go to
the next level. And a horse is an athlete, mate,
(05:03):
they are and I treated like athletes too, so you
get the best out of them. You've got to try
and get everything perfect. So it's no different to your
cricketers or your rugby place. It's part and parcel of
the sport we're in.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Absolutely. I know it's a hard one to say when
you've had a thousand, but a couple of highlights for
you over those forty two years.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Well, I made all a group ones a thrill, you know,
and you wake up with a headache the next day
and you've had a hell of a party. But you know,
I go back to last year's Open Ecky Cup when
the horse at one on Saturday just asked me carried
sixty kilos. It was tailed off at the eight hundred
men of Mark and got up to win like that
was you know, it's not a great race, it's a
(05:45):
good race, but it was the way he did it.
And I said on the other station, probably winning the
first running of the Lisa Chidic Fox Fridge Plate with
a horse trained all white Ghattow started owned by Mark
and myself was probably a really memorable one for me
as well, you know. So there's been a lot of highlights, mate, one,
(06:07):
a couple of Nausie two or three. So it's been
a great ride.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
Oh well, congratulations and there'll be meant plenty more to come.
But thanks very much too for being available this morning.
And I hope you're enjoying the after glow of a
thousand onins because it's ritually deserved.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Thank you, Graig.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
There we go, yep, Ellen Nutsherick a thousand ones here away.
You said there there was a three second places in
the first three races, but then just asked me, got
up over the line to give it that number, one
thousand and by the sound of a very close relationship
with that horse,
You always talk about success. Well, one thousand wins as
a New Zealand trainer happened over the weekend. And the
man who we're talking about as Alan Sharrecks a good morning, Alan,
how are you? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Good Graig?
Speaker 1 (00:11):
Well, congratulations from nine nine nine to one thousand. But
it took a few took a few races. You were
sitting there, i'd say, a few bridesmaids in those first ones.
Did you think you're going to get there? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (00:22):
The script win arise. Yeah, I was getting a bit windy, mate,
three seconds in a row. I thought this isn't going
the way I expected it. That the old star wart
just asked me, you got the job done for me?
So yeah, it was good to achieve it. Made of
men sort of at it for forty two years and
kept going and I never sort of did a thousand,
(00:42):
but he eventually does.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
It's a remarkable achievement like that. That's a lot of
times of I mean again, a lot of wins, but
also means you've probably had a lot of seconds, thirds
and fourth as well.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Yeah, mate, lucky enough to train eighteen Group one winners.
And yeah, like I've said, you know, talking to another
radio station, a lot of headaches and a lot of anxiety.
But it's been a great ride, mate, you know, it
really has.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
I'm always interested to know. I mean you've been doing
there for so long, and I mean, as you know,
everything's changed from you know, science to recovery to preparation.
What's been the biggest change over that time that's helped
you be successful?
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Well, I think adapting to different trends and way we
train horses. That the horses are probably not as tough
and resilient as the older horses were in the old days.
They're probably find the bread. You know, staffing's changed, that's
a hell of a lot different to it was years
(01:41):
and years ago. Yeah. I think it's the main thing
is to adapt to new methods and and sort of
work through it that way.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
How challenging is it for you though, because you've got
things that you know that maybe old school work, but
you've also got, you know, I suppose the new methods
which people are saying you've got to do. So how
have you been able to juggle both in that adept?
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Yeah? Well, I think it's just looking and learning. Like
I started with my father, as I say, forty two
years ago, he was a great horseman, probably hard nosed
and tough, and that was what I was taught in
early days. But you keep modeling yourself on probably successful peers.
You keep an eye on what they're doing and how
(02:22):
they train their horses, and how they work their horses,
and where they race how often and different things like that,
and you adapt it to your own, your own way
of training. So yeah, I think that's a big part
of it.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
I mean also, I mean we've got you know, there's
a lot of discussions around at the moment, but I mean,
you know, when it comes to tracks and those things,
what's what's been the biggest challenge when it comes to
I suppose evolving with the environment that we currently have
as well.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Yeah, well it's you know, my brother's run attended her
so he hasn't got a niece of job either. But
you know, track services have changed, you know, implicated poly racing. Yeah,
there's been a lot of changes, some good, some bad.
But yeah, it's hard to put your finger on everything,
(03:11):
but yeah, things have changed, and probably the participants there,
I say it, with health and safety, they've got a
little bit, as I could say it, a little bit
cheapish at times. To be honest, and the people running it,
they've got to be aware of help and safety as well,
because we don't want a case that costs millions of
(03:33):
dollars someone gets hurt. We don't want to see anyone
get hurt. We're not in the industry for that. But
it's all part of it. Mate.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
Have you always had a good nose for or you know,
when it comes to looking at a horse again, yet
that's going to be a good one.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
Yeah. Well, I've sort of been very successful selecting horses,
you know. I just feel that it's no different to
a stockman with cattle. It's a gift to give it,
and some people haven't got it. Some have, so I
think I was. But I learned a lot of that
off my father and other trainers, older trainers that I
(04:07):
sort of struggled up to and watch what they did
and talked to them around the rings when we were
buying horses why they did this and why you did that.
If you're not prepared to listen to your peers, I
don't think you go anywhere, mate, because certain people with
the experience.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
Absolute I think it's a great point. I mean, I
coaching cricket, but you know when you say you listen,
you learn your talk. Having the ability to be spot talented,
whether it being a horse or be in an athlete.
You know, it's an intuition. I think there can't be taught,
but you can certainly evolve, as you said, by talking
to good people and listening to good people.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Yeah, Maiden and the horses an athlete, yes, you know
it's quite You know, my brother before he took on
the role at the MGTA, he managed footballers and you
know they'd go to Fiji looking for talented young fellows
playing under fifteen because that was part of his job,
working out who was telling the enough to go to
the next level. And a horse is an athlete, mate,
(05:03):
they are and I treated like athletes too, so you
get the best out of them. You've got to try
and get everything perfect. So it's no different to your
cricketers or your rugby place. It's part and parcel of
the sport we're in.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Absolutely. I know it's a hard one to say when
you've had a thousand, but a couple of highlights for
you over those forty two years.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Well, I made all a group ones a thrill, you know,
and you wake up with a headache the next day
and you've had a hell of a party. But you know,
I go back to last year's Open Ecky Cup when
the horse at one on Saturday just asked me carried
sixty kilos. It was tailed off at the eight hundred
men of Mark and got up to win like that
was you know, it's not a great race, it's a
(05:45):
good race, but it was the way he did it.
And I said on the other station, probably winning the
first running of the Lisa Chidic Fox Fridge Plate with
a horse trained all white Ghattow started owned by Mark
and myself was probably a really memorable one for me
as well, you know. So there's been a lot of highlights, mate, one,
(06:07):
a couple of Nausie two or three. So it's been
a great ride.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
Oh well, congratulations and there'll be meant plenty more to come.
But thanks very much too for being available this morning.
And I hope you're enjoying the after glow of a
thousand onins because it's ritually deserved.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Thank you, Graig.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
There we go, yep, Ellen Nutsherick a thousand ones here away.
You said there there was a three second places in
the first three races, but then just asked me, got
up over the line to give it that number, one
thousand and by the sound of a very close relationship
with that horse,
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