The hopples will come off Lennytheshark for the last time Saturday night in a final on-track farewell to the two-time Victorian Horse of the Year, who is bound for stud duties at Empire Stallions.
The champion son of Four Starzzz Shark will parade before race three at Tabcorp Park Melton on Empire Stallions Vicbred Super Series pacing finals night.
It will be a fitting send-off for Lennytheshark, who placed in the Vicbred Super Series as a two and three-year-old and won as a four-year-old. The latter triumph was the second of his seven career Group 1s, which would also include the 2016 Inter Dominion, 2017 Miracle Mile and 2016 and 2017 Victoria Cups.
Co-owner Martin Riseley said “he would have loved him to keep racing, but the time was right” for a stud career.
“He didn’t have to prove anything more to us and now I’m looking forward to little Lennys running around,” Mr Riseley said. “If he can leave some quality little progeny that will be great and I look forward to seeing them on the track.”
Having won 39 of his 82 starts, Lennytheshark was only the sixth Australasian pacer to top $3 million in earnings and won a lot of hearts along the way for his will to win and unique racing style.
Fans have been invited to soak up his final trot up the Tabcorp Park Melton straight on Saturday night, which will precede a presentation.
“It will be an enormous time, because he’s been such a good horse to so many people and it will be great to see him farewelled like that,” Riseley said.
“He raced through age racing as a two, three and four-year-old before reaching the pinnacle and there will be a lot of horses there Saturday night who will be hoping to emulate him.”
Riseley said Lennytheshark had already attracted significant interest from breeders.
“The initial inquiries have been really good and (Empire Stallions principal) David James is excited about having the horse there,” he said. “He looks like he might have a good opportunity to prove himself.”
He said Lennytheshark had long been linked to Empire, which stands Lennytheshark’s sire and leased part of Riseley’s farm when Mr James and Donna Egan established the stud in Australia.
“It is also nice to have him not too far from home (Shepparton), and for (trainer) David (Aiken) to be nearby as well and able to visit Lenny.”
Mr James said Empire was “very excited to be standing Lennytheshark this season”.
“We have followed his career with great enthusiasm and cheered him on every step of the way. His credentials are second to none and we believe that he will have wide appeal to breeders.”
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Michael Howard