Syndicates have been around in harness racing for as long as anyone can remember with varying degrees of success or failure.
One syndicate that has had a long run of success is the Central Courage syndicate which has been having a great ride for over ten years now.
Their latest winner is the very smart Gotta Go Cullect mare Al Raza who won her ninth race from just twenty two starts when she took out the $25,000 Southern Country Cups final on Diamonds Day at Ascot Park on Sunday.
Away well from the 30 metres mark for driver Tim Williams, Al Raza settled fifth in indian file early before slotting into the one by one when Sheeza Shark and Nathan Williamson moved to the death seat outside the leader I Smart.
Positions stayed the same until a lap out when The Wrath Of Robyn looped the field to sit outside I Smart.
Passing the 400 metres Sheeza Shark peeled out three wide and quickly went to the lead while Al Raza loomed up four wide as they straightened for home.
These two smart mares drew clear with Al Raza proving too good on the day as she went to the line a comfortable winner by 1 1/4 lengths over a game Sheeza Shark who just held out a flying That's Hunting Pink for second.
Al Raza paced the 2700 metres from a stand in a smart 3:24.4 in the cool and windy conditions, a mile rate of 2:01.8 with closing sectionals of 58.5 and 28.9.
As you can hear on the video the syndicate are a very enthusastic group of owners and you certainly knew they were on track on Sunday.
Driver Tim Williams was impressed with the run.
" She did it a bit easier than it looked actually."
" We got a lovely run following Sheeza Shark and I was pretty confident she would be hard to beat a fair way out.
" I feel for Matty (Williamson) a bit as I was only on today because Matty got suspended," Tim said.
Co trainer Geoff Knight would love to have a barnful like Al Raza.
" She is such an easy horse to train and always gives of her best."
"It doesn't matter weather it is a stand or a mobile or a mile or two miles, Al Raza is always competitive."
" I was looking for a horse for this syndicate and Bill Keeler was working her on our property and I was quite taken by her."
"It took a wee while but we managed to buy her in the end and she is just the perfect syndicate horse as she is always a chance in her races," Geoff said.
The Central Courage syndicate has been in existence for over ten years and have rarely had a horse who hasn't paid their way.
" It is a really good syndicate of people from Cental Otago mainly and we have had a ball over the last ten years."
"We have had a lot of success with this syndicate but Al Raza would be the best of them,"Geoff said.
Geoff and Jude Knight have built up a really successful training operation based at Roxburgh and judging by the smiles of the syndicate post race, there may be a few more people in the southern region lining up to join one of their syndicates in the next few months.
Harnesslink Media