Good Mannas rule among new racehorse winners

Image: RWWA

Winning $30,000 has been easier than spending it for the top team in the 2023 Own the Dream event series.

Stable Mannas team captain Sue Dawe said her group were keen to go to all the events, which gave them a strong chance in the prize draw at the recent Ascot grand finale, but they got stuck choosing a horse to spend the money on after they won.

Sue and her husband Garry, who already own racehorse shares, were happy for their newbie friends to pick a yearling that appealed to them in the 2023 Magic Millions sale.

In turn, their friends looked to the more experienced Sue and Garry to make the decision.

And while politely deferring to each other, they risked missing their chance as young horses were quickly snapped up in the buzz of high demand at this year’s sale.

The collective courtesy was hardly surprising considering the team’s name. Stable Mannas is a double reference to horse behaviour, or stable manners, as well as a nod to the famous crabs from the Mandurah region they all call home.

“We’re so excited about choosing a horse. We’ve been meeting and messaging constantly,” Sue said.

“The others look to Garry and I for guidance but I’d like them to make the choice. I don’t know which horse to choose, it will be amazing and I love them all.”

The couple decided to join Own the Dream with a cousin and a friend, who invited other friends to fill out the team of six. Julie Boyd came up with the Stable Mannas name and logo of a horseshoe and crab.

For Julie, Bronwyn Dodd, Jill Williams and Sarah Glossop the highlight was winning the major prize at the Ascot Racecourse finale but for Garry and Sue, the best parts were visits to Yarradale Stud and Group 1 winning trainers Grant and Alana Williams’ property.

“Own the Dream is great. The main reason I wanted to do it was because of the chance to meet Grant and Alana Williams and see their stables,” Sue said.

“Then going to Gidgegannup to visit Yarradale Stud was amazing.

“We met lovely people along the way and we never expected to win the major prize so we had a back-up plan and were speaking to a couple of other teams about joining our consolation prizes together for a small share in a horse.

“Instead, we’ve had the ultimate experience. I’m really happy we’ve helped introduce new people to racing and now we have a whole new group of people to go to the races with.

“I didn’t know Sarah before Own the Dream and she’s very creative, she made us all name tags with the crab and horseshoe logo and I’m looking forward to spending more time with her.

“She’s already gone and bought two more shares in two horses as part of women’s syndicates.”

Sue, who grew up with horses and whose father was long-term Pinjarra Harness Racing Club member Fred Grantham, lost touch with the racing world when she had a family but rediscovered it about 10 years ago.

“My sister and brother-in-law bought a thoroughbred brood mare and bred a few winners with my dad. I went with them a few times to Ascot and thought: ‘Wow, this is great’,” she said.

“It tickled my interest but I had to twist my husband’s arm to start off with a small ownership interest.

“Now he loves it as much as I do.

“We’ll pick a horse this week and I can’t wait to meet him or her. I love horses and I love racing.”