Graham Fischer

THE adrenaline rush and excitement of a first ownership winner was experienced by about 180 people at Globe Derby Park on Saturday night.
The group are members of Aaron Bain Racing’s 100 Club 2.00 – part-owners of Bottle Rock – a narrow, but impressive winner of the Hygain Micrspeed Pace over 2230m.
Around 50 members and their families ventured to Globe Derby Park to cheer on their pacer and took the opportunity to go on track for a post-race winning photo.
Backed from $1.60 into $1.35 favourite, Bottle Rock, driven by Wayne Hill, scored a neck win from Full Hand ($5) with third-placed Falcons Beauty ($12) a distant 20 metres away.
Starting from gate four, Hill allowed the gelding to settle midfield early before taking him around to sit outside the leader, then eventually working to the lead with a lap and a half to go.
Once in front, Hill was able to race Bottle Rock comfortably and, although the runner-up issued a challenge over the final 300 metres, the winner was still strong to the finish.
Bottle Rock is trained in Gawler by Aaron Bain, who was delighted, and also relieved, to have a first winner for the syndicate.
“It was fantastic to see so many happy people,” Bain said.
“The idea of forming these clubs was to give everyone the chance to share in the ownership of a winner, and also to get people back involved in the sport.
“We started off last year with the ABR 100 Club where for a one-time payment of $100, a person could be involved in the ownership of a horse and the club limit was set at 100.
“It wasn’t about trying to make money out of the venture, rather to give everyone the thrill of having a winner.”
Bain said the initial ABR 100 Club sold out in a few days and there had been disappointed people.
This year it was decided to launch the ABR 100 Club 2.00 and make it open for 200 people, at still the same one-off cost. Most of the original members signed on again plus a lot of family and friends.
“This time we had an add on, and apart from a share in a horse, the club also has a share in a yearling that I purchased at the yearling sales.
“That way, the members could have a horse racing, plus the buildup of a younger horse which we hope can become a star.
“A lot of the club members come from Gawler and the Barossa Valley, but also from right around Australia along with some from New Zealand, Canada and the United States.”
Bain said he was confident Bottle Rock could now win a few more races.
The four-year-old will be sent to Mildura this week to run at a meeting on Friday.