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‘The Little Bulldog’ Pierro retired as racing runs second again

21st April, 2013
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Jockey Nash Rawiller riding Pierro wins race 3 at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney on Saturday, April 28, 2012.
Expert
21st April, 2013
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If Black Caviar gave one thing to racing that I’ll treasure, it’s that she made it pure.

When Black Caviar raced, a sell-out crowd followed. Her fans weren’t necessarily racing people; they were admirers of quality. They love a champion. And so do I.

I wish it was the norm for horse racing. But it’s not.

If there’s one thing I learnt last week – it’s that top-level racing is all about money.

It’s why a couple of wonderful colts, All Too Hard (service fee of $66,000 announced last week) and Pierro (retired after running second in Saturday’s Doncaster), will be standing at stud in the spring.

And it’s why Australian racing is in danger of re-entering the mire Black Caviar, So You Think, All Too Hard and Pierro temporarily dragged it out of.

There’s only one reason why you’d retire All Too Hard and Pierro right now – and that’s for money.

Both these three-year old colts are bred to peak at four or five.

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If All Too Hard and Pierro didn’t have $30m stud values attached to their neck, they’d race for at least another 18 months. And they would continue to win.

But there is too much risk in pressing on – performance could drop, injuries could be sustained and stud values could be ruined.

Racing has become a risk-free game. It’s about retiring a season too early. And it’s about the breeding barn and service fees, rather than Group 1 glory and big-name clashes.

Do owners cheer when they win the Golden Slipper or the Caulfield Guineas because they’ve won a great race? Or do they cheer because their colt has made their future-selves rich?

I hope it’s the former but the cynic in me says it’s the latter.

You could argue racing is put on for two things – the breeders and the punters. The sport itself is a far-away third.

The kicker is that Pierro is owned by a man – Greg Kovilos – who buys horses to race them.

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There are enough breeders around as it is. The sport is in trouble when racing people choose to retire a sound three-year old.

The breeding industry owns Australian racing.

It’s why there are 73 Group 1 races scheduled next season. It’s why there are two 1200m Group 1s on the same day in Adelaide and Brisbane next month. And it’s why every decent stayer we have is bought from Europe.

I loved watching Pierro run. I was lucky enough to see him race eight times. When I was at the races, he only lost once.

There’s something special about a black horse. Their coat glistens in the sun and you can spot them from a mile away. And Pierro was no different.

Pierro didn’t have the wild mane of So You Think and he wasn’t barrel-chested like his father Lonhro, but he was a good-looking horse.

I remember the first time I saw Pierro – it was before the Silver Slipper (1200m, Group 2, two-year olds) last autumn. He sweated up badly in the mounting yard and I remember noting that he wasn’t overly big.

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But this was the horse Gai had tipped to win the Golden Slipper six months out – he had to be pretty good. And he was!

Pierro was lion-hearted. Mark Shean, the Sydney racecaller, gave him the most fitting nickname – ‘The Little Bulldog’.

Pierro was a fighter. Twice I saw him get up off the canvas and win.

In the 2012 Todman Slipper Trial (1200m, Group 2, two-year olds), Epaulette – the horse that ran Black Caviar to three lengths last weekend – put up a two-length lead on Pierro and the Lonhro colt looked beaten.

But somehow he dragged himself to a last-stride victory.

And in the 2013 George Ryder (1500m, Group 1, weight-for-age) two weekends ago – Pierro looked done at the 150m mark – he was floundering, wide on a wet track.

But he clawed his way past King Mufhasa in the last 50m of the race. Great horses find a way to win.

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So like Lonhro – and his sire Octagonal – Pierro won his last race on Golden Slipper Day. Then, following in their footsteps, he bowed out at Randwick, running second in a time-honoured Group 1.

But this time, we didn’t know to farewell Pierro – his retirement hadn’t been announced.

And even if it was known, I suspect the send-off would’ve been different.

Because it’s too soon. This is a devastating loss for racing and a comprehensive victory for Australian breeding.

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