A surprising connection between the worlds of tennis and horse racing emerged at Newcastle's Broadmeadow racecourse on Saturday, as Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios celebrated a winning start to The Hunter metropolitan meeting.
Kyrgios Connection to Winning Colt
While not physically present at the track, Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios was confirmed as one of the part-owners of Seeiaye, the two-year-old colt who claimed victory in the Max Lees Classic for untried horses.
Trainer Peter Snowden, a Newcastle Hunter Racing Hall of Fame inductee, confirmed Kyrgios's involvement to the Newcastle Herald. "That's him [Kyrgios] ... he was there when they bought him," Snowden stated, highlighting the tennis star's participation in the ownership group from the beginning.
Emotional Victory for First-Time Owners
The 900-metre race saw Seeiaye, ridden by jockey Josh Parr and launching from barrier one, lead from the front to secure victory in warm but sunny conditions at Broadmeadow.
Snowden noted the special moment for the ownership group, many of whom were experiencing racehorse ownership for the first time. "A lot of them are first-time owners and they are enjoying the moment, so they should be," he said, describing scenes of high fives and hugs among the elated connections trackside.
Tribute to a Racing Icon
Amid the celebrations, Snowden took time to pay tribute to fellow Upper Hunter identity Pat Farrell, who had died recently. Snowden described Farrell as "an icon" and recalled their long-standing connection in the racing industry.
"When I started riding as an apprentice at 16, I was just thrilled to get a ride for him," Snowden remembered. "Funny thing, two years ago he was inducted into the hall of fame and I was inducted on the same day."
The victory held additional significance for Snowden, who has now won the Max Lees Classic multiple times. "It means a lot. I knew Max really well and I've won this race a couple of times now. It's always good to bring a nice horse up and I always try and do that," he explained.
The race formed part of the rich metropolitan meeting featuring The Hunter, Newcastle's $1 million feature race sponsored by the Newcastle Herald, scheduled to jump at 4:45pm that afternoon.
