FORTUNES SET FOR AUSTRALIA

The South African horseracing industry brain drain continues with the news that Gr1 winning Vaal trainer Ashley Fortune will be calling it a day and relocating to Australia with her former SA Champion jockey husband, Andrew, and their two children

The Fortunes will be based just outside Sydney, working and living on the NSW Southern Highlands equine property Bong Bong Farm.

The beautifully manicured state-of-the-art 97,5-hectare property, which was purchased by the state’s racing regulator for A$22,5 million in July 2021, includes four architecturally designed barns with 61 boxes, 1 250 metre turf and sand training tracks, hyperbaric chamber, equine spa, treadmills and horse walkers.

The recent leasing of Bong Bong Farm by Ciaron Maher Racing, which also runs a vast operation in Victoria, will compliment its

Sydney stable at Warwick Farm. Ciaron Maher and Dave Eustace intend to have up to 100 horses spelling at the farm while they will also have horses in pre-training and full-training at the farm, which is 90 minutes’ drive from the Sydney CBD.

Ashley and Andrew will be working at the spelling facility.

Talking to the Sporting Post last Thursday, Ashley said that the decision to pack up and move her life is something that she had done previously, but it remained an extremely emotional and tough call.