Lindsay Park stalwart So Si Bon retires

AFTER 95 starts that reaped $2.3 million in prizemoney, fan favourite and Lindsay Park Racing stalwart So Si Bon has been retired. Lindsay Park made the announcement on Thursday, August 3, saying the 10-year-old who touched many people's lives, especially the owners and stable team, will be dearly missed. Wishing him a happy retirement after an incredible career, co-trainer Ben Hayes was full of praise for the gelding and the impact he's had at Lindsay Park. "He has been an incredibly special horse to us all," he said. "Remarkably he has been the soundest horse to ever be trained here at Lindsay Park Euroa, which is highlighted through his durability and consistency over the years." "To have run at Stakes level 61 times throughout his 95-start career is simply amazing and very rare in the racing industry," Hayes went on to add. The statement released by the stable confirmed the stable had been keeping an extra close eye on the galloper, in particular his wellbeing whilst taking his career run by run. Inevitably all involved concluded now was the perfect time for So Si Bon to retire as his risk of sustaining injury seemed to be increasing as confirmed by stable vet Dave Mckellar. In other news for the stable the first of August marked the beginning of a new era, closing the door on the 2022/23 season. According to stable manager Gareth Downey, total prizemoney earned by the stable's horses more than doubled this season from the previous season. In 2021/22 it was just over $8.4 million – and that increased to just over $17.4 million in 2022/23. Total winners for the season jumped to 155, up from 117 the previous season, while the total number of stakes wins jumped markedly to 18, up from seven the previous season. These 18 stakes wins ranked Lindsay Park 6th on the national trainer premiership for stakes wins, and second of all Victorian trainers, with only the very large Maher/Eustace operation ahead of them. One area the team specifically focused on was the 2-year-old crop of runners in 2022/23. After moderate results in 2021/22, the team reviewed and modified the way they had been developing and training the 2-year-olds. This achieved superb results with the stable having 17 individual 2-year-old winners for the season, an increase from seven in 2021/22. These 2-year-old winners included three individual stakes winners, headlined by the Group 1 Blue Diamond winner Little Brose. The stable's headline horse for the season was Mr Brightside, who earned just over $5.7 million for his season alone. His key successes were in winning the All-Star Mile, followed by his back-to-back victory in Sydney's Doncaster Mile.