We are proud to display on our website the attached article acknowledging the outstanding contribution by Mr John Messara AM to the thoroughbred horse racing and breeding industries. “A Job well done JM”. Tony Fleiter

The Board of Racing NSW received notification today at its Board meeting that the Chairman, Mr John Messara AM (pictured) will be retiring at the end of December 2016.

Speaking on behalf of the Board the Deputy Chairman, Mr Russell Balding AO acknowledged the significant contribution that Mr Messara has made to the thoroughbred racing industry in NSW and Australia over the 5 years of his chairmanship.

“John Messara is the longest serving Chairman of Racing NSW and is an icon in the Australian Thoroughbred Racing Industry; he will be greatly missed,” Mr Balding said.

“Under his leadership the NSW Thoroughbred Racing Industry has regained its mantle as the leading jurisdiction in the Southern hemisphere.  Annual prizemoney has all but doubled from $118 million to $203 million during his term with particular focus on Country and Provincial racing.

“Importantly, NSW now has a flagship carnival in The Championships.

The colours of the great sprinter Schillaci were carried to victory in the race named after him with exciting Star Witness colt Star Turn thumping his older rivals to win the Group II MRC Schillaci Stakes in a breeze at Caulfield on Saturday.

Prepared by Hawkes Racing, Star Turn racked up a big Group double for Star Witness, whose brilliant filly Global Glamour earlier won the Group I MRC Thousand Guineas, read about her here.

WOODSIDE Park Stud’s banner stallion Written Tycoon has just written his own major piece of Australian racing history.

Thanks to the extraordinary run of success his progeny have had on racetracks all over the country in recent months he has earned a place in the record books as the highest stakes money earning stallion in Victorian history.

Australian based racehorses by Written Tycoon have now amassed more than $10 MILLION in prize money. This eclipses the previous record of $7.3 MILLION set by Bel Esprit.

Adding to this notable feat, Written Tycoon is also now the sire of the world’s highest ever stakes winning two-year-old - Capitalist. The Golden Slipper and Magic Millions winner has so far earned $3,508,000 after winning four of his five starts.

The previous record of $3.1 MILLION was held by the Gai WaterhousetrainedDance Hero and was set back in 2003-2004.

"When we were able to secure Written Tycoon, we had no idea that in a few short years he would become one of the most commercial stallions in the country, said Woodside’s Bloodstock and Sales Manager Matt Tillett.

Few sires used at stud in Victoria have had a better year with progeny on the racetrack than Written Tycoon, a sire whose 2015-16

Australian earnings jumped above $9 million, when his 4-year-old gelded son Music Magnate took out the $750,000 Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1350m) on this historic Brisbane track on Saturday May 28.

These earnings, a Victorian record, have been swelled to over $11million by the successes of twenty of his progeny competing in either New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia or Hong Kong.Through to the end of May his statistics for the year included 131 winners (120 Aust), 51 others placed, 212 race wins (195 Aust) and $11,078,080 ($9,223,659 Aust).

In the national statistics, he is third on the Champion Sires list by money, winners and wins and is unbeatable by earnings in the race for the Champion Australian juvenile title.