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Wally Gleeson is a former champion amateur jockey and ex-butcher who once created headlines when he rode 100-1 shot Gallant Duke to victory in a 1971 Corinthian Handicap for amateur jockeys at Eagle Farm, with the treble paying A$99,612. Today the horse they bred is making headlines as the Thriller From Chinchilla and more recently as the Prince Of The Pandemic.
Wally Gleeson's boutique breeding operation in Chinchilla, 300km northwest of Brisbane is run solely run by Gleeson and his wife Jill. They are supported by our sons Jacob, Simon and Tom. They breed between 12-15 mares a year, most of which are mated to Queensland stallions.
Gleeson had just A$10,000 to spend on buying a mare at that year's Easter Sales in Sydney and he
ended up buying with Huss On Fire, who later became Rothfire's mum, for A$9500.
Rothfire was sold to Rob Heathcote for just A$10,000. But when Heathcote transferred the monies the first time around they never reached the farm. He was the victim of a phishing scam and so Heathcote ended up paying a second time for the same horse. Today, he would gladly pay 10 times the amount for his stable star.
Rothfire's mum Huss On Fire, who was retired after Rothfire couldn't make the sales, died after a paddock accident.
"After Rothfire won the JJ Atkins this year, Coolmore rang and said if you've got the mother you are welcome to send her to Fastnet Rock – we told them she had died," Wally Gleeson said, "It was a very simple accident, she kicked through the fence and she got a cut to her leg which turned septic."
"Always a confident and inquisitive horse, Rothfire was always watching and learning. I saw him come back after winning The Run To The Rose and he cantered along the edge of the track with no fanfare and he was so relaxed about everything – that's just him," Wally said in a previous interview.
"Rothfire's dam, Huss On Fire's bloodline is considered quite interesting because of she is a Hussonet mare out of a Zabeel mare out of a Marscay mare," he concluded.
In an exclusive interview Wally Gleeson speaks to The Impact about their "Thriller", his industry favourites and Outliers makes for interesting reading.
Q: Please tell us a bit about your background and that of Gleeson Thoroughbreds.
A: Gleeson Thoroughbreds is a small thoroughbred breeding farm located on the western edge of the Darling Downs in Queensland. It is solely run by my wife Jill Gleeson and myself. We are supported by our sons Jacob, Simon and Tom. We commenced commercial breeding in 2010. We breed between 12-15 mares a year, most of which are mated to Queensland stallions.
Q: What would it mean to put a horse that you've bred on the biggest stage in Australia?
A: Being witness to a horse we have bred and raised, race against and compete with the most elite sprinters in the land, is beyond our wildest dreams. To be able to achieve this feat, largely breeding to stallions with modest service fees, is a huge thrill. It just shows that anything is possible in the thoroughbred breeding industry.
Q: If Rothfire is selected by a slot holder, would you plan to go to Sydney for the race?
A: We would not travel to Sydney for the race. It is very likely the current coronavirus situation in Sydney is going to make it logistically very difficult to travel. To be honest, watching the race from the comfort of our own home in Chinchilla, the place where Rothfire was raised, will be more fitting.
Q: What was Rothfire like as a foal and growing up as he was prepped to sell as a yearling?
A: Rothfire was not a standout horse growing up. He did not indicate at an early age that he would be a superstar. He was a big plain yearling that flew under the radar amongst the other 12 horses we bred that year.
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Q: Rothfire is by Rothesay. What do you like about this stallion?
A: Rothesay has been a good servant for the Queensland breeding industry. He is by the all-conquering Fastnet Rock from the prolific producing Canny Lad family. He was a tough racehorse with a good turn of foot. He may have achieved better results but for the fact that the Eagle Farm racecourse was closed as the first of his crops hit the track. His progeny appears to appreciate courses like Eagle Farm with a big, long straight.
Q: When breeding top-quality racehorses, the hallmark of Gleeson Thoroughbreds, what's your 'game plan' for choosing matings?
A: Our mantra is to breed a "racehorse'. We don't focus on breeding horses for sales and that can hurt us on occasions because our matings regularly fall short of the big sales with respect to pedigree. Our horses grow out in big paddocks with plenty of sun on their backs.
Q: What advice would you give to someone trying to make their way into the horse industry?
A: The horse industry is a tough game. The best advice would be to start off slowly. Honesty and work hard will take you a long way. Thoroughbred participants have a knack of discovering people with these traits.
Q: Which is your favourite racehorse & favourite day on a racecourse of all time? Why?
A: Rothfire, of course! Behind him, Lonhro. The son of Octagonal (NZ) was a tough horse that raced season after season at the highest level. He was a horse who seemed to give his best every start. Most of his progeny seem to have this trait and we love seeing him in our pedigrees. As parochial Queenslanders, Stradbroke Day at Eagle Farm must be the favourite.
Q: Who do you believe to be a value sire for the upcoming breeding season? Is there a stallion that you consider to be under the radar? and why?
A: The value sire must be Spirit of Boom. The next few crops to hit racetracks are from far better-quality books of mares. You would have to think it is onwards and upwards from here. Our under the radar stallion is Impending. He has that classic Lonhro blood and showed all the traits of his father. They are good types with great attitudes.
Q: Which stallion, ever, do you think was the best type?
A: Easy … Invincible Spirit. His son I Am Invincible is not a bad replica.
Q: Who do you think is a rising star within the industry?
A: It is a tie. Bruce Slade and Angus McAlpine. Bruce is just a great person. He is passionate and knowledgeable. Angus is an honest hard worker from a great thoroughbred family. There is no doubt he will end up a leader in the Queensland breeding industry.
Q: What positive change would you like to see in the industry?
A: Would like to see people buying horses place less emphasis on veterinary assessments. Time after time we have seen horses dismissed by vets achieve beyond their potential on a racetrack. There seems to be this misconception that vets can predict the forces of nature. Rothfire is a good example of a horse that achieved more than anyone could have predicted.
Q: What movie/ series have you enjoyed watching OR what book have you enjoyed reading recently that you would recommend?
A: I recently read a very interesting book by Malcolm Gladwell called 'Outliers'. It is particularly topical when considering Rothfire. The book highlights that extremely successful people in their field are the result of a series of lucky events, rare opportunities and other external factors out of their control. It seems very likely that the same could be said for our greatest racehorses.