Click here for more on how Laurel Oak makes your ownership experience more ENJOYABLE.

We believe that there are four key areas that help make your ownership experience enjoyable.

1. Successful racehorses that get to the races and do win! 
2. Communication – it is imperative that you are kept informed about your horse’s plans and progress.
3. Hassle-free ongoing administration.
4. A range of social functions that you have the option of participating in.

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SUCCESSFUL RACEHORSES

Despite the flexibility in the size and style of ownership options that we can provide whenever we make a decision to keep a horse or buy a horse which we will be recommending to clients we are very conscious of trying to find horses that will race and will be successful.  Because we limit the number of horses that we select each year to an average of around ten to twelve horses under Laurel Oak management, a higher record of success can be achieved for you.

We maintain our crop-by-crop statistics once each crop reaches the end of its 3yo season because by then they should have had plenty of opportunity to get to the races and win. 

In the past seven seasons (from 2000 onwards) there were 73 horses selected or recommended of which 70 have raced.  Forty Eight of the seventy have won (68.7%) while sixty one have earned prizemoney (87.1%).  

All horses go through stringent physical checks from both the conformation and athleticism point of view to determine their likelihood of racing.  Further, all horses selected must also have compatible pedigrees based on analysis by Patrick Brain.  We have found over the years that this has significantly upgraded the quality of horses that we select, particularly bearing in mind that most horses selected by Laurel Oak are not expensive by current industry standards. 

For horses selected at yearling sales they are initially selected after the leg work is done by Louis Mihalyka of Laurel Oak Bloodstock, second opinions are obtained from the trainer who will train the horse and then the horses are pedigree analysed.  Those horses that still remain on the list and become potential purchases are then checked by a vet including x-rays if available and need to be deemed as low risk to qualify for purchase.

This strict selection process has stood the test of time with a remarkably high percentage of horses (nearly 100%) making the races, which is astonishing by normal industry standards.

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COMMUNICATION

If there is one area where we receive most compliments on it is the communication service that we provide to you.

If you are Laurel Oak owner you will receive on an ongoing basis:

1. Grandstand View - Laurel Oak’s monthly newsletter.  With over 350 additions now this newsletter is our way of keeping you informed about Laurel Oak horses generally and other racing news that may be of general interest to you.  The newsletter also includes the inserts, which have trainers’ horses to follow, upcoming social functions and a summary of Laurel Oak horses as well as other items of interest from time to time.  Grandstand View is also a way that we keep in touch with friends and potential clients and you are welcome to receive this without cost or obligation.
   
2. Specific bulletins on your horse.  You will also receive bulletins on your horse, which are only sent to the owners of each particular horse.  The bulletins focus on keeping you informed about the plans and progress of your horse and any administrative matters specific to your horse.  Bulletins are issued whenever there is information to communicate to you and when your horse is racing you may receive five or six bulletins per month.  Whereas, while your horse is spelling you may only receive a bulletin every four to six weeks, depending on what information there is to communicate to you.
   
3. Personal phonecall.  A Laurel Oak tradition that has not changed over the years is a personal phonecall to you before each race start to ensure that you know that your horse is racing, what the details of the race are, what the trainer’s expectations are and to organise any necessary ticketing for you.
   
4. Additional trainer communication – some of our trainers now have additional communication facilities including updates on each horse on their website or regular audio updates on each horse in the stable.  These can only be accessed with security codes which are only given to the owners of each individual horse.
   
5. Round the clock availability – we are available if you have questions or problems virtually around the clock, although we always appreciate if owners don’t ring during the night!

Overall the communication service is designed to keep you informed and entertained. 

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HASSLE-FREE ONGOING ADMINISTRATION

Laurel Oak’s administration service is designed to make your ongoing administration and payment for upkeep costs hassle free.  All supplier invoices are centralised through Laurel Oak so that you only receive one invoice for all your costs rather than miniscule invoices for your share of trainer, float, vet and other service providers.

Under the Laurel Oak administration system you are invoiced quarterly in advance for the estimated costs of your horse for the upcoming quarter.  You have the option of paying quarterly or monthly as you prefer but you will only receive the one quarterly advance invoice.  Subsequently, actual costs will be accounted for and compared to the estimated with the difference being adjusted up or down with the next quarterly invoice.  This system gives you flexibility to pay within a time frame over a three-month period that best suits you.  It also ensures that each horse’s bank account is liquid so that we can pay service providers promptly, which creates tremendous industry goodwill.

We also have a variety of payment options to make it as easy as possible to pay your ongoing costs.  They include cheque, cash, credit card, direct bank transfer, etc.  You also have the flexibility to pay as many months in advance as you prefer or to have your credit card charged automatically on a monthly or quarterly basis either for the invoiced amount or for a set monthly amount based on a twelve month estimate of costs.

Basically, we try and provide you with no excuse not to pay your ongoing upkeep costs by the end of any given quarter!

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SOCIAL FUNCTIONS

The Laurel Oak social calendar provides a range of social functions throughout the year that you have the option of participating in to whatever extent you prefer.  These social functions or events include:

• Yearling sales – you have the opportunity to join us at yearling sales, either locally or interstate.  That can involve anything from an hour or a day at the sales or a full tour to an interstate or New Zealand sale. 
• Stable visits – these are regularly organised to give you an opportunity to see your horses in the stable.  These are generally on Sunday mornings and the timing of them is coordinated to take place when either a certain young horse or a group of horses are in the stable at the same time.
• Golf Days - Laurel Oak runs three or four golf days each year in Sydney and also a Cox Plate Eve Golf Day each year on the Friday before the Cox Plate in Melbourne. 
• Melbourne Cup Week - Laurel Oak coordinates an annual booking in the Panorama Restaurant during Cup Week. 
• Cup Week Events – two Cup Week traditions now are the After Derby stable visit at Tony Noonan’s, which is the biggest and best catered-for stable visit on the Laurel Oak calendar on the Sunday morning after Derby Day.  This is followed by Mornington Races as an optional kick-on and there is also the option of a coach from Melbourne to the stable visit returning after the races.  The next day Laurel Oak coordinates a booking at the Call Of The Card at Crown Casino, which is proving to be a very popular annual event to whet the appetite for the next day’s Melbourne Cup.
• Cox Plate Tour – there is also an annual Cox Plate Tour, part of which Laurel Oak coordinates a booking in a Moonee Valley restaurant which will include reserved seating that gives you the best opportunity to savour the atmosphere as legends are being made.
• Black Opal Tour – the annual Black Opal Tour to Canberra’s feature race meeting is a long-standing tradition since a first-crop Laurel Oak horse was a runner in the Black Opal ridden by a very young Darren Beadman.
• Tony Noonan’s Greendale Ball – Tony Noonan’s annual Greendale Ball is a major highlight each year.  Held at Crown Casino, it is such an enjoyable gala occasion that rival trainers now are invited and come along!
• NSW Annual ROA Awards Night – this gala black tie event held at Randwick each year is very popular with Laurel Oak owners and we always organise a table or two for clients.
• NSW ROA Race Days – NSW Racehorse Owners Association organises two very enjoyable race days – one at Randwick during the Easter Carnival and another at Rosehill in summer and again we always organise a number of tables at these days, which have excellent catering and the facilities for a very enjoyable day at the races.
• New Zealand Stud Tour – once every two years we organise a tour of New Zealand studs hosted by Tony Noonan.  We enjoy the hospitality of various studs, see some famous stallions and usually wind up on Lake Taupo for a spot of fishing as well.
• Hong Kong International Tour – after being blown away by the experience of Hong Kong International Races, courtesy of Into The Night’s invitation in 2003, we have coordinated a tour to the races in 2005.  We are hoping to make this an annual or bi-annual event.

As well there is the usual round of impromptu events, celebrations or dinners that may occur from time to time.  All in the cause of having a good time!  Hopefully the above provides you with the reasons why Laurel Oak can make your racehorse ownership experience easy and enjoyable.