Pollard kicking goals in Queensland
Growing up in Matamata, Todd Pollard had always dreamed of becoming a trainer, and now he is living that dream in Queensland where he is set to line-up his first Group One runner this weekend.
It’s been a whirlwind last six months for Pollard, who established his own stable at Eagle Farm after heading Archibald Racing’s Queensland barn for four years, and he has struck early with eight victories already to his name, including his first stakes victory a fortnight ago.
That black-type triumph came courtesy of Midnight In Tokyo (Kobayashi) in the Listed Hinkler Handicap (1200m) at Eagle Farm on Stradbroke Day, and Pollard understandably cut an emotional figure following the win.
“I was quite emotional afterwards,” Pollard said. “There is a lot of work that goes into it throughout your career and even just with that horse alone, you ride the rollercoaster.
“You have to quickly learn as a trainer to enjoy those wins because it doesn’t come easy, especially during the Winter Carnival, it has just gotten tougher and tougher, you are always up against it and it is hard.
“It is also great to be competing with some of those trainers and horses. To have a winner on Stradbroke Day, everyone is there and it is just so important, and those big wins can really catapult your career.”
Pollard had overseen Midnight Tokyo’s career when she was trained by his previous employers, for whom she won two stakes races, and he was pleased to bring up his first stakes win with the rising seven-year-old mare and reward the support of her owners.
“She has been a pretty tough mare and I have been lucky enough to work with her through running Annabel’s (Archibald) stable up in Queensland, so it was good that the owners were happy to back me when I went out on my own and transfer a horse like her to me. I am pretty lucky to get a horse like her.
“She is certainly in the twilight of her career as well. She had to be good to land that stakes win but it was a massive relief to be able to do it because if she didn’t get it done, she was probably running out of chances before retirement. It has given me a big push along early in my training career.”
Buoyed by that success, Pollard is now aiming higher with Midnight In Tokyo, and she will become his first Group One runner on Saturday when she tackles the Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm.
“We are really happy with her,” Pollard said. “She is a mare that always puts in and she looks terrific.
“They have given me the visitors’ draw (18) as if I have come over from New Zealand, which is a bit of a bugger, but we will have a go.
“I can’t fault her, but the draw is extremely hard, so we are going to have to work out what we do from there. She is not really a mare that has a massive turn of foot, she just grinds away. It would be hard to win if we defaulted to going back to last on her from the draw, so we will see how she springs the lids and go from there.
“I am hopeful that she can run well and if she can run top four it is massive for her pedigree and shows that she is up to that company as well.”
Looking at the racebook, Pollard is pinching himself seeing his name next to some of the best trainers in Australia, including fellow expat Kiwi trainers Chris Waller and Bjorn Baker, who both competed at Royal Ascot last week.
“It is pretty cool to be able to see your name in the form guide alongside trainers like them (Baker and Waller),” Pollard said. “They are a couple of guys I have a lot of respect for. You dream one day that you can be like them and it is pretty cool to have a runner in a Group One against those guys.”
While labelling himself lucky to have a Group One contender so early in his career, Pollard has tried to be the master of his own luck when pursuing a career in racing, establishing a firm foundation and serving a lengthy apprenticeship under several top trainers.
Since knocking on Matamata trainer Graham Richardson’s door as an enthusiastic 13-year-old seeking a job after school, Pollard has designed his life around becoming a trainer.
With an ambition of being selected on the competitive Darley Flying Start course, Pollard went to Massey University to attain a commerce degree in order to meet the minimum entry requirements, and during this time worked for Palmerston North trainer Lisa Latta, Waikato Stud, and Sydney trainer John O’Shea.
His vision came to fruition, and he was selected as one of 12 trainees for the 2016–2018 intake of the Darley Flying Start course where he gained invaluable worldwide exposure to the thoroughbred industry, spending time in Ireland, England, the United States, Australia and Dubai. During this time he had placements with trainers Phil D'Amato (United States), Roger Varian (England), and Bjorn Baker (Australia).
Following his graduation, he returned to New Zealand to work as Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh’s racing manager before moving across the Tasman to work for Annabel Archibald (nee Neasham), initially in Sydney before moving to Brisbane to head her Queensland barn.
Pollard looks back fondly on his extensive grounding in the industry and is delighted to finally start his own journey as a trainer.
“You want to work for the best and get those opportunities,” he said. “I worked for Graham Richardson from the age of 13 right through high school and I knew early on that I wanted to be a trainer. It was probably 20 years ago since I knocked on his door to ask for an after-school job.
“It is such a long apprenticeship to get to training, but everything has been mapped out towards it – getting the degree, doing the Flying Start and then working for Stephen and Annabel leading into it.
“I have worked for a lot of good people, gained a lot of experience along the way and it is great to finally be doing it.
“It was a long road to get to this point when you add up all of the years that I have done, but I have left no stone unturned to try and give myself the best possible chance to make a good career of it.”
Pollard currently has 22 horses in work, mostly tried horses, including Speycaster (Highland Reel) for New Zealand-based syndicator Go Racing.
“Albert (Bosma, Go Racing) has been great, they have sent me Speycaster who ran a nice fourth in the Ipswich Cup (Listed, 2150m) last Saturday,” Pollard said. “He heads to the Caloundra Cup (Listed, 2400m) next Saturday, which is right up his alley. He has always been looking for the 2400m and a little bit of sting out of the track. I think he is on song to run a big race.
“It has been great to have the support of Go Racing. There have been a few others (Kiwi supporters) as well. A lot of people have taken shares in horses to support me.”
One of those Kiwi owners is Pollard’s former employer Stephen Marsh, who has taken a share in a yearling Pollard purchased at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale earlier this year.
“It is good to still be in touch with people like Stephen Marsh, who was massive for me,” Pollard said. “He was a great boss to work for when I was in New Zealand before moving to Annabel’s. We keep in touch all the time and he even took a share in one of my yearlings, which was pretty cool to have the support of him behind me.”
Pollard didn’t envision starting his training career in Queensland, but life has led him to the Sunshine State, which he now calls home, and he couldn’t be happier.
“It is funny how life ends up,” he said. “I probably didn’t expect to be training in Queensland, but it is just the way it has panned out.
“I do love it up here, it is a great place, and you get plenty of opportunities, particularly with tried horses. I am pretty happy and settled, it is a good place to live.
“My partner, Clare (O'Kearney), has been so fantastic with starting the business as well, and she is a Brisbane local, so hopefully we can keep building the stable.”
