O’Rourke Racing - 2026 Quarter 1 Newsletter
Spotlight On…
Welcome to the inaugural newsletter.
We have the vision to use this as a community-building quarterly catch up. Where we can shed some light on the ‘ins and outs’ of O'Rourke Racing with you all, hopefully sharing a few insights along the way.
The quarter that was…
With the sales season wrapped, we’ve come away with a select — but very exciting — group of yearlings. Each year the quality continues to lift, and this crop feels like it’s hit that next benchmark.
Alongside that, we’ve kept refining our approach. It’s something we review every year. Ed has a real knack for finding top horses — we’ve watched plenty go on to perform in the Spring and Autumn carnivals, often with mixed emotions. It’s great validation… but also leaves you thinking, why weren’t we the ones taking them home?
So we go back to the notes, tweak the process, and sharpen things up again. This year feels like the most complete version yet, and it’s already delivered — highlighted by a lovely filly we secured at Inglis Classic Sale from Coolmore (view Home Affairs / Mandylion here).
So without further ado, we thought we’d step out all the process for you in a snap-shot, in simple terms:
The Athlete
First we find the athlete. Pedigree comes next, but first and foremost we need to see the athlete.
We’re looking for scope and presence in the frame, a strong, fluent walk with power through the hindquarters, well balanced head carriage and plenty of rein. This we glean in a few shorts minutes of parading. Next and more crucial than anything else on the inspection checklist is correct limbs. We pay close attention to how the foot is placed each step, and the way movement flows through the joints — particularly fetlocks, stifles and hocks.
Horses are rated by the team, with 7.8 considered very good, 7.9 exceptional, and 8 rarely given.
Pedigree
All yearlings are assessed on proven crosses and strong stakes-performing female families. We’ve always believed in nicking, but over time we’ve built in our own benchmarks — including minimum stakes-percentage-to-runner standards.
Biomechanics
Our higher-rated horses move onto a second-look list. From there, we assess biomechanics — essentially a deeper check that what we’re seeing stacks up.
By analysing stride length and cadence in the parade walk, we can estimate galloping efficiency — how much ground a horse is likely to cover per second.
Cardio Assessment
A relatively recent addition (or perhaps a reintroduction), heart ratings give us insight into cardiovascular capacity — how efficiently oxygen is delivered — and even an indication of ideal race distance.
Ultrasounds are conducted at the sales complex before final decisions are made. Our recent purchases have rated B+ to A — the range most commonly seen in stakes performers.
Vet
Last but certainly not least, our long-time vet and fellow racehorse owner, Dr Gary Baitz, assesses radiography and scope before we commit.
Sometimes the final word isn’t what we want to hear, and we’ve had to walk away from standout prospects. But this final step is an invaluable part of the process. We can’t train a horse that won’t stay sound — and we’re committed to buying responsibly, with the best outcome in mind for both horse and owners.
After a few too many near-misses as the underbidder, we’ve come into this year with a bit more intent — and a clearer, more defined five-step process. It’s given us the confidence to step in when it counts and come away with the horses we really want.
Hopefully, that pays dividends where it matters most — on the track.
Coming up…
School is in session.
Breaking season rolls straight on from the sales, and the big man has been busy with the babies — no doubt a few colourful words thrown in alongside some important early lessons. But they learn their jobs, and they learn them well.
We’ve been fortunate to have Lynton Farm break in our Home Affairs/Mandylion filly and Russian Revolution/Thump colt (see here). Both have arrived into the stable in great order and have settled into Hawkesbury trackwork like they’ve been there for years.
As we head into the cooler months, a few familiar names will be returning. Of these, we have Predation returning in lovely order - albeit a couple stone lighter (without his Crown Jewels), a cracking Tivaci filly out of Savabeel mare (see here) who has really impressed us in her latest jump out at home, and of course - ‘The Prince’, POWER BROKER will be starting afresh with the 2026 Spring carnival pinned on his horizon.
Bidding farewell to our beloved Ivana, who is retiring from racing. A favourite among us, she was our first yearling purchase for the company and has done a great job for the stable. Sadly, soundness problems have forced an early retirement to a mare who just loved racing and stable life. Her enigmatic character will be missed. She loved her pampered life, was quite fond of unseating her riders on the sly, and loved her breakfast. All the best lady, for life beyond racing.
Thanks for being along for the ride. There’s plenty happening around the stable, and we’re looking forward to sharing more of it with you as it unfolds.
This is part of our quarterly O’Rourke Racing newsletter. Subscribe below to receive future updates straight to your inbox.
