About Tony Noonan Racing

Tony was born on May 8, 1960. A young trainer in the prime of his career, he is married to Gabriel and has four wonderful children Tom, Sam, Jake and Laura. He moved to Mornington in 1991 and made Greendale his home. Tony has spent much time interstate and overseas developing his passion and skills. He loves training and the racing industry.

Tony has been involved in thoroughbred training for most of his adult life and holds the highest form of training licence in Victoria. He is a member of the Australian Trainer's Association (ATA) and currently serves on the ATA Committee.

Our aim is to train fast horses but at the same time not as a singular or selfish passion. Being in a position to share it with others enhances a victory. Family, owners, staff and friends give winning a more enjoyable purpose. We like winning and we like sharing that experience. Join the team and enjoy your racing.

He has an excellent strike rate in Group and Listed races with over 30 Black Type winners. Successes include Piavonic - victory over Sunline in the Group 1 Manikato Stakes, Gunnamatta - winning a history making three successive Mornington Cups, Majestic Avenue - Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes, Show No Emotion - Group 2 Ascot Vale Stakes and more recently Emlozza - Group 3 Dermody stakes and Benedetti's Sale Cup win.

Our staff are handpicked, well trained, and dedicated to the care and performance of your horse. They include Mick Robins who, apart from training Rain Lover to two Melbourne Cup wins, has a wealth of experience in the preparation and care of racehorses, and our stable foreperson Brooke Schreuder.

A well-trained group of stable staff and experienced track riders with excellent knowledge and judgement, several with extensive international experience, make up a formidable team.

Training Fees/Expenses and Terms of Payment

Our training fees are $77.50 per day + GST. This includes all feed costs that the horse incurs. Minor fees and disbursements paid to outside parties such as farrier, dentist, chiropractor and other incidental costs are added to your monthly account. Race nomination fees and related expenses are also added.

Major disbursement accounts such as veterinary fees, agistment fees for spelling your horse at outside properties and floating (transport) charges are billed directly to you by the providers of those services.

Should your horse need to be agisted while here at Greendale, the cost is $40 per day (boxed agistment) and $30 per day (paddock agistment).

You should also note that upon arrival of your horse to the stable we would purchase on your behalf a canvas rug and a light sheet. These will be charged to your account. Obviously, if your horse arrives with either of these items, you will not be charged.

Upon owner's approval, when your horse wins a race an additional amount is also charged on your next monthly account, this being an additional 5% of Gross Prize Money for the stable employees. We like to encourage this practice rather than payment to individual staff at race meetings. The 5% payable to staff is a performance-based incentive and serves to help keep staff expenses and hence training fees lower than would otherwise be the case.

The payment term applicable to our invoices is strictly 7 days (from the last day of the month to which the invoice relates).

Communication and Liaison

Our office hours are 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday to Friday.

Pam Clements will generally be your first point of contact regarding any queries, accounts, or other administrative matters. Tony is readily contactable at the office (03 5976 2607) or on his mobile
(0418 102 972).

Should Tony be tied up attending races, trials or otherwise unable to take your call, you may call our Racing Manager, Edward Frew at the office. He will send out regular updates usually by e-mail (of course, if you do not have access to e-mail you will receive a phone call), and Tony will contact you personally on race morning to discuss the race and also the morning after the race with news on how the horse has pulled up and next start plans.

Stable visits are welcome between the hours of 5.00am-12 noon and 2.00pm-4:00pm. If you do intend to visit please advise the office that you are coming so that we can ensure that someone is available to attend to you. Please note that outside of these hours it is rest time for both horses and staff.

Tony Noonan - with thanks to:
The Herald & Weekly Times Photographic Collection

Testimonials

'Tony has been training horses for us for over 7 years starting with an aptly named partnership known as the Adelaide syndicate which included Go Kell who won 2 races with a win at Moonee Valley plus many placing's at various venues.

Our best result was with Artistic Gem who won 7 races, 4 in a row from Sale to 2 good wins at Eagle Farm and then a win on Grand Final day in 2003 at Mornington beating amongst others Dandy Kid.

Tony is a rarity amongst his industry peers in that he is personable, a good and honest communicator, who handles the vagaries of his trade with a smile and patient with his many and varied owners of all persuasions and personality types.'

- Noel and Lorraine Ferguson

'Buying a yearling is both an exciting and anxious time irrespective of how many racehorses you have owned previously. It helps to have the advice and counsel of an experienced trainer regardless of your experience, knowledge of pedigrees and basic horse conformation.

I have raced horses for over 30 years and since 1998 when I linked up with Tony Noonan, I have attended yearling sales throughout Australia and NZ purchased more than 30 horses. My process commences with a list of possible horses which suit my preference (whether that is a 2 y.o, sprinter, stayer etc), participating in the inspection of the yearlings, compiling a shortlist of prospects whilst eliminating those which fail confirmation or vet checks and then ultimately enjoying the challenge of buying from the shortlist and staying within the budget agreed for each individual yearling.

This process has been both fun and a huge learning experience to strive to secure a horse with the best conformation and as few faults as possible to ensure they get to the racetrack and enjoy success.

Of the horses I have purchased with Tony, we have had 16 individual winners to date, 7 horses that have not raced yet and 2 which are only lightly raced so we are confident that the wining strike rate will improve. The other impressive statistic is that 8 of our horses won their first race start.

There have been a very small number that have not been good enough and a couple lost through accident (one a car accident), however when you consider the total number of yearlings bred and sold every year our strike rate has been well above average and I think bears out the value of doing the homework and taking appropriate advice.'

- Peter McMahon

'My partner, Barry and I have had horses with Tony Noonan Racing for over 10 years. In this time we have met many people whom I am sure will remain life long friends.

Tony is a little different to other trainers, as he puts a lot of emphasis on the "Social" side of owning or being involved in racing horses with "Greendale Stables".
For example he holds a fabulous ball at Crown Casino in September/October each year. This is a night for all involved with Greendale-owners, strappers, stable hands, jockeys, trainers, family and friends.

The stable also has the famous "Barby After The Derby" held the day after Victoria Derby Day during the Spring Carnival. This starts with a parade of horses in the morning, then off to Mornington Races for the day. Then back to Greendale for the Bar-B-Que that evening.

There are also racing trips to Darwin, New Zealand, Hong Kong and England for the more adventurous.

Apart from these major events many of the owners get together for dinners etc and Tony attends many of these with his wife Gabriel, who is an integral part of the success of Tony Noonan Racing.

I would say that Tony is one of the most accessible trainers Barry and I have had anything to do with. We get so much enjoyment from our association with Greendale and would recommend anyone else, to jump aboard and enjoy the ride.'

- Gabrielle Hughes