Father And Son To Form Training Alliance
First there was one, now there is two and soon they will become a duo.
The Fernie name, synonymous with Kalgoorlie racing, is set to expand.
Peter Fernie and his 22-year-old son Luke will form a training alliance in August.
Peter Fernie, considered one of the best country trainers in Western Australia, will continue to oversee his Kalgoorlie stable while Luke, a fledgling trainer, sets up a satellite stable at Ascot.
“That’s the plan,” Luke Fernie told The Races WA.
“Dad and I will form a partnership when the new season kicks off
“We don’t want to start off with a heap of horses.
“What we are hoping for is to attract a new group of owners.
“But we are mindful of not treading on any toes in doing that.
“We don’t want to take owners away from trainers that have been very good to us.
“Trainers like Lindsey Smith and Justin Warwick have helped dad survive by sending horses to him.
“We’ll lease some stables around Ascot and not worry about a property.
“Dad doesn’t train from a property so you may as well do in Perth what you do in Kalgoorlie.”
Fernie is confident a pool of horses from Kalgoorlie can help the father and son team make the transition to Perth.
In recent months Little Fish, Pym’s Royale, Mervyn and Moschard have made big impressions at Ascot and Belmont.
“We’ve taken horses to Perth before that maybe had come to the end of their preparations,” Fernie said.
“We now can be a little more selective and target our races.”
Fernie, who combines his horse duties with work as an electrician, hopes his dual success from last Sunday is the ideal launching pad for the stable’s expansion to Perth.
Fresh from being granted his trainer’s license last month, he continued a long-standing Fernie tradition in the goldfields when he saddled two winners
Fernie became the fourth generation trainer from his family to record a Kalgoorlie victory when Pink And Purple and Atticus scored wins.
But while Fernie was revelling in the spotlight, his dad had to take a rare back seat after going winless on the seven race card.
It was an unusual occurrence for a trainer that consistently chalks up winners and regularly dominates most Kalgoorlie meetings.
“He did cop a bit and it didn’t go unnoticed,” said Fernie.
“But he was over the moon for me
“He gave me a hug and said well done.
“It was a relief to get it completed because I thought it would have happened sooner.”
Julio Santarelli