Episode 405: Jason Warren

To Victoria we go for this week’s podcast with talented trainer Jason Warren who’s based on the Mornington Peninsula. Jason was lucky to get himself a Gr 1 winner early in his career, and hopes to find another one or two in the future. He begins by acknowledging the talents of his smart 3YO filly Benedetta. He’s also pretty keen on a three year old called Grand Pierro who was luckless in the Victoria Derby.  Jason talks about the decision to sell his lovely Mornington training property to Barbara and Barrie Saunders. He still works some of his horses at Denistoun Park. He describes his own training base right on the Mornington racecourse. Jason reflects on childhood days in Bega on the NSW South Coast and a very early love affair with horses. He talks of an early transition into the breaking of young horses. He says horse breaking was his primary interest early days and remembers his first job at the beautifully appointed Shipton Lodge at Cobbitty. Jason talks of his next move to Phillipa Duncan’s Hardwicke Stud at Yass, the property where the Freedman brothers grew up. He talks of a two year stint at Eliza Park Stud in Victoria.  Jason looks back on his first tentative crack at running his own business. He combined racehorses with pre trainers and breakers on a property at Moorooduc. His first winner came along during this period. The Bega born horseman explains that he felt in need of further tuition in the finer points of racehorse training. He was lucky to gain a foreman’s role with Lee and Anthony Freedman at Markdel. He remembers his association with Makybe Diva. Jason finally got serious about training in his own right. He talks about some of the horses to get him up and running. He obviously wants to devote extra time to his recollections of the classy Bel Sprinter- the horse to give him a Sydney Gr 1 win and an invitation to Singapore. Jason is frank in his summation of the “Baron Archer affair- a situation that saw him incur a huge fine. He says the only positive to come out of the regretful episode was his resolve to never make the same mistake again. He explains it well. The Mornington horseman is adamant that Brooklyn Hustle is by far the second best horse to come through his stables. Jason acknowledges the contribution of Pryde’s EasiFeed to his training operation. The trainer talks of his three daughters and their natural affinity with horses. He says their mother Yasmin keeps a close eye on their equine involvement. Jason talks of the jockeys he uses on a regular basis. He says his surname triggered a nickname early in life which follows him around to this day. He’s aware that a famous Sydney sports media identity has the same predicament.