3 minute read
After 155 starts and thrills money can’t buy, Wayne Seelin has retired his warhorse Isorich.
It's not exactly the way the Wyong trainer wanted his old mate to bow out but he's been on the back foot for several weeks since he had to scratch the 12-year-old from a race in early May due to a temperature.
Racehorses must retire at the end of their 12-year-old year so it's been looming for Isorich and Seelin simply ran out of time for one last hurrah before the end of the season.
While not one for "pomp and ceremony", Wayne Seelin hopes there can be a send off for the popular galloper at some stage but for now he's content that Isorich has a happy home on his property and retires 100 per cent sound.
"I've decided to retire him, he got a cold and put on a fair bit of weight when he was off for a couple of weeks as old people and horses do,'' Seelin said.
"I did the maths on it and the amount of work I'd have to put into him to get him going again wasn't worth it for the sake of maybe a start or two.
"I didn't want to do it to him. You can become a villain pretty quick if you push him too hard.
"So I've put him up in the back paddock and he's happily cruising around. Actually I wouldn't say happily, he's still a bit cranky.
"He'll live here with the goats and sheep in the back paddock."
The Isorich story began at the Scone yearling sales back in 2012.
Seelin was on the lookout for a horse and after inspecting the son of Choisir assumed he'd sell for a decent amount so went looking elsewhere as the sale began.
"He was lot two and I remember when I looked at him I thought I wouldn't be able to afford him,'' he said.
"I was down the back looking at other horses and heard the bidding stop at about $3500 and I just bolted for the ring and got him. So then I went home after lot two, it was just meant to be."
He'd spent $7500.
Little did he know the ride he was in for over the next 11 years as the gelding would amass $826,525 in prizemoney from 16 wins and another 37 placings – meaning he retires having finished top three in one in every three starts.
It took Isorich 13 starts to break through for his maiden win, which came on his home track in April 2014. His first five wins would come at Wyong, he won eight overall there.
"He was very wayward to start with and his whole career he was always a bit wayward, he liked to lay on other horses,'' he said.
"I remember him laying all over Happy Clapper one day and being beaten narrowly."
That was at Canterbury in a no metropolitan win race at Canterbury on Australia Day in 2015!
He won back-to-back Randwick Saturday races in the spring of 2017 and his rating reached a high of 95 after he was Listed placed that summer.
The second of those wins at HQ was on the day Happy Clapper won his Epsom Handicap while the first was unforgettable for Seelin as he became caught up in Winx mania following her George Main Stakes win that year.
"The day he won at Randwick just after Winx won, there were people everywhere and it was a great run,'' he said.
"He just fought like he does. That'll be my highlight, I was lucky enough to have him.
"He's been a trooper there's no doubt about that."
Isorich's last win came at Wyong back on November 24 but he hardly retires out of form given he'd recorded two placings in seven days at home at the end of April.
It wasn't quite the end Seelin would have chosen but for Isorich it's a case of happily ever after.
"For him to retire as sound as he is and happy as he is makes me feel good about going as long as I have with him," Seelin said.
