Craig Kerry
In more than 50 years in racing, Geoff Allendorf has covered plenty of bases.
International jockey and trainer, and even a stint in horse transport.
But at 69 years old, Allendorf is “tickled pink” to have a new challenge, and one of the toughest in the game: training two-year-olds.
The premiership-winning jockey and trainer in Macau began as head of Central Coast operation Mathland, a new offshoot of Hong Kong businessman YP Cheng’s Domeland stables, in January.
Allendorf, who rode for his new boss overseas, is working predominantly with juveniles and has had just 14 runners, and no wins, so far.
The former Sydney rider hopes to score a memorable first win as a trainer in Australia when Fast Feather debuts in the $1 million Golden Gift (1100m) for two-year-olds on Saturday at Rosehill, although he was realistic about the Tassort colt’s chances. The $40,000 yearling was a $101 chance off two runner-up trials efforts, at Randwick and Warwick Farm.
“We are just hoping he can run good,” Allendorf said.
“I know we’ve stepped him into the deep end, but there aren’t a lot of two-year-old races around.
“He overraced a little bit in his trials; we think he’s got some ability, but you need to settle. I think [jockey] Alysha [Collett] will have some hope of doing that because in a race they go a bit quicker than a trial.
“I’ve got 30-odd babies and I’ve got to start somewhere, so I’ve been trialling a lot of them and tipping them out, but I’m a private trainer and the boss wants to see a couple run, so this bloke is going to the races.
“He’s showing us something, but I need him to drop his head. It’s so hard to overrace and still win races. I haven’t seen many do it. I’ve seen a couple, but they were champions. But generally you are using too much petrol.
“I just want to see him drop his head, if he does that, I’ll be tickled pink.”
Preparing two-year-olds is a new test for Allendorf, who has called on his early experiences as a jockey to meet the challenge. He carved out a career in Sydney in the 1970s and ’80s before riding for three years in Hong Kong then moving to Macau, where he later transitioned to training. His 19-year training career ended in 2024 when racing ceased in Macau.
After staying on in Macau to help rehome and transport horses, Allendorf returned to Australia but had no thoughts of training again, before a call came about the Mathland opportunity on Caulfield Cup day last year from mate Kenny Man, who had trained for YP Cheng.
Now Allendorf is navigating new territory.
“Before this, when I trained in Asia, we never dealt with two-year-olds. Even in Hong Kong, they are all older horses, three-year-old plus,” he said.
“Luckily, I rode a lot of two-year-olds for good trainers, so that gives me a good insight to it. I think I probably won about half of the lead-up races to the Slipper, and for different trainers, from Terry Ramsey to [Geoff] ‘Doc’ Chapman.
“I was riding their trackwork, too, so I’ve got some idea how to treat them.”
Allendorf is following Bart Cummings’ philosophy of patience being key, with his larger-than-expected team.
“I’m getting on in age, so I’ve got patience. I’m not in a hurry,” he said.
“I’ve had a bit of success in Macau, and I want to have success here, but you can’t make it happen, you’ve got to let it happen.
“People keep saying to me, ‘You haven’t had any winners,’ but I haven’t had many starters.
“The boss gave me half a dozen horses and said ‘I’ll buy you 10’, so that’s 16 in my arithmetic, but I’ve got probably 40. He went to the sales and went berserk.
“But I’ve got some nice ones and some cheap ones I really like. I’m hoping by January, I’m up and going with a good half a dozen two-year-olds, and four or five three-year-olds.”
