MATT LAURIE - Dynamic Syndications Mornington (Vic) Based Trainer
Matt Laurie is a Group 1 Winning Trainer and rated one of Mornington's most successful trainers.
Dynamic Trainer - Matt Laurie
Matt took out a trainers licence in 2004.
His expertise in training is first class and his ability to re-educate difficult horses is without peer.
Based on the Mornington Peninsula at Moorooduc, Matt’s property Carringbush Park is a 5 star horse facility where horses are stabled and weather permitting, turned-out during the day into safe, purpose built, day-yards and smaller paddocks.
On a daily basis, the stables use their own 800 metre track on the property, and as well they use the close by Mornington Racetrack with its excellent facilities, for fast-work.
Matt’s facilities are also close to Safety Beach and Balnarring beaches.
Matt has been involved in the education and training of horses both internationally and within Australia, for over 15 years.
Matt adopted similar philosophies and training principles of long time mentor, Dr Andrew McLean of the Australian Equine Behaviour Centre, which has given him the skillset to break-in and conduct specialised early education along with addressing behavioural problems that other trainers simply can’t.
His desire to maximise a horse’s ability, coupled with his understanding of a horse’s psychology, makes Matt a complete, all-round, hands-on horseman which has seen a well-earned, well-respected reputation grow within the industry.
His hard work and sheer dedication to reach a goal, to become a leader in the industry, is providing great results.
Matt has already many metropolitan winners along with 9 stakes wins to his name.
Over the past 10 seasons Matt Laurie has trained:
2,358 Starters: 319 Winners (13.5%) : 563 Placed (23.9%)
For the 2018/19 Racing Season Matt Laurie had his Most Successful Season as he trained:
217 Starters: 43 Winners (19.8%) and 47 Placed (41.5%) & Prizemoney of $2.04m
BLACK-TYPE Success
Nine (9) Stakes Wins:
• Escado Winner of the South Australian Derby (G1),
QLD Tatts Cup (G3), MVRC JRA Cup (G3)
• Se Sauver Winner of the VRC Edward Manifold Stakes (G2)
• Bleu Roche Winner of the VRC World Horse Racing Roses
Stakes (G3)
• Moonlover Winner of the Shojun Concrete Stakes (LR)
• Mezeray Miss Winner of the Twilight Glow Stakes (LR)
• Pearl Star Winner of the Dequetteville Stakes (LR)
• The Travelling Man Winner of the Blue Diamond Preview
(LR)
Other significant winners include:-
• Prince Of Sussex winner of the Inaugural $1M Vobis Showdown at Caulfield & Vobis Gold Rush at Bendigo, total prizemoney earned of $681,250 from 3 starts.
• Master Reset, with total prizemoney of $448,450 from 35 starts with 10 wins & 4 placings, including a strong win in the 2016 MRC Peninsula Cup.
• Tigerland (NZ) - winner of 6 of his 10 races, with a second & third amassing total prizemoney of $177,610.
• Two Sugars, with total prizemoney of $253,608 from 25 starts with 7 wins & 7 placings including 3rd placing in the Lady Day Vase, a Group 3 Caulfield race
• The Big Steel, with total prizemoney of $364,667 from 43 starts with 8 wins & 7 placings
Matt is known for his high success strike rate and ability to place his horses to advantage.
Matt has also adopted the “Have Saddle will Travel” business philosophy and is a regular visitor to racetracks all over Victoria and interstate to ensure maximum results for the stable’s owners.
MATT LAURIE
Matt has been involved with horses from a very young age.
After progressing through the grades as a young rider in the sport of Eventing, it became apparent that a career involving the horse was on the cards.
Matt initially spent a lot of time at the Australian Equine Behavioural Centre (AEBC) under the tutelage of Dr Andrew McLean. Here was instilled a great educational foundation in Matt, which led to the breaking-in of many horses.
Upon leaving, Matt headed to the Mornington Peninsula where he joined the team at the Freedman Brothers. It was here that the bright lights of horse racing caught his eye, especially after watching young horses progress through to being stars of the turf.
Currently, Matt has an outstanding training setup which has been a work in progress over many years.
However the finish line is now in sight for picturesque Carringbush Park.
It was from this property that Matt trained his first winner and has subsequently continued on to win over 300 races and amass almost 10 million dollars in prizemoney.
At Carringbush Park the Matt Laurie team provide our horses with the best of care at all times and his staff are fully qualified, paying close attention to the individual needs of our horses.
You’re unlikely to hear Mornington trainer Matt Laurie beat his own drum – it’s not his style.
Matt Laurie is comfortable working with horses – a passion which began, like with so many others, at pony club. He’s not so comfortable talking about himself.
His racing career began working with Mark Stephenson, breaking in horses for the Freedman stable, before breaking-in, pre-training and riding work for fellow Mornington trainer John McArdle.
Both former colleagues acknowledge Matt Laurie’s horsemanship.
Stephenson said “He’s an outstanding horseman and I’m not surprised he’s done well training.”
McArdle said “He’s a very good rider, a good horseman.
“He worked for us over a period of four or five years and did a great job.
“Now that he’s training, one thing you notice is that he always has his horses looking really good and it’s no surprise he’s doing well.”
Matt Laurie himself says he is “simply doing his best”
Matt was asked how he’d describe himself. “Just someone trying to do my best, trying to get results for the owners. Just trying to be a decent person. I’m not sure how to answer that, I guess that’s why I’m working with horses.
“I suppose you always want to prove yourself a bit more - prove it to yourself and also to other people.
“I’d like to think that when we present a horse at the races, that other trainers would be thinking, well that Matt Laurie can prepare a horse, so it’s going to be a danger” like I do with a lot of other trainers.
“You’d like your peers to see you as a good trainer.”
“I’ve always just wanted to win more races that I did the year before. That’s been the goal. Then you want to win stakes races.
“Even now, I do like to break in the horses I’ve purchased, but the more (horses) you get the harder that becomes given the demands on your time,” Matt adds.
“I enjoy that first ride, getting over their neck and seeing how they feel in that first canter.”
From 4am, around 25 horses are trucked to the nearby Mornington racecourse. “I don’t mind that,” Matt says. “I like the horses getting into a routine, get in the truck, stand in the tie ups, do their work, similar to race day. We then head back here. I use the beach not so much for working through the deep sand but more for post gallops, trials or races. Get them down there to cool their legs off, it’s calming for the horse.”
"When it comes to horses, I believe it’s experience, knowledge and hard work. There’s nobody out there with a special aura that the horse picks up on.”
“I genuinely love it, it’s a great game. I wouldn’t do it if I wasn’t passionate about the horses.”
CARRINGBUSH PARK
The home of Matt Laurie Racing is Carringbush Park - a 35 acre property located in Moorooduc on the Mornington Peninsula. This environment is the perfect mix of country air and a moderate climate, with the sophisticated facilities of the city.
This property has its own 800 metre training track, 50 extra-large, sand based covered stables, as well as 14 day yards and 12 large grass paddocks.
There is also an 8 horse walking machine and 15 metre undercover round yard.
In 2019 an arena was added which is being used for basic flat work, offering a good for a mix-up of the training routines.
The Mornington Racecourse has become a major provincial training facility for thoroughbred training and racing in Victoria.
The location of Carringbush Park makes it easy to take advantage of all the facilities at Mornington, including several sand tracks, brand new grass track and the swimming pool.
Mornington Racing Club hold regular barrier trials for all trainers to prepare their horses for racing without the burden of travel.
Matt Laurie with his parents