by Duane Ranger (courtesy of Redcliffe Paceway)
Jacobs Well trainer, Steve Borg, was due a change of luck at Redcliffe Paceway on Thursday (October 17).
The 50-year-old father-of-two notched up his 33rd career victory – and second of 2024 – when Nathan Dawson drove Nurburgring, to win race four by 1.1 metres on the champion reinsman’s 29th birthday.
In doing so Borg surpassed $200,000 in career stake money, but his win tally could have been way more plentiful had two of his best horses not broken down when racing at the top of their game.
Both Nurburgring and Matau Jess, who are New Zealand imports, broke down when Borg’s 2019-2020 season statistics read 20 starts, eight wins, and five placings.
Borg said Nurburgring was spelled from racing in late December 2020 when he suffered problems in both of his back legs and had to get his stifles cut, and then on his recovery suffered tendon problems with holes in his front tendon.
Then Matau Jess, who won two of her five starts, and ran second in another, broke down after finishing sixth in the Group Three $30,000 3yo Fillies Classic at Albion Park on December 5, 2020.
“Both were major setbacks. Nurburgring was in a paddock for 12 months and then took another eight months before he raced at full fitness. So that was more than a year-and-a-half he was on the sidelines, and then when Matau Jess got injured I was left with no choice but to retire her,” Borg said.
“Matau Jess is now rising eight, and has left us a Tintin In America colt, who was born on November 8 last year. She has just been served by Cannibal. I was gutted because they were both above average at the time,” he added.
Borg said Nurburgring, who recorded a slashing 1:50.7 mile-rate victory at Albion Park on August 18, 2020, said the Bettor’s Delight gelding was the best horse he had trained.
“He’s a quality pacer, who won four races in New Zealand before I imported him here in July 2020. I asked Stu Valentine to find me a Kiwi horse and he gave me a list of about 10, and I chose him.
“He’s nearing peak fitness again, and working well. I thought he could win on Thursday because he finally copped a decent draw. I spoke to Nathan before the race and told him he’s the sort of horse who likes to be on or near the pace. I said sitting parked wouldn’t bother him, because I thought Luxury Lad would lead from gate two, ” Borg said.
The former greyhound trainer and floor tiler was spot on with his assessment, and Dawson drove him as requested.
The 9-year-old bay sat outside Luxury lad throughout the 1.780m mobile, and then proved too tough outstaying his seven rivals to win comfortably with a 1:56.4 mile-rate.
It was Nurbergring’s 16th career win (12 for Borg) in 136 starts. he’s also placed 33 times and banked $163,939 in purses. it was also his second win in 30 starts (five placings) this season for owners Borg, Nick Stanton, and Peter wright.
Nurburgring also won at ‘The Triangle’ on June 20 as the $1.85 favourite when recording a 1:58.6 mile-rate. He was also the $2.80 favourite on Thursday.
Borg stressed the pacer, who is named after the Nürburgring Racetrack in Nürburg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, only needed a good drawn to be competitive.
“He’s a different horse coming at them from back in the field. He’s been finishing eighths in the city and still being able to post 1:51.9 (September 10) and 1:52.3 (October 8) mile rates. I’m hopeful he is on top of his leg injuries now, and can draw a good marble when he next lines up at Albion Park again Saturday night (October 26),” said Borg.
Borg has been training since the 2003-2004 season and his black and red-sleeved silks have amassed 33 wins, 66 placings and $201,408 in career earnings. He also conditioned Its Bettor For me and Lets Do it Again to seven and five wins respectively.
“I’m always on the look-out for a horse to train, but I can’t seem to get owners, and that’s why I import them. It seems most owners only want to send their horses to well-known trainers, which is a shame,” he said.
And speaking of big-name trainers, Borg has been working for horseman, Graham Dwyer for the last year at North Maclean. Dwyer has won three Group ones and 867 races ($5.4m) since the 1992-93 season.
“I enjoy working for Graham, he’s a quality horseman, who allows me to train one or two of my own. Nurburgring is my only horse in work at the moment. I may have to go to New Zealand again to find another one to race. I would like to train more though, but like I said, I just can’t get the owners.”
Born in Sydney and educated at Marist College in Pagewood, Borg’s father Dennis trained greyhounds for 40 years, and together they bred and raced dogs for several years.
“It was actually my Uncle Billy, who got me into harness racing, and I got a job with Alex Khouiss in Bankstown. I was a floor tiler for a while and 18 years ago I came to Queensland and trained standardbreds at Parklands until it closed down.
“The best horse I’ve sat behind was another New Zealand import named Our Brahman Boy. He won 26 races (1:55.2 – $267,446) and finished seventh behind Mr Feelgood in the 2009 Interdominion grand Final at Parklands. Morgan Woodley drove him for Alex that night,” Borg said.
Borg, who said greyhound training was now a thing of the past, said he was now 100 per cent a harness racing trainer.
“I then had my horses stabled with Charlie Cini (Jacobs Well) for nine years. Standardbreds is now where I see my future, I enjoy breeding and racing them,” he said.
“I’m doing all right, I paid $7,000 for Nurburgring and about $10,00 to get him over here, and he’s now won just over $108,531 in stakes for me. I just wonder what that tally could have been had he remained fit throughout his career,” Borg said.
Borg is married to Louise and they have two adult children. Twenty-five-year-old Shae is in the process of becoming a steward, and 24-year-old Kyle is a professional dancer.
Footnote: Jacobs Well is a coastal suburb 29km south-east of City of Gold Coast. It boasts a population of 2,882. It is 93km south of Redcliffe Paceway and 64km south-west of Brisbane.
