RACING’S FINEST HORSES TRANSPORTED IN ISUZU STYLE

[image_gallery][/image_gallery] For decades, Victoria’s Lindsay Park Stables has been one of the biggest names in racing. Founded by racing icon Colin Hayes, and more recently run by his son David, Lindsay Park Stables is now a renowned name worldwide and a giant in the sport – training horses for Her Majesty the Queen, and Sheikh Mandan of Dubai, to name just a few of their high profile clients. In the weeks running up to the Melbourne Cup we spoke to Bruno Rouge-Serret, Lindsay Park’s Stable Representative, about Lindsay Park racing and how important their trucks are for getting horses safely to the next big race. “We keep everything in house. We do our own transporting; our own testing, and we employ our own vets and drivers. In doing it that way you can control it to some degree, and you’ve got your finger on the pulse for just about everything,” Bruno said. Controlling almost every aspect of the business in-house means that Lindsay Park Stables is totally self-reliant, and depend on top of the range equipment for top of the range horses. “The transport operation in the company itself is a very good money earner. If we’re not doing it, we’re getting an outsider to do it, and that’s money that can be kept within the company,” Bruno said. After researching the models available, Bruno and his team decided on Isuzu after finding they could opt for a dual cab without compromising on length. “We found that the competitors couldn’t offer what we needed. We needed an eight horse back-loader with a dual cab, as we take so many staff to the races,” Bruno said. “The horsebox has a fibreglass body, and it’s so much lighter. For a big truck like the FTR it’s also quite light at only nine tonne, so that’s a great asset to have.” However, driving such expensive freight is a challenge, and it’s not just the horses that have to be trained. “When you’re transporting horses, you can’t just hire a driver. You have to get someone who knows horses behind the wheel and teach them to drive, because there’s no other freight like it.” “The animal that we’re moving is trained to the minute, they are wound-up and full of protein, all they want to do is explode and burn off that protein.” Bruno, who has transported $27 million worth of precious horse cargo in one run, explains why keeping your drive as smooth as possible is absolutely essential. “If for whatever reason, you take a corner wrong or you break too sharply or take off too quickly – you’ll upset that animal and the first thing it will do is panic,” Bruno said. “If he panics, he hurts himself, if he hurts himself you have to phone the boss and tell them what happened. That horse could have taken five or six months to get where it was, and because of your negligence or silly driving, you’ve got that horse injured. “That wrong corner, that bit you take 10 kilometres an hour quicker than you should, can tip the load over and that can be disastrous.” The Hill Start Aid and Anti-lock Braking System that come as standard in the FTR, have proved to be an unexpected benefit for Bruno and the drivers. “This Isuzu ticked every box, the truck surprised me by how well it operates. Particularly things like the turning circle and added benefits like Brake Assist on slight ramps and hills. “I’ve been driving nearly 40 years, and it’s really something to see how far trucks have come – it’s a pleasure to drive.” ends Attached images: 02 – Lindsay Park’s Stable Representative, Bruno Rouge-Serret 08 – left to right – Russell Bragge, Isuzu Australia Limited, Dealer Sales Manager – VIC & TAS, Bruno Rouge-Serret, Debra Hollingsworth, Taig Bros Shepparton, Truck Sales Consultant. For further information, please contact:             For Isuzu Engines releases and photos: Jeff Birdseye                                                     Arkajon Communications Marketing Manager                                           Phone: 03 9867 5611 Isuzu Australia Limited                                      Email: isuzu@arkajon.com.au Phone: 03 9644 6666