John Singleton and Gerry Harvey’s friendship is more than half-a-century old and during that time, there’s been plenty of (dare I say) joy, laughs and dust ups. Every time there has been an argument or difference of opinion, the two have patched things up quickly, which is testament to their care and respect for one another.
“It’s a wonderful thing in life where you can have this wonderful friendship, you can have a great argument, then the great friendship resumes. It’s great, it’s much better than the alternative,” Harvey explained when chatting to The Thoroughbred Report.
Before they were great mates, they were business acquaintances. Harvey had a retail shop, ‘Singo’ an advertising agency.
“We started doing business together and we’ve been together now for more than 50 years, I can’t get rid of the bloke,” Harvey said.
“We (John Singleton and I) started doing business together and we’ve been together now for more than 50 years, I can’t get rid of the bloke.” - Gerry Harvey
The two began racing horses together in the late 1970s and enjoyed success with Gypsy Kingdom, who won the G2 Warwick S. and the G3 Doomben S., as well as Best Western, the 1981 Spring Champion S. hero.
“They were the early days when I got ‘Singo’ into racing. I took him out to the Inglis sales… he went for a pie, he came back and said, ‘Have we bought anything?’, and I said, ‘Yeah, we’ve got two already’. He said, ‘Let’s buy a few more’, so we ended up with four or five,” Harvey said.
“I think he always liked racing, we just had to get him involved. He likes gambling, in fact he loves gambling, so racing and he were meant for each other.”
“He (John Singleton) likes gambling, in fact he loves gambling, so racing and he were meant for each other.” - Gerry Harvey
Great success, an incredible legacy
After Singleton had a taste of racing, he approached it like many of his business deals; full steam ahead. Over time, he has been responsible for developing one of the most successful families in the Australian Stud Book, thanks largely to the Danehill (USA) mare, Joie Denise - the foundation mare of Singleton’s breeding empire, Strawberry Hill Stud.
Herself a daughter of the brilliant Denise’s Joy (Seventh Hussar {Fr}), Joie Denise won the G1 Queensland Oaks in 1995, before producing the Group 1 heroines Sunday Joy (Sunday Silence {USA}) and Tuesday Joy (NZ) (Carnegie {Ire}). Other stakes winners, stakes producers and sires to hail from this family include More Joyous (NZ) (More Than Ready {USA}), Christmas Tree, Euphoria (Marauding {NZ}), Conatus, Jewel In The Crown (Mighty Kingdom), Thorn Park, Light Up the World (Rory’ Jester), Bentley Biscuit (Peintre Celebre {USA}), Pentastic, Don’t Doubt Mamma (Not A Single Doubt), Secret Agenda (Not A Single Doubt) and Enthaar (Written Tycoon).
Gallery: The Group 1 winners hailing from the Joie Denise family, images courtesy of Sportpix
Some of his other great wins include the 2000 Golden Slipper S. with Belle Du Jour (Dehere {USA}), who he raced alongside former Australian prime minister Bob Hawke and friend Gerry Rose, among others, the 2001 Slipper with Ha Ha (Danehill {USA}) and the 2012 G1 VRC Oaks with Dear Demi (Dehere {USA}). There was also the international superstar Strawberry Road, who won five times at the elite level across three countries.
“I was always happy whenever he got a top horse and I think he was whenever I did,” Harvey said.
“More Joyous was one of the best he had, she won eight Group 1s and was as good a racehorse as you’d ever want.
“More Joyous was one of the best he (John Singleton) had, she won eight Group 1s and was as good a racehorse as you’d ever want.” - Gerry Harvey
“She’s going up for sale on Tuesday. Any filly out of More Joyous… that’s as good a family as you can buy into.”
Predictably unpredictable
Harvey, who knows Singleton better than most, claims his friend is “bloody mad” for getting out, although he insists his absence won’t be permanent.
“I reckon he’s bloody mad selling up. I said to him, ‘You’re 82, what are you going to do? You can’t play football or cricket and you’re giving all of your horses away, it’s the only thing that keeps you alive’,” Harvey commented.
“The one thing you do at the end of your life is keep your horses.
“But don’t worry, he’ll get back in, he’s 1/100. The only thing that can stop him is death.
“But don’t worry, he’ll (John Singleton) get back in, he’s 1/100. The only thing that can stop him is death.” - Gerry Harvey
“Look at his relationship with Gai Waterhouse. He was annoyed with her there for a while before welcoming her back with open arms.”
Harvey explained Singleton’s rationale for selling is typical of the man himself.
“He doesn’t need the money, so why is he doing it? Unpredictable, totally unpredictable,” Harvey commented.
John Singleton and Gai Waterhouse | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“He doesn’t keep anything and I’ve said that to him. He doesn’t keep wives, he doesn’t keep houses, now he’s not keeping his horses. He’s going to have nothing left, so he’ll have to start all over again; new woman, new house, new horse…”
Success breeds success
Another man that knows Singleton well is Magic Millions’ Managing Director, Barry Bowditch, who is in charge of Tuesday’s Strawberry Hill Stud Dispersal Sale.
Bowditch praised Singo for his contribution to the sport and said it’s no surprise he has enjoyed such success, given his business acumen.
John Singleton won the 2001 Golden Slipper with Ha Ha (pictured) | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“He’s got a great feel for things and I would say his sixth sense has taken him a long way to be a success in this game. He’s probably used what he’s learnt in business and in marketing to ensure that it’s being used in racing; even the way he names his horses - everyone can read a name and say, ‘That’s got to be one of Singo’s horses’,” Bowditch told TTR AusNZ.
“He’s been a huge investor for decades. He’s been at the top of investment, whether it be by buying the best breeding stock, buying great yearlings at sale or sending mares to the best sires. He was one of the first breeders to use Frankel. He’s a trailblazer when it comes to those sorts of things. He’s always made a success out of those investments he’s made, so fair play to him.
“He’s done more in this industry in his time than what many will do in a lifetime.”
“He’s (John Singleton) done more in this industry in his time than what many will do in a lifetime.” - Barry Bowditch
Bowditch was quick to acknowledge Singo for developing the famed Joie Denise family. Plenty of members of that family have been sold through Magic Millions auction rings across Australia and a number of them will be sold at Tuesday’s dispersal sale.
“It’s been an unbelievable pedigree, it’s a blueblood line. It’s a line that isn’t so easy to get into, so we expect plenty of people to tap into it (on Tuesday) and try and take home their own little piece of the big pedigree,” said Bowditch.
Bowditch added that, despite his great success, Singleton is able to relate to people from all walks of life.
“He’s a man of the people, he’s a larrikin, but he’s made himself popular by being that. He’s very happy to be who he is,” he said.
“He’s (John Singleton) a man of the people, he’s a larrikin, but he’s made himself popular by being that. He’s very happy to be who he is.” - Barry Bowditch
“He’s an absolute legend. What a colourful character. He’s been a prominent face of our industry for decades now. He’s been a highly successful breeder, owner, he was an integral part of Magic Millions for many a year. He’s larger than life and a great mate to many of us in the game.”
Laying the foundations
Singleton owned a 25 per cent stake in Magic Millions before selling it to Harvey in 2011.
“The starting point of Gerry, Rob Ferguson and Singo was where the company actually kicked off and became the juggernaut that it is now,” Bowditch explained.
“The Magic Millions Raceday, which is now worth well over $15 million, was basically his brainchild. Ideas like The Magic Millions Maiden Plate and things like that came from him and he laid some fantastic foundations that have set Magic Millions on its way.”
