Sideline Sid Sports correspondent & historian www.sunlive.co.nz

No one could have imagined that a casual conversation, between some Mount Maunganui RSA punters seven years ago, would lead to a share in eleven winners of 27 races who would bank over one million dollars in prize money.

The upshot of that conversation about taking a small share in a racehorse led to Neil Bartosh putting out a tongue-in-cheek flyer headed 'if you ever wanted to race a horse - do you know how cheap it can be'.

Neil said at the time, "my idea was about affordable racehorse ownership where around twenty people pooled their resources and took a five per cent share in a horse".

"The formula was to initially put in around three hundred dollars each, with the weekly cost of less than a cup of coffee."

So the journey began.

Such was the response that shares in two horses were purchased. There was plenty of jubilation when Red Poppy and Linchpin won maiden races early in their careers.

However the early success was short-lived when both horses were retired with one win apiece, due to injury.

Just twenty New Zealand thoroughbred races are accorded the highest honour of Group 1 status. The two replacements Mount RSA syndicate horses took their members to the Everest of horseracing in the country.

Mongolianconquer and On the Rocks lined-up in the Group 1 New Zealand Derby in March 2018, with many of the syndicate members on course at Ellerslie, to cheer their horses on.

Just the bob of the head on the finish line, denied Mongolianconquer the big slice of the Million dollar purse.

Many of the two Mount RSA ownership groups crossed the ditch a few weeks later as both horses took their places in the Australian Derby.

The biggest mountain proved too much to climb, with the two Kiwi horses finishing out of the money, in close attendance of the placegetters.

On the Rocks provided the ultimate thrill for their Mount RSA ownership group, less than twelve months later, taking out the Group 1 Herbie Dyke Stakes at the Te Rapa racecourse in Hamilton.

In late 2000, a new Mount Maunganui RSA syndicate (including this writer) took a journey into the unknown, taking five per cent in a horse racing out of Kiwi Te Akau Stables in Singapore.

Stenmark has done the ownership team proud, winning three races with hopefully more to come. The real attraction of Singapore racing is the better stakes on offer, with Stenmark having banked $180, 000 (New Zealand dollars) in twenty odd starts.

The Mount RSA syndicates have plenty to look forward to at present. On the Rocks, who has built an iron-horse reputation is due to return to the track. Several race winners are also readying for raceday action, with two two-year olds waiting in the wings with trials outings currently on their agenda.

Without a doubt, the success of the Mount Maunganui RSA syndicated is due to the enthusiasm, horse racing knowledge and hard work of Neil Bartosh, who has a real passion for thoroughbred racing.

While miniscule ownership produces little actual financial rewards, with syndicate stake money paying forward ongoing costs, with Stenmark paid up to the conclusion of 2024 – syndicate members receive 100 per cent of the thrills of winning races.