Why Tony Fung who heads racing and breeding powerhouse AQUIS chose Australian racing and picked two female trainers

Asian billionaire Tony Fung tells Ben Dorries in a rare interview why he holds two female trainers in high regard in his powerful Australian racing organisation.

Tony Fung heads racing and breeding powerhouse Aquis, which is based on the Gold Coast. Picture: Richard Gosling

Hong Kong billionaire Tony Fung once raced go-karts against Formula One legend Ayrton Senna and now he believes rising star Annabel Neasham is on the fast track to becoming Australia’s No.1 trainer.

Fung, the mogul who heads racing and breeding powerhouse Aquis which is a monster player in Australian racing and is based in the Gold Coast hinterland, is a private man who rarely gives media interviews.

However he spoke exclusively to News Corp’s Ben Dorries, keen to explain why he had placed his unwavering faith in young female trainers Neasham and Queenslander Kacy Fogden.

Against the advice of others, Fung transferred Mo’unga from the powerful Chris Waller stable to training newcomer Neasham who subsequently landed her first Group 1 with the exciting galloper last year.

Asked if Neasham would become Australia’s top trainer in the next few years, Fung told News Corp: “I certainly hope so, she has all the right tools in her box.”

Tony Fung has enormous faith in Annabel Neasham, pictured with top Aquis runner Mo’unga. Picture: Aaron Francis/The Australian

Fung has 40 horses in training with Neasham and is also a huge supporter and backer of emerging Gold Coast trainer Fogden who he has 35 horses with.

Fogden is eyeing off a career highlight with brilliant part Fung-owned unbeaten colt Best Of Bordeaux in next month’s Golden Slipper.

Fung also has another 12 horses that are split between trainers like Ciaron Maher, Peter Moody, Gerald Ryan and Tony Gollan but female trainers Neasham and Fogden have the bulk of his racing stock.

As Neasham and Fogden make giant strides in what has traditionally been a male-dominated racing industry, Fung gave a rare insight into why he chose them to train for him.

It has more to do with what happens behind stable doors than on the training track or racetrack.

Fung is also strongly backing Gold Coast trainer Kacy Fogden.

“Kacy was the first staff member to join us in Australia and I got to know her, through her I saw the kind of human/animal relationship that one could develop,” Fung, speaking from Hong Kong, said.

“The genuine care that she has for horses is an eye-opener for me.

“Annabel has her own track record … but maybe there is something about youth and something about female trainers that these two have in common.

“After you pick horses, you think about care of those horses.

“I believe animals have their own spirit, although they are beasts, they have that spirit.

“If you bring it out from them they can do miracles.

“Once you care properly for them, they will perform.

“These ladies (Neasham and Fogden) have the heart for the horses and that’s the key element I was looking at.”

Tony Fung and his son Justin at the Magic Millions sales. Picture: Luke Marsden

Aquis Farm, near the Gold Coast, was established in 2015 and Fung insists his brand is here to stay in Australian racing as it extends its powerful reach across Australia.

“I am not going anywhere,” Fung, who has a slot in The Everest, said.

“Australian racing is just superb, it is mature and it’s huge.

“It is everything, it is all-encompassing.

“For a foreigner trying to come into the racing industry, I can’t think of any better place than Australia.”

Fung, who made his name in global financial services and property development and investments, has always enjoyed a challenge and almost always comes out on top.

But that wasn’t the case when he once tangled with the late, great Ayrton Senna, the Brazilian legend who died in 1994 after his car crashed into a concrete barrier while he was leading the San Marino Grand Prix.

Fung might have been a champion go-kart racer back in the day, but he didn’t stand a chance against Senna.

“I raced him in the Hong Kong International (go-kart) and I raced him in Japan in Suzuka,” Fung chuckles.

“If you tried to block him coming past you on the track, he would come by you and unplug your spark plug wires.

“I wasn’t good enough for him to do that to me, but I saw him doing that to others.

“The other thing was he would try to do is bump you off the track, no questions asked.

“You can call it aggressive, but that is competitive.”

But back to another form of racing, the horse racing kind.

Fung says the figure at the entrance to reception at Aquis Farm represents his philosophy to his Australian horse racing interests.

“We pay respect to Guan Yu at the entrance of our office, not because of superstition, but because we are human,” Fung said.

“A wrong decision could be life or death with a horse.

“It’s really about respecting the wellbeing of an animal.

“The ladies (Neasham and Fogden) have that very strong spirit of really caring for their horses.”

A couple of horses are put through their paces on the track at Tony Fung’s Aquis Farm.

Fung was also keen to acknowledge another woman in racing, Sarah Gardiner – who manages the breaking in and education of horses at Aquis and is currently overseeing $10m of new racing stock which Fung has recently purchased.

Apart from being a huge national player in Australian racing, Fung and Aquis have been a huge big backer of the Gold Coast Turf Club, coming on as a corporate partner and naming rights sponsor in 2017.

“The relationship has truly blossomed over the years and our strategies are very well aligned and Mr Fung and Aquis are truly passionate about their relationship with the club,” Gold Coast Turf Club CEO Steve Lines said.

“This arrangement is in place until 2024 with further options.”

Originally published as Why wealthy Asian owner Tony Fung chose Australian racing and picked two female trainers