From nightmare … to a dream

By Paul Pickering
HORSERACING has provided John Iuele with some of his most exhilarating and most terrifying memories.
The 41-year-old racing enthusiast was crippled by a rogue racehorse at Pakenham seven years ago, having thrown himself in front of a group of children as the horse jumped the mounting yard fence and bolted through the crowd.
The selfless act could have cost him his life, so he was grateful to be carted off with moderate spinal injuries, two broken ribs and a broken nose.
Iuele, who later received a bravery award from the State Government, describes that August afternoon as ‘a nightmare’.
So nobody could begrudge him his dream day at this year’s Flemington carnival, when his unheralded three-year-old It’llbefantastic stormed to an upset victory on Emirates Stakes Day.
It’llbefantastic, owned by Iuele in partnership with Kiwi-turned-Cranbourne trainer Dean Howard, stunned everyone, but his connections, when he held off overwhelming favourite Governance to win the Hilton Stakes at the odds of $31.
It was racing karma at work, with Iuele describing the win as ‘a great highlight of my life’.
“It’s a very tough industry, but it’s an industry that I love. I’ve experienced all sorts of emotions on a race track,” he said last week, before reflecting on the incident at Pakenham.
“It was a horrible day. He hit me head-on and I copped the brunt of a full gallop.
“It was a lowlight, but at the same time it was a highlight, because if I wasn’t there those kids would have been trampled to death.”
Ironically, Pakenham was the scene for It’llbefantastic’s maiden victory last month, prompting Iuele to target the Listed race at Flemington.
“We gave him a very good chance, because he was only about 80 per cent in his first-up run (at Pakenham) and I said to Dean, ‘he’s run with authority that horse’,” he explained.
It wasn’t the former trainer and long-time hobby owner’s first visit to the winner’s circle during the Flemington carnival. That happened 10 years ago, when an eight-year-old named Bountiful Son got up at the generous odds of $150.
He hopes he won’t have to wait another 10 years for his next great thrill, unless of course it falls on the first Tuesday in November.
“I told everyone that my next win at Flemington will be in the 2019 Melbourne Cup,” he laughed.
“I’d wait 10 years for a Melbourne Cup.”
Among his various commercial ventures, Iuele used to make his own brand of hoof oil. Officer trainer Eric Musgrove was one of his best customers, using the product on legendary steeplechaser Karasi during his hat-trick of wins at the Nakayama Grand Jump in Japan.
Iuele is also a long-time mate of South Africa’s Prince Zuma – the result of a chance meeting through a mutual friend – and received a congratulatory phone call from the prince’s brother, president Zuma, after It’llbefantastic’s win this month.
The Hilton Stakes victory thrust the horse into the international spotlight and Iuele and Howard began to field lucrative offers to sell the emerging star.
A deal – too good to refuse – was struck on Friday night, sending It’llbefantastic to Hong Kong.
Iuele is now very much on the lookout for his next success story and he believes It’llbefantastic will be just the start of a fruitful partnership with Howard.
“Our stable is going to improve out of sight,” he said.
“We’re very optimistic about the future.”