IT'S ALL ABOUT TEAM BUILDING

APRIL 10, 2025: ADRIAN “Charlie” Britt wasn’t going to miss out!

The former Gosford trainer had to wait for a second online sale before he was able to purchase a three-year-old colt by leading stallion I Am Invincible, who had fetched a cool $1m as a 2022 Australian Easter yearling, for $55,000 in May last year.

Subsequently gelded and now unbeaten in four starts for leading Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup, Money Team is one of 15 Qualifiers for Saturday’s $1m Provincial-Midway Championships Final (1400m) at Royal Randwick.

Melbourne ace Craig Williams will ride the gelding, who has to overcome his outside draw to maintain his unblemished record for his new connections.

Britt today related the story of how he came to buy Money Team and give him to Widdup to train.

“I took a keen interest when I noticed he was first entered for the early online Inglis May sale last year,” he said.

“I looked at all his data, knew he had been a high-priced yearling and that he had been placed at four of his five starts after beginning his career in a Group 3 (Ken Russell Memorial Classic at the Sunshine Coast in May 2023) when trained in Queensland).”

Britt didn’t hesitate to ring successful Melbourne trainer Mick Price, who along with co-trainer Michael Kent Jnr, had taken over the colt’s preparation and raced him for those four placings (one at Gosford and the others in Victoria).

“I know Mick as I had bought horses off him before, including My Vegas, with whom I won the Listed Starlight Stakes at Rosehill Gardens in 2008 at his third start for me,” he explained.

“Unfortunately, Mick advised Money Team had to be withdrawn from the early May sale because he had sustained a cut to his leg.

“He went back online a couple of weeks later, and I was surprised to be able to get him for $55,000.

“So much so that I nearly decided to keep him myself rather than form a syndicate.”

Britt, a builder by trade, had been employed by Brad and Milissa Widdup to do some work at the magnificent property they had purchased adjoining Hawkesbury racecourse.

“Brad had been impressed by the work Charlie had done at Fairview Park,” Milissa Widdup said.

“When he arrived here, they remembered knowing one another from racing in days gone by.

“Charlie has subsequently done a lot of work for us on the property.”

Before Money Team, Britt had given Widdup another ex-Victorian Akaka Falls (with whom he won four races) to train, and also bought into Ruby Flyer, who qualified for last year’s PMC Final by winning a Kembla Grange heat at his first start for his new connections.

Whilst the Money Team camp at first was downcast when the barrier draw was released yesterday, it certainly won’t stop a large group converging on headquarters on Saturday to savour the occasion.

One of the Widdup’s sons Cooper is a part-owner, and eagerly looking forward to the big day.

“Along with our other son Hunter, Cooper has developed a real passion for the racing industry,” Millissa Widdup said.

“That became even more so when Cooper’s football (soccer) career was put on hold last year when he suffered an injury, and now rides work for his father in between his University studies.”

The Money Team ownership also includes GC Racing, Mario Baliva and the father of Ruby Flyer’s part-owner Matt Dillon.

“The three Ruperto brothers John, Michael and Paul form GC Racing and are taking all their families to Randwick,” Milissa Widdup said.

“They have a concreting business and haven’t been able to get to the track before to see any of Money Team’s wins.

“Mario Baliva is a friend of the brothers and is also in the horse, and Matt Dillon, who works at another of our owners Adrian Whittingham’s magnificent Cross Park property, purchased a share in Money Team for his father.

“It’s an achievement itself to qualify a horse for the Provincial-Midway Final and win, lose or draw everyone concerned is going to enjoy the day as a group.”

. HOOFNOTE: Britt, who already had a long-standing Hawkesbury connection as he won the track’s fillies and mares’ feature, the Crown, with Barbeton (Brent Stanley) in 2006, had the final word on his training career.

“It’s a lot easier being an owner,” he quipped.