Three generations of racing family share in special Gold Coast victory

By Jordan Gerrans

When Forebears broke through for the first victory of his career on the Polytrack at the Gold Coast on Saturday afternoon, there were three generations of Costellos who shared in the special moment.

The Ipswich-based family bred, own and train the galloper.

The four-year-old is out of their mare Three Bears and is prepared by father-and-son training combination Brian Costello and Matthew Costello.

Brian has been training for decades in the Sunshine State but has over the last year gone into partnership with his son Matthew as co-trainers.

The victory on Saturday was their first as a training duo after having 13 previous starters prior.

While he is not listed amongst the partnership, Matthew’s son Shaun is also a key part of the training team.

Shaun usually straps on race day but could not be on the Gold Coast on Saturday as he had an exam for his university studies.

Regardless, three generations of the surname Costello were smiling from ear-to-ear come Saturday evening.

“It is a family thing,” Brian said.

“We have been breeding horses for that long, just for ourselves normally.

"We have sold a few through the sales but it is mostly for ourselves.

“We have always had a few mares.

“It has always been a hobby, breeding and racing them for the family.”

The 74-year-old Brian said it was disappointing to not have his grandson there strapping when Forebears won his first race in 17 attempts.

While Matthew has only been co-trainer by name for the last year, he has been along for the journey with his father since he was a teenager.

Matthew has long ridden track work for his father.

Matthew and Brian used to ride work as a pair for the last 40 years or so before Brian pulled stumps on it around his 70^th birthday a few years back.

“Matt has been riding work for me since he was 15, I couldn’t do it without him,” Brian said.

“Without him riding work, I wouldn’t be able to train as they are hard to come by, track work riders.

“We decided late last year that it was time he could start training a few winners (laughs).

"Matt has been keen all his life.”

As well as riding of a morning, Matthew heads off to work as an accountant for a day job once all the gallopers are worked, with his son Shaun to follow into a similar field as he is studying a business degree at university.

Brian’s brother Jim purchased Three Bears online and the Costello clan has enjoyed success with her progeny.

Forebears’ older half-brother Orsetto is a seven-time winner and has earned almost $150,000 in stakes.

Forebears has taken a little while longer to come on but the training team always thought he had a win or two in him.

He put the writing on the wall at his last start at Ipswich that he was ready to finally nab his first triumph.

With Rikki Jamieson in the saddle, Forebears fired out of the machine from barrier five on Saturday and was able to lead relatively comfortably.

Jamieson stuck to the rails the entire way and found enough in the straight to score by just over a length over 1200 metres. 

“We have had a few battles along the way but he is putting it all together now,” Brian said.

“It was a good day out on Saturday as he has always shown a bit of ability, the horse.

“He previously hung in races and has had some issues.

"He had shown a lot more in his trials and that so it took him longer than we thought to win a race. He had not put it all together before Saturday.”

The Costello team is likely to now head to a Class 1 1200 metre event back on the Polytrack at the Gold Coast in a fortnight’s time.

The stable has four gallopers in work as well as four others spelling.