The Pride of the Racing World: A Closer Look at Joe Pride's Achievements
As we gather around for Christmas lunch this Thursday, one trainer who can proudly reflect on his accomplishments in 2025 is Joe Pride.
While this year may not have been his most lucrative—2023 holds that title when his horses brought in an impressive $21.3 million, highlighted by the victory of Think About It in the Everest—Pride continues to prove his worth in the racing industry. In 2025, with only 476 starters up until last weekend, Pride's team has amassed a remarkable $18,183,715 in earnings. That translates to an average of $38,201 earned every time he sends a horse to the track.
Interestingly, this figure isn't far behind the astounding average of $42,970 that his runners achieved per start in 2023.
Leading the charge in 2025 is King Charles III, alongside Champions Mile winner Ceolwulf. Other noteworthy contributors include Attica, who won the Spring Champion, Headley Grange, victorious in the Alan Brown, and Coal Crusher from the Hunter region.
Among trainers whose horses have earned over $10 million, Pride stands out for having the highest earnings per starter both in 2023 and 2025. It's worth mentioning that in 2024, Ciaron Maher narrowly surpassed him with an average of $28,800 compared to Pride's $25,729.
However, it's essential to point out that Pride is not the top trainer overall when it comes to total earnings per starter; that accolade belongs to David Hayes, whose lone runner in Australia for 2025 earned an impressive $7,549,000.
A special mention goes to Bernie Miller, a trainer based in Hopeland, WA. With just 36 runners in 2025, he has achieved $2,442,855 in earnings, averaging a remarkable $67,857 per starter. Notably, the Quokka winner Jokers Grin significantly boosted that total, contributing $2,375,050.
In terms of total earnings per start, following closely behind Pride in 2025 are Tony and Calvin McEvoy with an average of $29,250, Chris Waller at $27,692, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott at $22,689, and Maher with $20,246.
When we look at total prizemoney for the year, Chris Waller currently leads with an astonishing $68,955,113, followed by Maher at $46,910,046, the Hayes brothers at $22,786,364, and Bjorn Baker at $22,311,230.
Maher set a record last year with $69,755,508, leaving Waller with approximately $800,000 to catch up within the final ten days of this year.
But here's the fascinating part that many overlook: pride in horse racing isn’t just about the numbers; it’s a testament to strategy, training, and the deep bond between trainers and their equine athletes. So, what do you think? Is the focus on earnings overshadowing the true essence of horse racing? Join the conversation and share your thoughts!
