West Gippsland enthusiast Sharyn Munnerley-Jose has good reason to feel pleased she has continued her family’s long association with breeding and racing standardbreds.
The daughter of 2010/11 Victorian Breeders of the Year Jack and Nola Munnerley, Munnerley-Jose has faced health-related aadversities but vowed to stay involved in the sport after the passing of her parents four years ago.
The faith in the family’s breed was justified at the recent midweek Cranbourne meeting when Munnerley-Jose and her husband, Greg Jose, were represented by a winner and three second placegetters from four starters.
Their winner, the two-year-old debutant Benbullan, is a product of Captaintreacherous and the Munnerley’s former top flight racemare La Machane, a Vicbred Super Series and Vicbred Platinum winner.
Cranbourne horsewoman Jayne Davies, who trains Benbullan, rates him highly.
“He feels like a very nice horse. He’s quite a big colt and I think he’ll keep getting better,” Davies said. “He’s got a very bright future.”
A half-brother to Benbullan in the three-year-old Machane Said and close relatives Captain Maastricht and Rio Rock all finished runner-up at Cranbourne.
Munnerley-Jose said harness racing had given her a new lease of life.
“I look forward to watching our horses racing and doing the pedigree matching for our broodmares,” she said. “It’s given me something worthwhile to do while I’ve been in hospital.”
La Captain, a winner of seven of his 10 starts this season, the Melton winner Captain Bellasario and Orama have been other recent winners for Munnerley-Jose and Jose. The couple also have several young well-bred stock waiting in the wings.
Munnerley-Jose paid tribute to the many horsepeople who had helped during a difficult period.
“Since taking the reins over from mum and dad our trainers Jayne Davies and Noel Alexander, who I have both known for about 40 years, Greg Sugars and Jess Tubbs, Alison and Chris Alford and Scott Garraway, our drivers including Jack Laugher, breakers and Brett Coffey and Dale Forbes at Alabar have been from the very start the most amazing people,” she said.
“If it wasn’t for them we would probably not have continued. They have taught us so much, they have provided support professionally and personally and all are genuinely great people.
“Noel and Jayne said at Thursday’s meeting that mum and dad would be looking down and dad would be a very happy man with a lot going around now.”
