26 August 2006 By: RAY THOMAS THE newly-weds had experienced a forgettable day at the races. They couldn't back a winner between them. What's worse, they didn't have the money for a cab fare home. ``We were at the Inverell races many years ago -- actually it was the first time Beryl and I went to the races together,'' Geoff White recalled. ``We had only just got married and I was still studying engineering, so we didn't have much money to bet with but we still managed to lose the lot. ``We didn't have a cent between us. ``We were living in Inverell at the time and I remember we had to walk home. ``It took us about an hour.'' After such an ordeal, it would not have surprised if the Whites never visited a racecourse again. Instead, the popular couple have become among the most successful racehorse owners and breeders in Australian racing history. Initially, White put on hold his racing interests while concentrating on developing his fledgling White Construction Group company into a market leader. White's company has been responsible for building the High Court of Australia and National Gallery in Canberra, Ulan Coalmines, Sandy Hollow railway, sections of the Hume Highway and other major roads and bridges across the eastern seaboard, the township of Yulara near Ayres Rock, and more than 15,000 houses and units in Singapore. Then in 1976, the Whites raced their first horses and in the subsequent 30 years, their famous colours of white, purple star and hooped sleeves have been carried to success in 456 races, including 18 Group One wins. During this period, their racehorses have amassed more than $21.2 million prizemoney, averaging $7895 each start. The Whites have raced a number of champions including Marscay, Triscay, Filante, Yippyio and the horse they concede is the best they have ever owned, Eremein. ``Marscay really started it all off for us. Triscay is our sentimental favourite, Filante was brilliant and Yippyio was also a very special horse,'' Geoff White said. ``But I would think Eremein is the best we have raced. He's won five Group One races now -- as many as Triscay -- and hopefully he's not finished yet.'' Eremein, arguably the nation's best weight-for-age galloper, resumes in the Group Two $200,000 Sportsman Warwick Stakes (1400m) at Randwick tomorrow. He is being set for the $3 million Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 28 -- a race the Whites covet more than any other, even a Melbourne Cup. ``We think Eremein is the horse that could finally win us the Cox Plate. We hope so,'' White said. ``The Cox Plate is the race we want. The Melbourne Cup? I don't know. It's up to Allan [Denham] but there is a lot of water to flow under the bridge first. The Cox Plate is the priority.'' Not that they haven't been close. In the event 10 years ago, Filante had taken the lead on the home turn and seemingly defied the desperate challenges of Saintly, All Our Mob and Juggler in a tight finish. ``I was sitting next to Bart [Cummings] during the race and right on the line, even he said, `you have beaten me','' White recalled. ``Filante was on the rails and it looked like he had hung on. But no, Bart's horse, Saintly, had got up on the outside.'' Cummings returned to thwart the Whites and Filante again 12 months later -- this time with Dane Ripper. ``We thought Filante could win the next year but Bart did it again and Dane Ripper was too good,'' he said. Eremein, bred by the Whites, just might have the necessary qualities to win the nation's weight-for-age championship. He certainly has the fight to win it, as he has demonstrated many times on and off the racetrack. Twice Eremein has come back from career-threatening setbacks, the first an illness which almost took his life two years ago. White remembers receiving a call from Jack Denham late in the evening. The couple had learned over the years that Denham only rang when absolutely necessary -- and usually only when it was bad news. They prepared for the worst. ``It was the night before the Golden Rose two years ago when Jack rang to tell us Eremein had colic,'' Geoff White recalled. ``We feared for the horse because it looked life-threatening at the time. Jack said the horse had been treated and we just had to wait and hope.'' The following morning, Denham rang the Whites again, this time with welcome news. ``Eremein will be okay,'' he said. Then late in Eremein's three-year-old season, disaster struck. The chestnut had won the Rosehill Guineas and AJC Australian Derby and was being prepared for the Queensland Derby when he was found to have a piece of floating bone in a knee. The injury required surgery and a long period of rest and recuperation before the gelding could race again. There were no guarantees when Eremein returned to the track earlier this year but trainer Allan Denham's meticulous preparation paid off as the galloper reeled off successive Group One wins in the Ranvet Stakes, The BMW and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Jack and Allan Denham are the only trainers the Whites have ever had in racing. It's been an enduring partnership built on mutual trust, respect and friendship. ``We don't tell Jack or Allan to do anything with the horses. They train them, they put the jockeys on, they know what is best,'' White said. ``Our attitude is we race to win and we have had a lot of success together over a long period.'' Experiences like that day at Inverell races, Filante's two heart-breaking seconds in the Cox Plate, and Eremein's brush with death have taught the Whites never to take anything for granted in racing. ``We are just hoping Eremein can come back to his best form in the spring and win the Cox Plate,'' White said. ``It won't be easy but the early signs are good. We are looking forward to going to the races [tomorrow].'' The numbers Starters: 2692 Wins: 456 Placings (1st to 5th): 1598 Prizemoney: $21,253,625 Average per starter: $7895 Winners to starters: 16.94% Placings to starters: 59.4% The Group One greats Wins: 18 * Marscay - 1982 Golden Slipper * Triscay - 1990 Champagne Stks, 1990 Flight Stks, 1991 Australian Guineas, 1991 AJC Australian Oaks, 1991 Queensland Oaks * Euclase - 1992 Goodwood Hcp * Jetball - 1994 The Galaxy * Filante - 1996 Epsom Hcp, 1997 Yalumba Stks * Yippyio - 1997 Queensland Derby, 2000 Brisbane Cup * Reenact - 2000 QTC Sires' Produce Stks * Eremein - 2005 Rosehill Guineas, 2005 AJC Australian Derby, 2006 Ranvet Stks, 2006 The BMW, 2006 Queen Elizabeth Stks N.B. These results include horses bred and raced by the Whites, or purchased. Not any horses that have been bred and sold e.g Excellerator, Danglissa, La Baraka, etc.

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