In just five months, former jockey and successful Macau trainer Geoff Allendorf is set to have his first ever city runner in Sydney at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.

Allendorf rode successfully in Australia before heading to Macau back in the 1990s, riding there until the turn of the century when he became one of the leading trainers in the now closed Asian racing centre.

• PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet’s team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW!

“I trained there for 20 years,” Allendorf said.

“I won two Derbies, two Gold Cups and I won most of the Cup races in Macau, the only one I didn’t win was the Hong Kong/Macau Trophy race.

“The best horse I trained over there was a horse called Let’s Go. He won $HK6m.”

• Saving Private Eye: Pride holds fire for Stradbroke tilt

When racing was shut down in Macau in early 2024, Allendorf remained in the industry with his career going in a new direction, but that wasn’t until he made sure all the horses formerly under his care were rehomed.

“I stayed for the rest of the year to look after the horses until they left Macau,” he said.

“Some of the horses went to Malaysia, a lot got rehomed with equestrian people in China.

“China has a lot more money now and if a billionaire’s daughter wants a pony they buy an ex-racehorse and re-educate them.

“I then went and did some work for Cameron Croucher (Equine International Airfreight) flying with the horses.

“It was an eye opener because one time we took a plane load of 80 or so horses to the Philippines.”

Geoff Allendorf back in the day riding Flight Stakes and Reisling winner Allez Show at Randwick.Source: Racenet

Then a phone call changed everything.

Allendorf, who was content doing what he was doing, was now heading home to Australia to resume his training career after answering a request from Chinese businessman YP Cheng to become his private trainer in a new start-up operation named Mathland.

• ‘He just loved racing’: Tamworth pays tribute to Meyer

“He started Domeland and he got busy around Covid time and let his son take over and manage Domeland,” Allendorf said.

“So now he’s (YP Chang) also started up Mathland and he initially bought 10 horses for me to train.

“I’ve ended up with one older horse, eight two-year-olds and there’s about 30 yearlings.”

Allendorf saddled Mathland’s first runner at Kembla on May 9 when The Pacific finished second as a $51 chance.

His next runners Just To Say Hi and Honour Reward are a chance to clash in the TAB 2YO Handicap (1100m) at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.

“Honour Reward still needs another scratching to get in but there’s a chance we might end up with two runners,” he said.

“They are still learning.

“Just To Say Hi’s only had one trial and Honour Reward’s had two.

“They’ve both trialled nice and the run will do them the world of good but they’re pretty forward to go to the races.”

Just To Say Hi is an $81 chance while Honour Reward is rated a $34 prospect with TAB.