An Extended Tale: Matt Damon’s Racehorse Secures First Win in Australia’s Country Music Heartland

A horse co-owned by Hollywood actor Matt Damon has celebrated its first career victory.

The three-year-old gelding, named Dale, triumphed in a maiden race at Tamworth—Australia’s country music capital—on Thursday afternoon, marking the famed actor’s inaugural success at the racetrack.

Prior to this breakthrough win, Dale had been in the placings twice out of four previous starts.

Trained by Paul Messara and Lea Gavranich, the horse was initially acquired as a colt last year and takes its name from a character in the popular comedy film, Step Brothers.

In an interview last year, Messara detailed how this unusual ownership arrangement came about, shedding light on the inspiration behind the horse’s distinctive name.

“It’s quite a lengthy tale, actually,” Messara shared during an interview with SEN’s Whateley.

“One night in LA, I received a call suggesting we have this brilliant idea to purchase a horse, with the condition that it must be named Dale.

“The backstory is that Matt and his daughter created a strong bond during her teenage years while watching the film Step Brothers, which features the characters Dale and Brennan.

“Dale is their favourite, and as a result, we’ve chosen blue sleeves with a chequered vest for the horse’s colours.”

So far, Dale has amassed $32,650 in prize money during his career—a minor sum compared to what Damon is likely accustomed to earning from films like Interstellar and the Bourne series.