Indonesia
English
Follow
SARGA.CO—San Marino Stable is known as one of the most competitive stables in West Sumatra. Although relatively new and still developing, San Marino Stable has produced standout racehorses, including Romantic Spartan. Read the full story of San Marino Stable below.
San Marino is a growing stable based in Padang Panjang and Bukittinggi, West Sumatra.
The inspiration behind the name “San Marino” comes from the owner, Muhammad Ikhsan. In addition, San Marino is also a European country geographically enclosed within Italy.
In an exclusive interview with SARGA.CO, Ikhsan explained another reason for choosing the name San Marino for his stable: his youngest sibling owns a clothing brand with the same name.
“The name San Marino also comes from my youngest sibling’s clothing brand, and the brand has been licensed since 2022,” said Ikhsan.
With a family-rooted identity and an international reference, San Marino Stable steps forward as a small stable with an ambition no less significant in Indonesia’s horse racing scene.
Before becoming the owner of San Marino Stable, Ikhsan’s interest in horse racing began from his habit of following the sport.
“From Jakarta to Java, I would watch horse races. When I returned home to West Sumatra, I still watched,” he recalled.
From that habit grew the desire to own a racehorse.
“Coincidentally, I had a friend who shared the same hobby,” he added.
Ikhsan shared the story of his first racehorse, which he acquired in 2023. He named the mare Madame Spartan, a KP6-type horse born from a pairing between Any Given Blessings, a pure Thoroughbred, and Dara Perpeta, a KP5-type horse.
As a newcomer at the time, he admitted that Madame Spartan became the starting point of his journey to truly understand horse racing. Ikhsan also acknowledged that there were still many aspects he needed to learn.
“For Madame Spartan, we were still learning. At that time, some issues caused her to only race twice,” he said.
Ikhsan recalled how Madame Spartan’s debut race was interrupted by an unexpected incident.
“When she was about to run her first race, she fell in the mounting yard, which prevented her from racing again,” Ikhsan remembered.
He added that the incident led to Madame Spartan being rested and eventually becoming a broodmare.
San Marino Stable’s pursuit of achievements in West Sumatra’s racing tracks did not stop after Madame Spartan’s setback.
Romantic Spartan became one of San Marino’s key racehorses. A KP6-type horse, he is the result of a cross between Fort De Cock Hill and Nan Diati, and was specifically prepared from the beginning to continue what Madame Spartan could not accomplish.
“From the start, Romantic Spartan was prepared for me by Tuan Amris (trainer), to replace Madame Spartan, who at the time didn’t have the chance to race again,” Ikhsan explained.
He also shared how Romantic Spartan eventually became the stable’s mainstay horse. He recalled receiving advice from his trainer, Tuan Amris, to first observe the horse’s potential.
“We watched his debut race first,” Ikhsan remembered.
A week after Romantic Spartan completed his debut race, Ikhsan confidently welcomed him into San Marino Stable.
Romantic Spartan’s presence was eagerly anticipated due to his potential as a stayer—an ideal type of horse for long-distance races, aligning with the stable’s target to compete in the Indonesia Derby (2,000 meters).
“Most horses running 2,000 meters are stayers. So we observed how Romantic Spartan ran, and he performed well,” he said.
Romantic Spartan’s third-place finish in the 3-Year-Old Derby — 2,000 meters at Indonesia’s Horse Racing: Indonesia Derby 2025 boosted San Marino Stable’s confidence in showcasing the best of their racehorse capabilities on the national stage.
Ikhsan admitted that when he first pursued his horse racing hobby, he faced rejection from his family, especially his parents and his wife.
“My parents and my wife thought horse-related hobbies were a waste of money,” he said.
He explained that the number of racehorse owners in West Sumatra is actually small, especially those who start from scratch—not those from long-standing horse racing families.
According to him, the high operational costs of maintaining a racehorse were why his family disapproved.
“I bought the horse first, then apologized to them,” he said, recalling how he tried to convince his family.
However, Romantic Spartan’s achievement in Indonesia Derby 2025 finally changed their perspective, and they began to support Ikhsan’s passion.
“When Romantic Spartan won, they started taking an interest in horse racing,” he shared proudly.
Not only did his family change their stance, but Romantic Spartan’s national performance also attracted interest from various parties.
“Romantic Spartan was once offered for purchase by someone. But my parents didn’t allow him to be sold,” Ikhsan revealed.
“Because Romantic Spartan has brought pride to our family,” he added.
For Ikhsan and his family, Romantic Spartan is more than just a racehorse—he is a symbol of pride they intend to preserve.
Targeting the Indonesia Derby required thorough preparation. As the mainstay horse—and the only representative from West Sumatra in the Indonesia Derby final—Romantic Spartan underwent meticulous training.
Ikhsan admitted that it took 1.5 years to prepare Romantic Spartan for this prestigious national event.
“We feed him, we care for him, all for a two-minute race at 2,000 meters,” he said.
Initially doubted by some, that doubt became a burden for Ikhsan as the horse’s owner.
In addition, many supporters from West Sumatra attended Indonesia Derby 2025 in person, given that Romantic Spartan was the province’s sole representative in the final.
“It was certainly a burden, especially if we were to lose,” Ikhsan admitted.
Romantic Spartan’s remarkable performance in the 3-Year-Old Derby — 2,000 meters dispelled the doubts and brought pride to the West Sumatra contingent.
With only one broodmare and one racehorse, San Marino Stable faces its own set of challenges. One of them is the limitation in joining multiple races due to the small number of horses.
This condition affects decision-making when determining the right timing to enter competitions, considering many factors must be evaluated beforehand.
“First, we feel bad for the horse. We have to look at the horse’s condition—whether they’re ready to race or not,” Ikhsan said.
With these limitations, San Marino Stable prioritizes the health and readiness of their racehorses. This approach ensures that every performance on the track is executed with careful planning and responsibility.
Everyone at San Marino Stable—groom, trainer, and jockey—works together as a team.
“They’re all very loyal to San Marino Stable,” Ikhsan said.
He also acknowledged that everyone involved in the stable is like family. There are no boundaries or distance between the owner, trainer, groom, or jockey.
This unity is one of the key factors driving success on the track.
The remarkable achievements of Romantic Spartan on the Java racing track have inspired San Marino Stable to keep growing. One of their greatest ambitions is to produce their own champion racehorse through in-house breeding.
As the owner, Ikhsan admitted that Bendang Stable serves as his inspiration in pursuing this goal.
“Bendang Stable breeds their own horses. Their horses also compete. They sell racehorses too—they excel in all aspects,” he explained.
The success of Romantic Spartan at the national level brings hope not only for San Marino but also for West Sumatran racehorses.
“I hope more West Sumatran horses shine in national events. And that the West Sumatra contingent grows even more united,” Ikhsan expressed.
San Marino Stable’s journey in showcasing its best horses is far from over. Follow the latest updates through Instagram (@sarga.co), 𝕏 (@sarga_co), TikTok (@sarga.co), YouTube (Sarga.Co), Facebook (Sarga.co), and the website news.sarga.co.
Install SARGA.CO News
sarga.co
Rekomendasi