Isuzu first past the post

NSW-based race horse trainer Bede Murray entrusts his new Isuzu FSD 700 horse transporter to carry his valuable thoroughbreds in safety

When Bede Murray needed to upgrade to a larger truck to transport his race horses, he says he had no need to look beyond Isuzu – a brand with which he was already very familiar.

Murray, who established Murray Racing with his wife Edie over 50 years ago, eventually settled on an Isuzu FSD 700 with rear airbag suspension to move his precious cargo.

“This is my second Isuzu horse float,” he says. “When it was time to upgrade to a larger vehicle, we knew the Isuzu FSD 700 was the truck for us as we never had any problems with our first Isuzu.”

Murray Racing is based in Kembla Grange, just south of Wollongong. With a staff of 18, including Bede and Edie’s sons Paul and Graeme, the firm trains race horses and offers breeding and agistment services.

Murray Racing’s expertise has led to the rise of several champions over the years, including Coniston Bluebird, Universal Prince, Victory Vein and Half Hennessy.

With over 100 horses on Murray Racing’s books, reliable and safe transport is crucial to the business’s success. Murray says the 7.3m horse float format of his Isuzu FSD 700 made good sense.

“I wanted something that would suit the needs of the horses and be adaptable for any type of situation,” he said.

“We had the truck body interior fitted with individual rubber padded stalls to cater for up to nine horses. For extra flexibility, the float is equipped with specially designed partitions that can be adjusted depending on the horses’ size.

“The FSD 700 has a passenger area behind the cab for our strappers travelling with the horses plus plenty of storage for the racing gear.”

According to Murray, the truck makes a potentially arduous job easy.

“At times the interstate trips can take up to 10 hours,” he says. “The FSD 700’s easy ride makes the long trips a lot more comfortable for both the driver and horses and the truck handles hills and steep inclines with ease, even with nine horses in the back of the float.”

Isuzu first past the post

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