WINNO'S 2017 - THE YEAR IN REVIEW:
By Darren Winningham | Tuesday, January 2, 2018
I’ve had a really good year at the races doing what I love and I want to thank everybody who helped make my racing experience such a pleasure.
These are my personal thoughts on what has transpired over the last twelve months.
MY HORSE OF THE YEAR
This is a no brainer – clearly the super mare WINX.
She won her third straight Cox Plate and 22 wins in a row at the top level.
Clearly a champion!
Now will we see her set racing history in 2018 with a fourth attempt at a Cox Plate and beat the mighty Kingston Town’s record of three wins (1980, 1981 and 1982)?
I am sure that Chris Waller, as always, will make the decision in the best interests of the mare.
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MY JOCKEY OF THE YEAR
Now this is a tough one.
Clearly Hugh Bowman has been in the spotlight with his wonderful association with Winx and then he went overseas to Hong Kong and Japan and had success on their big race days and rode winners internationally.
So it was very rewarding for Australian racing to see that he was honoured at the recent Hong Kong International race meeting when he was awarded the Longines World’s Best Jockey.
On a local perspective I must highlight two jockeys in Brisbane.
Let’s start with South African rider Jeff Lloyd who had a wonderful season.
To be so competitive and riding so well at 55 with a list of illnesses and injuries over his career is a true indication on how if you are determined to achieve something in life, and you work hard for it, you can achieve anything.
Sure he needed some luck and he had to get on the right horses – but when you keep winning owners and trainers just kept lining up wanting you to ride their horses.
The fact that he was able to smash the previous record of Chris Munce of 103 winners in a season in the 2016-17 season riding 137 metropolitan winners was amazing!
Hats off to Jeff.
Then we have Jim Byrne – the Queenslander!
Now I know that he is a quiet bloke and is not one for accolades so I am going to keep this brief.
The Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival in 2017 had a number of challenges. The weather, the Eagle Farm track and then of course the jockeys from the southern states who come to Queensland to look for Group racing victory.
But to see Jim win some feature races over the Carnival was a highlight for me in 2017.
He won the Doomben 10,000 on the Peter & Paul Snowden trained Redzel.
He then won the J.J. Atkins aboard the Paul Butterworth trained Capital Gain.
The won the Brisbane Cup aboard Chocante trained by Kiwi Stephen Marsh.
Then just a side note he appeared at Grafton and rode the 2017 Ramornie winner Calanda for Peter & Paul Snowden.
So well done Jim – for a Queenslander you are a great bloke and a great advertisement for Queensland Racing!
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MY TRAINER OF THE YEAR
Clearly Chris Waller with his stables and satellite stables around Australia is the stand out here.
He has successfully opened stables on the Gold Coast and his team are starting to make their mark on tracks in South East Queensland.
Now back to Brisbane.
Gollan Racing continues to be a force in Brisbane – last racing season notching up 77 metropolitan winners and $3.34 million in prizemoney.
That form has continued in the current season. Just recently he dominated the program at Doomben on Saturday 16 December with four winners – I’m A Rippa, Ef Troop, Outback Barbie and Most Important – truly a great effort.
His stables and team just keep churning out the winners.
Then you have Edmonds Racing based on the Gold Coast. Now here is a story. They do not have as many horses in work as the bigger racing stables in Brisbane, however, they target the races they go after and get some consistent results.
Toby Edmonds and his team accumulated 63 winners last racing season and amassed $3.30 million in prizemoney. Their distinctive blue and white coloured silks is a wonderful advertisement for their stables. I think that they will continue to be a force to be reckoned with in years to come.
Their season was highlighted by Houtzen winning the 2017 Magic Millions.
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MY RACE TRACKS OF THE YEAR
Well I am going to list three here.
Fannie Bay – Darwin
In 2017 I ventured to the Northern Territory for the first time to experience the Darwin Cup Carnival.
Fannie Bay – the home of Northern Territory Racing – the CEO Keith Stacy.
So here I was for the first time – a virgin at Fannie Bay – oh the irony!
The surface is unique, a sand and oil based track. It raced true and I got to meet some wonderful people and enjoy some fabulous hospitality.
I suppose the Carnival was best summed up by the CEO – “where else would you want to spend Winter?”
Grafton Racecourse – Mid North Coast NSW
I have to put this on my list.
I first found this track and July Racing Carnival in 1987 when I witnessed Kensei win the Grafton Cup – ridden by Larry Olsen and trained by Les Bridge. This trio went onto win the Melbourne Cup in the same year.
I am proud to say I have never missed a Carnival since!
I must congratulate the Executive Officer Michael Beattie for his amazing vision and ability to put on a wonderful demonstration of Country racing at its finest for a week each year in July. Graeme Green is the Chairman and he is always a gracious host and takes time out to ensure that you are well looked after.
My insider tip is to make sure you get along to the Calcutta events that are held at the Grafton District Services Club each year!
Kilcoy Racecourse - Queensland
Look this is probably a biased view point – but I must mention the “Moonee Valley of the North” as a favourite as well. Chairman Con Searle has fought debilitating kidney issues in 2016 and 2017. This seen him undergo a kidney transplant around July 2017. He is doing well and is back bigger and better than ever.
What appeals to me about this track is the family day out atmosphere that the Club creates.
They go to great lengths to ensure patrons are the focus. They have pacing or trot races on the course proper and then the real hit for the children and families is the mini trotting races that are held nearly every meeting.
Seeing patrons, both adults and children, getting up close to the ponies after the race and getting selfies and photos taken brings a unique perspective to racing and how it can impact on people.
Finally the Kilcoy Race Club steak burger is alive and well – make sure you grab one of these if you visit the Club!
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MY PROMOTION AND INNOVATION OF THE YEAR
Well I am going out on a limb and saying it has to be The Everest held at Randwick racecourse by the ATC in conjunction with Racing NSW.
There were a lot of people potting the concept and its ability to attract any attention.
The post-race analysis demonstrates that the marketing team at Racing NSW seemed to have got it right with a crowd of 33,512 in attendance at Randwick. Reported to be the largest crowd at Randwick this century!
The attendance of such a large number of patrons to Randwick has to be commended. With so much competition for the entertainment, gambling and social dollar it appears it was a wonderful spectacle.
So that aside the 2017 Doomben 10,000 winner Redzel won the inaugural race for Peter & Paul Snowden and ridden by Kerrin McEvoy.
Will the success continue in 2018? Was it just a once off? Only time will tell.
2017 Melbourne Cup – the 157th Cup
Lloyd Williams, the modern magician with stayers, managed to win and quinella the race with two of his horses.
The winner was Rekindling trained by Joseph O’Brien who, at the age of 24 was having his first runner in the Cup - knocking off his fathers trained Johannes Vermeer (Aidan O’Brien).
A great race – very competitive this year and it goes to show the amount of time and effort that Lloyd Williams puts in to identify these potential Melbourne Cup stayers in the Northern Hemisphere and purchase them or get a share in them and then plot a path to riches to peak them on the first Tuesday of November.
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MY DISAPPOINTMENT FOR THE YEAR
Well it would have to be the Eagle Farm track.
I am not going to harp on about who, why or what has caused it all suffice to say that with all the finger pointing and allegations that have been published I think the real root cause has never been fully identified.
The track and the new semaphore board and winning post looked fabulous the week before we raced on it. The track looked and felt lovely under foot when you walked on it.
Then when horses galloped on it just didn’t stand up.
This is Brisbane’s premier track – holding the biggest races of our calendar year.
My hope is that we can get a resolution to the debacle and when it is finally recommissioned to race again that a thorough testing and analysis is done.
The track should be safe for all concerned – if it takes 12 months or 24 months let’s not rush it and let’s ensure that we see a surface that is conducive to competitive racing that provides a safe surface for our horses, jockeys, trainers and owners.
Never again can we afford to have the situation where jockeys and trainers are making derogatory comments about what should be our showpiece track.
It is time to move forward and hopefully we will get a track that is world class when it finally opens!
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THE BEST OF ‘60 SECONDS WITH WINNO’
Firstly I have to thank everyone who has participated in these interviews over the past 12 months.
In 2018 I am going to have a crack at doing some more and widening my interviews to all sorts of people involved in racing and I may go away from racing for some special edition ones!
Over the past 12 months there have been some magical moments and great answers great ... and some weird answers provided.
So here are some of my favourites:
Nick Keal:
“So go back to Gatton the first day, tell me about that?”
Keal: Well you were there. You saw it. The horse just took a right hand turn and I took a harmless tumble. As a matter of fact I only just got the grass stains and the other stains (laughing) off my jockey trousers in the last couple of days. The brown was me and the green was the track in case you got confused!”
Josh Fleming:
“How do you prefer to be woken up in the morning?”
Fleming: “The smell of bacon and eggs cooking and a cup of coffee! You will get me into trouble Winno!”
“Best thing you like about your work?”
Fleming: “The industry and the people. The job is a challenge, but I love the job. Not everyone gets the opportunity to do the job they have always wanted to do since they were very young and I have been lucky enough to do that. Beyond that it is really all about the people for me. I have met some great people in the industry. I even met my wife, Gabrielle, at a race meeting.”
“Tell us something that may surprise us about you?”
Fleming: “I basically only have one eye. I say that because my right eye is really blurry and if I shut my left eye I will be able to see you but you will just be a ball of blurr! Most people call me a “one eyed Bronco supporter.” I suppose it is true in a sense!”
Jim Byrne:
How do you define success?
Byrne: “It was something Mick Pelling said to me when I was an apprentice.I thought he was actually Mick Dittman – I came into the stable and heard “Mick” so I assumed it was Dittman. I was in awe of this guy watching him ride.
“I said to him one day – you are not Mick Dittman – he said no mate I am Mick Pelling. I then said are you richer than him?
“He said it depends on what you define as “rich”. He said, I have a beautiful wife and lovely children.
“From that day forward I haven't really defined success monetary wise – it is always about your family and where you are in that environment.”
Billy Healey:
“Name one person who you want to have dinner with?”
Healey: “Not you Winno. (I said well if you did you would be paying Billy!) A good looking female – how about Taylor Swift. Why? Take a look her – she is bay!”
Greg Irvine:
“Name one person who you want to have dinner with and why?”
Irvine: “I always wanted to have dinner with Joan Rivers. She was the funniest woman on the planet, but she went and died on me.”
“Tell us something that may surprise us about you?”
Irvine: “Kylie Minogue has kissed me ha! She watched the Adelaide Cup sitting next to me. She backed the winner and I didn’t. She wrote a lovely note in my racebook – but somehow I’ve lost it!
Toby McIntosh:
“Who is you man crush?"
McIntosh: “Billy Slater from the Melbourne Storm – Billy Slater, definitely not Billy Healey.
Beau Appo:
“Hold on Beau. You put your phone number in my phone three years ago and you wrote the “Chocolate Prince.” Do you wish to explain that?”
Appo: “Look everyone knows I am famous and very popular ... you are lucky that you have my number.”
“Tell us something about you that may surprise us?”
Appo: “I used to be allergic to horses. (Winno replies, no way! You too. Amelia Denby is allergic to horses!).
“No seriously, the horses used to touch me and I used to welt up all over my body with hives.”
Amelia Denby:
“When you retire from being a jockey what would you do?”
Denby: “I have felt pretty passionate for the last few years about creating a program for retired jockeys. I would like to get retired jockeys back into the workplace. I have had some positive feedback and support for the initiative. I don’t necessarily want to start it but I would love to have some involvement in the planning of it.”
Gina Mitchell:
“What is your greatest fear?”
Mitchell: “Spiders 100% - there was a huntsman in my room the other day – OH MY GOD!”
“So did you kill the spider?”
“No way! I just ran away – I was so scared that it would jump at me! I was like a ninja jumping over the bed to get away from it!”
“What would you chose as your last meal?”
Mitchell: “Meatballs – they come in a tin and they are only available in Scotland. They come in gravy and other sauces – I really do love them!
“I have tried to get them imported over here – but I cannot get them. When I went home I ate about forty tins!” (Winno said “they sound gross!”)
Anthony Collins:
“A memorable horse you have called?”
Collins: “That is a hard question. I was impressed with Honey Toast when it won the Toowoomba Cup (2016). It was a local horse and won by about six lengths. It took over on the home turn and as I lifted my tone the crowd went with me. So for 400metres the crowd went wild and loud and I went as loud as I could go!”
Darryl McCabe:
“What is the most unusual thing you put on a sandwich?”
McCabe: A steak sandwich – with honey on it. But you must slice the steak up first then drizzle the honey over it! It heats up and goes through the steak beautiful – with some onion and no sauce!”
Jimmy Orman:
“What is the most embarrassing song on your phone?"
Orman: One Direction – “What makes you beautiful” – I love singing along to that one.”
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STOP PRESS
For months I have been annoying Claire Farrow about not having a ring on her finger from her boyfriend and jockey manager Mitchell Speers.
Whilst I teased her I occasionally would say that I had seen Mitchell in Diamonds International in the Brisbane City store in Edward Street or the Chermside store at Westfield Chermside.
Then I awoke X-mas morning to read on social media that Mitchell had asked Claire to marry him!
Finally – congratulations to them both!
But wait there’s more.
Just when I thought I had it all covered Luke Rolls popped the question on December 31 and Cassie Schmidt said ‘YES’.
Like the Clair Farrow / Michell Speers story that was an engagement announcement that many had been waiting for. Again, heartiest congratulations to them both.
Now my focus will need to shift to Adam Campton and his lovely partner Tayla Whalley.
Despite him moving to Hong Kong I will be keeping my eye on him!
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