From The Track - Summer 2016/17 Edition by Ian Davies

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SUMMER 2016

Your Local Racing Magazin e!

BRENTON AVDULLA “GUNNING” FOR HIS FIRST SYDNEY TITLE

FROM THE TRACK

BROADMEADOW BROADMEADOW BROADMEADOW RACECOURSE RACECOURSE RACECOURSE EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCE A SIZZLING A SIZZLING SUMMER SUMMER OF RACING OF RACING AT NEWCASTLE AT NEWCASTLE EXPERIENCE A SIZZLING SUMMER OF RACING AT NEWCASTLE JOCKEY JOCKEY CLUB ON CLUB THE ON BEAUMONT THE BEAUMONT NEWCASTLE NEWCASTLE TRACKTRACK JOCKEY CLUB ON THE BEAUMONT NEWCASTLE TRACK

Your Local Racin g Magazin e!

ROM THE TRACK is on the move. In welcoming you to our fourth and final edition of 2016, we are delighted to announce that from now on the magazine will be available FREE of charge on line.

The E Magazine is being introduced to complement our glossy hard copy editions, which will continue to be printed every three months. However, we feel that by also making FROM THE TRACK available on line, it will enable us to spread our interesting stories and wonderful photos to a bigger audience, and at the same time provide our advertisers and sponsors – without whose support the magazine would not be possible – with even more exposure to promote their products.

5 BRENTON AVDULLA – “Gunning” For Sydney Title 8 NEWCASTLE EQUINE CENTRE – Galloping Forward 10 AARON BULLOCK – Hard Work Only Road To Success 12 SOCIALS – Newcastle Gold Cup Carnival

Accessing FROM THE TRACK on line is easy. Simply log on at www.fromthetrack.com.au and click on the front cover – and your magazine awaits. Brilliant Sydney jockey Brenton Avdulla (pictured) headlines our summer edition features. Avdulla made the racing world sit up and take notice – if they hadn’t already – with his daring front-running ride to win the VRC Oaks on $101 bolter Lasqueti Spirit at the recent Melbourne Cup carnival at Flemington. Melbourne-born Avdulla (pictured) first came to Sydney as an apprentice seven years ago for a six-week trial period. He rode six winners, but hated the place and seriously contemplated heading home.

14 ELLALONG FARM – A Hidden Gem 16 TERRY RADLEY – “Dan Patch” Has Had Good Trot 18 NEWCASTLE GREYHOUNDS – Greyhound Racing Is Fun 20 ARTISTRY @ THE JUNCTION – Leads Hairdressing Stakes 21 ON THE PACE - New Business Development Manager 22 55 Seconds with GREG RUDOLPH 23 PROFESSIONAL PUNTING – Jockey Ratings Crucial

He stayed, was both last season’s both leading NSW rider and provincial rider and has established himself in Sydney’s “Top 5”. And he has set his sights on winning this season’s Sydney premiership. Speaking of jockeys, we also caught up with Aaron Bullock, who is another who has put his head down and is making a real fist of his riding career. FROM THE TRACK also visited two “hidden gems” –Newcastle Equine Centre and Ellalong Farm – and both were eye-openers. Newcastle Equine Centre, situated in the Heritage listed old tote building at Broadmeadow racecourse, has been in operation for two decades. Recently, Newcastle native Dr Paddy Todhunter acquired sole ownership and began a journey to rebrand and modernise the practice. Leading trainer Kris Lees purchased the 150-acre Ellalong Farm, a boutique agistment and pre-training property in the Lower Hunter Valley, in 2010 and has no doubts it has been a huge boost to his business.

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What a pleasure it was to catch up with retired Newcastle Herald journalist Terry Radley, who carved a niche in harness racing by starting his own form cards, which eventually led to him embarking on a successful writing career. FROM THE TRACK also met Newcastle Greyhounds’ new boss Gary Brown, who is relieved the industry now has a future, and is encouraging patrons to come to meetings at The Gardens because “greyhound racing is fun”. Highly-respected form analyst Luke Murrell told us that, in his opinion, Brenton Avdulla was the best jockey in Australia – and he said it in an interview weeks before the VRC Oaks. Our regular “55 Seconds With” features Hawkesbury Race Club chief executive Greg Rudolph, who, not surprisingly, named Queensland’s “Mighty Maroons” as his favorite footy team.

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Scone Race Club has completed a lengthy search to replace previous CEO Sarah Wills by announcing the currently Toowoomba-based Heath Courtney as its new boss, whilst Newcastle Harness Racing Club has appointed Jane Hextell as its inaugural Business Development Manager. On a terribly sad note, the latter club lost its accountant, 44-year-old Steven Norris, who passed away earlier in November after a brief illness. We also record with similar sadness the passing in Victoria of former popular Newcastle bookmaker Terry Walker, who fielded on the lawn at Broadmeadow for many years and always treated his clients to the best of odds. Our deepest sympathies to the Norris and Walker families. Muswellbrook has just run its Cup on a new Friday date, whilst Gosford’s turn comes up on January 13. In between, Wyong has its big Magic Millions fixture three days before Christmas. Tuncurry-Forster has a continuity of meetings in the new year, beginning with its Seafood Raceday on January 14, Men Of League day in February and XXXX Cup in March. Hawkesbury Race Club will sponsor a race at the January meeting, strengthening an association between both clubs. Newcastle Jockey Club will open its spanking new course proper at its Newmarket meeting on Friday, March 17, and this will be fully covered in our autumn edition.

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FROM THE TRACK

BRENTON

THE GOLD COAST

AS GOOD AS IT GETS AVDULLA

FULLY FOCUSED AND “GUNNING ” FOR HIS FIRST SYDNEY TITLE

RENTON Avdulla was ready to bail out of Sydney after a trial period seven years ago and return home to Melbourne to continue his riding career. In his own words, he “hated the place”. If trainer Anthony Cummings had not stepped in and given him a reason to stay, Avdulla would have been lost to Sydney racing, perhaps forever.

What a turnaround! Now, the 25-year-old (he’ll be 26 in January) has firmly established himself in the “Top 5” jockeys in Sydney and is rightfully acknowledged as one of the best young riders in the country. Avdulla’s dashing performance to steal the Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m) on $101 bolter Lasqueti Spirit at the recent Melbourne Cup carnival at Flemington proved that beyond doubt. But he’s not resting on his laurels. The young man who has earned the nickname “The Gun” has set his sights this season not only on retaining his title as the leading jockey in New South Wales, but to win the coveted Sydney riding premiership for the first time. Avdulla came to Sydney as an apprentice during the latter part of 2009 to link with trainer Gai Waterhouse for a six-week period. “It was spring carnival time in Melbourne, and obviously it was pretty difficult for apprentices to get rides at the big meetings,” Avdulla told FROM THE TRACK.

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“My master John Moloney thought it would be good experience to get away from Melbourne and arranged for me to join Gai’s stable. “Gai didn’t have an apprentice at the time, and was good to me. She gave me opportunities and I rode six winners. “But to be honest, I hated Sydney. I was an 18-year-old kid and didn’t really know anyone. “I wasn’t mature enough, and not in the right frame of mind.

LOOKING BACK, COMING TO SYDNEY THEN WAS THE BEST THING I COULD HAVE DONE FOR MY CAREER “I wanted to get back home to Melbourne when the trial period was up. “Looking back, coming to Sydney then was the best thing I could have done for my career.”

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Cummings could see a young Avdulla had talent, and convinced him to stay by taking on his indentures and offering him the pick of his rides.

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That link led to Avdulla’s watershed Group 1 breakthrough. In his first full season of riding in

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“It was a turning point for sure,” Avdulla said. “Whilst I rode work for Anthony, I also started riding work for fellow Randwick trainer Grahame Begg (ironically, now based in Victoria) and formed a nice association with him.”

Sydney, he won the Flight Stakes at Randwick in the spring of 2010 on Begg’s filly Secret Admirer. She was to reward him with another Group 1 triumph when the pair teamed 12 months later to clinch another feature Randwick “mile”, the Epsom Handicap. In fact, the Randwick 1600m has been especially good to Avdulla. Three of his five Group 1s have been over that course; the other being on Begg’s Ilovethiscity in the Randwick Guineas earlier that same year (2011). He subsequently won the 2014 VRC Lightning at Flemington on Snitzerland for Rosehill trainer Gerald Ryan (with whom he has also enjoyed much success), and his shock VRC Oaks victory on Lasqueti Spirit was his fifth win at racing’s elite level. His unscripted bow saluting the crowd at the winning post (there was a second one moments later) cost him a $1000 stewards’ fine, but he said it was worth it. “It was raw emotion; you don’t plan that on 100-1 shots.” Clearly, there are many more Group 1s ahead given both Avdulla’s ability and capacity to ride relatively light if required. “I’m pretty fortunate that I don’t miss any meals,” Avdulla said. “I watch what I eat all the same. “Comfortably, I’m around 56.5kg but can pull off weight if I have to and get down to 54kg.” Of Albanian heritage, Melbourne-born Avdulla has an elder sister Emma and younger sister Kristy. His father Peter was a bookmaker (sadly his mother Marlene passed away in 2008), and he used to go to the races regularly with him growing up. “I really enjoyed going to Mornington with Dad,” he said. “I guess I became a familiar face around the track.”

FROM THE TRACK Avdulla’s love of animals aside though, there was nothing to suggest he would become a jockey. Especially when his sporting skills at school at cricket and football (Australian Rules, of course) were excellent. “I played both at St Bede’s College at Mentone, and did pretty well,” he said. “I was an opening batsman in the same district cricket team as Tom Scully (now one of the hotshots with AFL’S Greater Western Sydney) and Scott Boland (who made his ODI debut for Australia against India earlier this year after being Victoria’s Sheffield Shield player of the season). “Tom is a fantastic footballer, but I can tell you he was also a pretty good fast opening bowler, and he was quick.”

I GOT THE BUG, AND LEFT SCHOOL AT 15 TO BECOME A JOCKEY

G O S F O R D G O L D C U P R A C E D AY

Avdulla’s batting feats were such that at 15 years of age he was invited to join the Victorian junior squad. But racing was tugging at his “heart strings”.

SUMMER RACING TOURNAMENTS

“One of Dad’s closest friends had horses with John Moloney, whose son was also at my school. “I started going around to John’s stables during school holidays and loved working with the horses. “I got the bug, and left school at 15 to become a jockey. “John taught me how to put a head collar on a horse, and all the basic riding stuff. I had never ridden a horse until I went to his Caulfield stables.

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“Mum and Dad had broken up, and I was living with one and then the other. John and his wife Sue took me in to live with them. It was a whole new environment; they were wonderful to me.” Though Avdulla has been in Sydney for seven years, his close friendship with the popular Melbourne trainer has never waned.

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Avdulla was runner-up to Nick Hall (this year’s successful Caulfield Cup rider) in the Victorian apprentices’ premiership in his first full season of riding, and won a number of individual titles. There was another major turning point in Avdulla’s career a couple of seasons back. He had finished 10th in the 2013-14 Sydney premiership with 42 wins, 14th in the provincial premiership (26 wins) and 17th overall in the state with 72 wins. By his own frank admission, he was “idling along”. “I wasn’t really focused,” he said. “I gave myself a pass mark for the season. “I was going out three nights a week, and wanted to be a carnival jockey and not really worry about the other meetings.” An earnest discussion with his manager, Melbournebased Mark Van Triet, led to Avdulla getting serious. “A good manager is very important,” Avdulla said. “Mark also manages Damien Oliver and I asked Ollie when I was apprenticed in Melbourne if he would also look after my rides. “He does a terrific job, and we have a good working relationship. I trust what he does. He picked up the winning Oaks ride for me.” The “heart to heart” chat with Van Triet had an immediate response. Avdulla was the leading provincial rider (45 wins) in 2014-15, finished fifth (51 wins) to Hugh Bowman in the Sydney title, and fourth in NSW with 113 wins. He went even better last season, winning the NSW title (141 wins) and was again the premier provincial rider (71 wins). He also finished fourth, with 59 wins, to James McDonald in the Sydney premiership. Avdulla is a part-owner of Sydney restaurant Cubbyhouse and, just as proudly, owns a Mercedes C63 sports car. “I’m an adrenaline junkie,” he confessed. “I spend so much time in the car going to and from my racing commitments, so why not enjoy it?” Avdulla’s renewed focus has also earned him rides from Sydney’ leading two stables (Chris Waller and Godolphin), and Hunter-based syndicator Australian Bloodstock thought highly enough of him – and still do – to take him to America in August last year for his first ride in the States, on import Goldstream in the Group 1 Secretariat Stakes at Arlington. Avdulla is single and, thus with no responsibilities, would be open to any future decent opportunity to take up an overseas posting, such as Hong Kong. But first things first.

“After I had won the Oaks on Lasqueti Spirit, John came up and gave me a hug,” Avdulla said. “He is very proud of me.”

At the time of writing this article, Avdulla had ridden doubles at Canterbury on the Friday night and Rosehill the following day to lead both the Sydney and NSW premierships.

Avdulla achieved what every jockey dreams about, though few realise it. As a 16-year-old, he won on Moloney’s horse Associate at his first race ride at Bendigo in October, 2007 in a 1500m Benchmark 62 Handicap.

He knows it won’t be an easy task to add a Sydney riding premiership to his CV, but is hellbent on giving it his very best crack.

“The horse wasn’t greatly fancied and was at double figure odds. It was pretty surreal to win on him.”

There’s no bailing out this time!

FROM THE TRACK

generally has one veterinary intern and many experienced equine nurses as well as hosting work experience students and veterinary students to further their education in equine clinical practice.

...if a horse is very sick or particularly painful, the owner doesn’t need to float it to us. We’ll go to them. and Hannah Hopkins are both highly experienced in all areas of equine practice, but each have cases they particularly like to see. Dr Weber loves the medical cases which enables her to put her equine medicine membership into practice as well as routine and interesting dental cases.

NEWCASTLE EQUINE CENTRE

Dr Hopkins is interested in many areas of equine sports medicine from thoroughbred racing to show jumpers to endurance horses. In addition, she is furthering her training in equine reproduction in the hope of expanding the breeding side of the business. Newcomer, Dr Trish Nicholls is just back from an equine medicine internship in the States and eager to see anything that crosses her path, but has a particular soft spot for the foals and neo-natal medicine. Dr Cecilia Cortina di Favria has been with Newcastle Equine Centre for a number of years and is strong in equine reproduction and imaging. The practice

Dr Todhunter feels it is important to have a strong team which is constantly improving their skills with continuing education to keep up with cutting edge techniques and new ideas. “ We have put a massive investment into the centre in the form of new computers a n d s o f t w a r e, s e c u r i t y and monitoring systems, r e v a m p e d t h e s u r g e r y, installed a new in-house lab and created storage space,” he said. “Everything that could be replaced with something better has been; even feed bins.” Newcastle Jockey Club has been extremely supportive of the veterinary hospital and it is important to Dr Todhunter and his staff to respect the history of the grand old building and its surrounds while catering to all horses from Taree to the Central Coast. In this vein, while expansions of the hospital have been needed and are likely to continue in the future, these will be in context with the look and feel of the heritage listing while still catering to the needs of all horses from the smallest mini to the largest Clydesdale and everything in between.

GALLOPING FORWARD HE majority of punters who attend Broadmeadow racecourse would not be aware that its sizeable grounds contain a “hidden gem” steeped in history. Housed in the Heritage listed Old Tote Building, which displayed the odds for each local runner long before the computer age, Newcastle Equine Centre is a local trackside veterinary hospital which has catered to all types of horses for almost 20 years.

Recently, Dr Paddy Todhunter acquired sole ownership of the practice and has embarked on a journey to rebrand and modernise the business.

Dr Todhunter agreed. “We don’t want to be known as a specialist referral centre. That’s what people thought if you mentioned this place before.

Part of that process is using the expertise of staff which have been involved in the racing industry and horse business, including senior equine nurse, Natalie Edwards.

“Although we do a large amount of surgery on horses, we also want people to know we look at all sorts of problems in all sorts of horses”.

A long-time employee who has been at the centre since it opened in February, 1998, she is upbeat about its future. “It’s a common misconception that the centre is restricted to local trainers and their thoroughbreds,” Ms Edwards told FROM THE TRACK. “Obviously, it’s a big advantage because we’re close by, but we are open to the general public with all kinds of horses, as well as pony clubs. “We also travel to places such as Taree and the Central Coast to perform anything from routine work such as floating teeth and micro-chipping to more complex pre-purchase exams, colics and lamenesses. “Also, if a horse is very sick or particularly painful, the owner doesn’t need to float it to us. We’ll go to them. It’s something we really want to stress. “Newcastle Equine Centre is available for everyone who requires our services. We’re here for the long haul and have begun sponsoring show events and pony clubs to get our name out there and show we are very much a part of the community.”

Ms Edwards recalls racehorse Dancing Sun, a country Cups specialist, being the first horse operated on when Newcastle Equine Centre opened its doors in February, 1998. Dr Todhunter has a long history with Newcastle. He is a local from Merewether, and was a surf lifesaving champion with the Swansea-Belmont club. His father, Jim Todhunter, was a dentist in Hunter Street for 50 years.

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Paddy Todhunter completed his education at Sydney University in veterinary science then went on to do an internship in veterinary surgery at The University of Guelph in Canada and a residency in a large animal surgery at Auburn University in Alabama. Returning to Australia in 1996, he spent a number of years in various equine practices in NSW until an opportunity arose to finally settle down back in his hometown of Newcastle in 2004. His goal when he joined Newcastle Equine Centre, was to build a team of veterinarians that wanted to focus their careers solely on horses. He succeeded and all of the vets have done special equine internships to further their training after graduation from vet school. Drs Morgan Weber

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FROM THE TRACK

AARON

BULLOCK HARD WORK THE ONLY

OR three years Aaron Bullock worked as a labourer helping build the Hunter Expressway from Newcastle to Branxton. Now he drives on that same road six days a week from his parents’ home at Singleton to Newcastle to lay the foundations for a successful career as a jockey.

His dedication is paying dividends. Bullock’s treble at Muswellbrook on Melbourne Cup day was the third of his career, and no doubt there are more to come. Bullock rises at 2.30am six mornings a week and leaves Singleton at 3am to drive to Newcastle to ride trackwork for leading trainers Kris Lees and Paul Perry. “I ride five or six horses for Paul first, and then move across to Kris when the first truckload of his horses arrives at the track around 5am, and then ride for him for the rest of the morning,” he told FROM THE TRACK. Bullock started the ritual two years ago, realising if he wanted to attract raceday bookings from those stables, he had to put in the hard yards. “Some days are tough, especially at this time when it is daylight saving and the races are pushed back to later finishes,” he said. “You might get hammered with three or four meetings in a row, and I’m a bit buggered at the end of it, especially with dieting and sweating. “But on my days off (no race commitments), I rest up. Don’t worry about that.” Whilst Bullock always has to watch his weight, he says is more disclipined and manages himself better these days. “I do a lot of work for Kris, and he is very understanding. “Some racedays I might have to leave trackwork a bit earlier in winter to have a sweat and pull the last half or kilo off. “Though I can ride at 54kg, I didn’t ride under 55.5kg during the winter months this year. It made a difference riding a bit heavier; I found I was able to focus much better on all my rides and didn’t get one suspension.” Bullock doesn’t have a jockey manager (he chases his own rides) and says it is important for him to ride at a comfortable weight. “I’m definitely more switched on. Since I have been managing myself better, I’ve ridden more winners in the last six months or so than nearly my whole career.” Though originally from Tumut, Bullock was born the youngest of twin boys at Wagga. “Women couldn’t have twins at Tumut then; the hospital didn’t have the facilities,” he explained. Eldest twin Bradley, now a welder at Singleton, arrived 18 minutes earlier. Their sister Alicia was born three years later. Bullock’s father Paul worked on the roads from the time he was 18 years of age, but the travelling and the 6-day a week job and long periods away from the family’s Tumut home got to him after 12 years and he saw the need in 1995 for a lifestyle change. “Dad worked on the roads for Thiess, and got a job with them at Mt Owen

“But it taught me a valuable lesson. Everything you do in life, you learn from.” During his year away from racing, Bullock went to Mudgee and worked in the mines. He subsequently got off all the charges, regained his licence and landed the first treble of his career from five rides on his first day back at a non-TAB meeting at Quirindi in 2009. Bullock kept riding, but his battle with weight took its toll. “I started to get sick of it,” he said. “I couldn’t get going to where I was previously, and took another break.”

ROAD TO SUCCESS

It’s been a tough journey for the 26-year-old, who has learnt valuable life lessons and is now fully aware that the only pathway to success is to work hard.

plenty of money and was hanging around with a young crowd and we did silly things. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

mine (near Singleton),” Bullock said. “It suited him better. He came up for a year first before shifting my Mum Julie and us kids up to Singleton to rejoin him and start a new life.” The Bullock family has been at Singleton ever since, but there was no history to suggest a young Aaron would choose a riding career. “I’ve always loved animals,” he said. “Mum works at the Singleton Argus newspaper, and got us a job as kids delivering newspapers at 4 o’clock in the morning. “Brad and I then worked at McDonald’s, but I didn’t enjoy it. One day, because of my love of animals, a relation (who was in my Year 10 class at school in 2006) to local trainer Todd Howlett suggested I should ask him for a job.”

He started a traineeship with his father’s old employer, Thiess, who had embarked on a new project – building the Hunter Expressway. “I was there from the beginning right until the road was finished,” he said. “Never at any time did I doubt I would come back to riding, but I didn’t think it would be three years. “It was good money and I enjoyed the job, but it was hard yakka all the same. They were 12-hour shifts six days a week. It taught me work ethic and discipline and put me in good stead for where I am today.” Bullock finished with Thiess in August 2013, and went back to Howlett the following month to complete his apprenticeship. He made his comeback at Gilgandra on New Year’s Day, 2014 and rode “about 20 winners” in the ensuing few months before hitting another hurdle.

“I broke my leg playing touch football at Singleton and that put me out for another six months. “I could have extended my apprenticeship, but felt I needed a change to go out on my own.” Bullock was looking for a job at Newcastle with Kris Lees, but was “too scared” to call him and ask. He ended up ringing foreman Mal Ollerton on a Saturday, and started work on the Monday (in November, 2014). Aside from riding work both at Broadmeadow and Lees Racing’s property at Ellalong, Bullock had a couple of rides and got suspended before deciding not to ride during winter. But he didn’t stop working. Enter Mudgee trainer Mack Griffith, who called Bullock in October last year to ride a talented young horse with a couple of city placings (Pera Pera), in a barrier trial at Scone. “At the time, I was riding in a lot of trials for Kris, but my weight was around 62kg,” he related. “Mack had been a good supporter of mine when he was at Muswellbrook, so I went to Scone. I won the trial on him and then another at Muswellbrook, and started riding again and won his first two races on him.” Bullock reflects on that phone call from Griffith. “Pera Pera coming along gave me the kick I really needed. “It was just the incentive to make a real go of my riding career. I will always be grateful to Mack.” Whilst he won on Pera Pera on Melbourne Cup day last November at Muswellbrook and again on him at Mudgee a month later, that latter meeting

provided Bullock with another unwanted setback. Riding Devilgate Road, he was one of five jockeys involved in a horrific Mudgee Cup fall. He “busted a collarbone” and was once more sidelined for a period. Bullock won a heat of the Country Championships at Wellington on Pera Pera in March, and another heat at Dubbo on Something Borrowed the same month. Whilst he lost the Randwick final mount to Hugh Bowman (Pera Pera ran second to Clearly Innocent), he still rode in the race, finishing eighth on Something Borrowed. Bullock hasn’t looked back. He rode 33 winners last season and landed his first Group 1 opportunity when Lees called on him to ride Admiral Jello in the Queensland Derby at Eagle Farm’s reopening in June. “It was unreal; I never thought I would get a ride in a Group 1 race,” he said. “I took my whole family up to Brisbane. Admiral Jello went good, but was pretty well at the end of his campaign.” The new season promises much. A Melbourne Cup day treble at Muswellbrook lifted Bullock’s tally to 24 (30 when this edition went to press), including the $80,000 Taree Cup in August for Lees on Olympic Academy. The future is looking brighter than it’s ever been, and this young man has one specific goal. “I want to give myself the best opportunity I can to be the best jockey I can,” he said. “If I can achieve that, then when the time comes to finish my riding career, I’ll be very satisfied.”

Bullock did; one thing led to another and he started working for Howlett, who lived across the road from the family home on the New England Highway. “I had never ridden a horse in my life,” Bullock said. “Todd bought a stock horse to help me but he was also working with the Council as well as training 10 horses and never really had the time to show me the ropes. “I taught myself. Todd sometimes watched me in the round yard from the house and often said to his wife: ‘This poor kid’s got no hope’”. “He still laughs about it.” Bullock had his first ride at Tamworth on January 16, 2007 on his boss’ horse Pimpala Peak. He ran third in a 1600m Maiden. It took him nearly five months to notch that often elusive first winner. Coincidentally, it was a pick-up ride – and he had Australia’s winningest jockey Robert Thompson to thank. “Todd didn’t have a big team in work and gave me about 20 rides in that period,” Bullock said. “But because I wasn’t really known, it was hard to get a go.” That was until Emily Kehoe fell in a barrier trial a day before the Muswellbrook meeting on June 5 and couldn’t ride former Kiwi Tee Gee. Bullock was the replacement rider after Thompson recommended him to trainer Jeremy Sylvester. With the young apprentice claiming 4kg, Tee Gee won at $17. But further success wasn’t immediate.

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“I didn’t ride another winner until I rode a double for Todd at Quirindi on Boxing Day, and then another double for him on New Year’s Day at Wallabadah, including the Cup,” Bullock said.

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“That gave me a kickstart. I rode about 30 winners in my second season and won the Hunter and North West Association apprentices’ premiership.”

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But Bullock’s career went off the rails. “I got myself into a bit of trouble, and was out for 12 months,” he said. “It was nothing to do with racing, but I had

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FROM THE TRACK

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FROM THE TRACK

ELLALONG

FARM BACK

HOME

“She was tired when she arrived, but picked up so well that by the following Wednesday, she was bucking her brand off. “It’s a different environment and very relaxing for the horses. It’s easy to understand why they enjoy it here.” When FROM THE TRACK visited Ellalong Farm, recent Melbourne Cup carnival Group 1 winner Le Romain was picking grass in a paddock. Indeed a far cry from the hustle and bustle of busy Flemington during Cup week, but an important part of his “R and R” before embarking on a new campaign, seeking another success at racing’s elite level in the Doncaster Mile at Royal Randwick on April 1. Ellalong is less than a hour’s drive from Lees’ Broadmeadow stables, making it so accessible for him to refresh his horses when necessary.

Keyren Forbes with Le Romain

About 90 per cent of Lees’ horses spell at Ellalong, and Sydney trainers regularly use the property to agist and have horses pre-trained.

AND LOVING LIFE ON THE FARM

The farm can accommodate up to 90 horses at its peak.

Forbes has a full-time assistant, Hannah Rorrison, and up to six other casual employees. Lees’ Broadmeadow-based trackwork riders such as Cameren Swan, Andrew Hamilton and Darcy Matthews make regular trips to Ellalong to assist with pre-training. Whilst a tour of the property made it easy for us to realise how much Forbes loves what he is doing, he made it clear the running the of the place was a “team effort”.

HAT’S old is new again! Cessnock-born Keyren Forbes is back “home” – and loving it.

After a break from a long stint in racing to work in the mines at Bulga, near Singleton, Forbes accepted a position three and a half years ago to manage Ellalong Farm; the “hidden gem” behind leading trainer Kris Lees’ blossoming career.

Drive through the township of Ellalong in the Lower Hunter Valley not far from Cessnock, and you could easily miss the farm if you didn’t know of its whereabouts. But it is there; all 150 acres of fertile ground, with the Watagan Mountains as a backdrop. It is a magnificent property which Forbes is delighted to be looking after. “I am very grateful to Kris for giving me the opportunity to manage Ellalong Farm,” Forbes told FROM THE TRACK. “It’s not a job; it’s a lifestyle. I love it, and my wife Leah and children Grace, 14, and Noah, 11 (eldest son Travis lives at Cessnock) are also very happy here.

“Grandfather trained at Broadmeadow, and used the first set of brick stables built at the track,” Forbes said. “He had a runner, Coronation Cadet, in the 1967 Melbourne Cup, ridden by a very young John Wade.” Coronation Cadet was a three-year-old at the time, and carried a fraction under 7st. He ran 13th to Red Handed (Roy Higgins), the third of Bart Cummings’ Cup winners.

Lees purchased Ellalong Farm in 2010. The boutique agistment and pretraining property has 18 boxes, 40 day yards, 16 sizeable spelling paddocks, a 900m sand work track, an undercover water walker (aquacizer), and treadmill.

“There’s no doubt whatsoever Ellalong is absolutely vital to the success of our business,” he said. “It’s a huge asset, and gives us the best of both worlds. “We can get a horse pre-trained at the farm, and also send it there for a short break during its racing campaign to freshen up away from stable life. “Jeremy Sylvester did a great job helping get the place up and running after I bought it, and now Keyren is following on. “It’s not ever yone’s cup of tea living and working on the property, but it suits Keyren and his family. “He is doing a terrific job. In fact, he’s a workaholic. Obviously, I can’t be there all the time and it’s very satisfying to know I can rely on him.”

“Not at all,” he said. “I went to a race meeting at Newcastle not long back,

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When he was 13, Forbes began working with another leading Newcastle trainer Paul Perry, and for so many years was his “right hand man”.

“We can vary the speed depending on the stage of each horse’s pre-training.

“But I guess once racing is in your system, it’s always there. When Kris was looking for someone to look after the place, I had no doubt it would suit me.

Lees didn’t beat about the bush when discussing Ellalong Farm’s value and Forbes’ management.

“He gets up here every week or so to check on how our horses are spelling or pre-training, and obviously I speak with him on a daily basis.”

“The water walker is terrific for the horses,” Forbes said. “It holds 360,000 litres of fresh water and they enjoy it.

“I went and worked in the mines at Bulga for two and a half years, and I enjoyed it.

“To be honest, I found it boring. I went back home and got on the tractor and did some work.”

“Kris has made a lot of improvements to the place, and continues to do so. There’s never any shortage of work.”

“Dad was apprenticed to grandfather,” Forbes added. “At one stage, he was both an apprentice jockey and apprentice butcher.”

“I spent 30 years with Paul and saw a lot of top horses including Choisir (ground-breaking international sprinter and now stud success) and Stratum (Golden Slipper winner), and felt it was time to do something different,” he said.

Forbes occasionally makes the short trip across to Cessnock when required to represent Lees when he has runners at race meetings there, but doesn’t miss regular attendances at race meetings.

and lasted only a couple of races,” he said.

“But he wanted to be sure the family also wanted to live on the property, so we came and had a look. It didn’t take us long to make up our mind.

“I couldn’t think of a better way to get back into the industry.” To say Forbes was born into racing is not telling an untruth. His father Kerry and grandfather Noel both were heavily involved.

“Everyone here loves horses, and take great care with them,” he said. “They know what they are doing. I couldn’t do the job without them.”

“And the soil is good here,” Forbes said. “We had Landcare visit here a while back, and they took soil samples from four different paddocks. The analysis proved excellent. “We have the capacity to rehabilitate injured horses, and one of the real assets of the farm is that Kris can send a horse up here for a few days to recover from a hard run,” Forbes said. “Just recently, Upscale had a very hard race when she won narrowly at Rosehill on a Saturday, and Kris sent her up here.

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FROM THE TRACK

TERRY

Aside from his pacing and racing articles, Radley got a gig each weekend covering one of the five matches in the “Real NRL” before the Newcastle Knights entered the National Rugby League competition.

RADLEY

“I often took our daughter Claire along. I reckon she would have made a good journalist had she pursued it; she knew how to read a game.” Radley also covered an international soccer match at the old Crystal Palace ground (now the site of the Wallsend Shopping Centre).

OUR “DAN PATCH” HAS HAD A GOOD TROT

He covered four Melbourne Cups (“I never thought I would ever get to one”) and also attended feature pacing meetings in Melbourne and Adelaide when the mighty Hunter pacer Rip Van Winkle (trained by Michael Vanderkemp) competed.

century ago the most famous athlete in America was a horse. Might seem hard to believe, but then Dan Patch was more than a sports star. This remarkable pacer was in fact a cultural icon pre-automobile days.

Born crippled and unable to stand, he was nearly put down. For a while, he pulled the grocer’s wagon in his hometown of Oxford, Indiana.

Radley, in fact, had started keeping the trotting form, meticulously writing out the details of each horse on a card and storing them in a shoe box.

Eventually entered in a race at a country fair, he won – and kept winning.

“I was the only person doing it in NSW apart from Trotguide (the harness racing industry’s bible); there were no computers around then,” Radley said.

Harness racing was the leading sport in America at the time and Dan Patch set a world record for a mile, then subsequently lowered it by four seconds. America loved Dan Patch. He acknowledged applause from the grandstands with a nod or two of his majestic head and stopped as if to pose when he saw a camera. He became the first celebrity sports endorser, his name appearing on breakfast cereals, washing machines, cigars, razors, etc. When the highest paid baseball player was earning $12,000 a year, Dan Patch was raking in more than $1 million. Given such a remarkable rise from obscurity to the top of the pacing tree, little wonder that retired Newcastle sporting journalist Terry Radley chose the name “Dan Patch” as a nom de plume when he began writing trotting articles as a contributor for The Herald in 1962. “I had to find a pen name because at the time I was doing some work for a number of trotting clubs,” Radley explained in an interview with FROM THE TRACK. “In any case, it wasn’t out of the ordinary in those days. Well-known former Newcastle racing journalists Les Madden (Pegasus) and Val Harland (Valais) also wrote under a pen name for quite a while.”

“At one stage, I had about 10,000 form cards.” Radley’s diligence caught the attention of then Maitland secretary Bert Greedy, who hired him to supply the form for the club’s racebooks. It snowballed from there. “I also supplied the form for Newcastle racebooks when they raced at the Showgrounds, and also Taree, Gosford and Lithgow clubs,” he said. “Of course, fax machines hadn’t been heard of then and my typing skills weren’t flash. I learnt to type using two fingers. “As the business expanded, I called on a couple of old primary school friends to help me out. They were good typists. “Once the form had been done for each meeting, I would put it on the train to go to the various clubs.” Radley was born in the Newcastle suburb of Boolaroo, but grew up in Sandgate, where his father was a sexton at the local cemetery. Times were tough, and he left school at 15. It’s easy to understand when he says his simple philosophy is: “You never know your destiny”. “If someone had told me I would work for The Herald for 34 years, I would never have believed it,” Radley said. “I finished school at Marist Brothers, Hamilton when the exams were over and got a job the next day as an apprentice motor mechanic at the Railway Garage opposite the Great Northern Hotel. “I worked there for about 10 years and did a few other jobs, including driving a taxi. “But I always had an interest in the trots (harness racing). A few were trained near Sandgate cemetery when I was growing up, and I

used to watch them. “And my brother Ray and I went to the trots regularly with Dad when the meetings were held at the Newcastle Showgrounds. “Ray later trained a couple of pacers, and I used to help him.” Thanks to Cliff Fraser, a prominent trotting trainer of the time, Radley got his start with The Herald in 1962, and became a full-time employee in 1971. “I had missed the advert seeking a trotting writer to do the form and tips along with stories, and Cliff mentioned it and had a contact who arranged an interview for me,” Radley explained.

Radley also valued his association with The Herald’s long-time Melbourne racing correspondent Jack Ayling, who passed away in 2000. The pair were great friends. Ever modest, Radley didn’t touch on the visionary role he played behind the scenes in getting the Newcastle Paceway – now one of the premier standardbred venues in Australia – up and running. Trotting had been conducted on the nearby small Broadmeadow Showground track since 1949 and, though it offered spectacular viewing at close quarters, front-runners were favoured and the circuit was too small to allow mobile starts. At the 1986 Newcastle rugby league grand final played at what is now “next door” to the Paceway, Radley floated his idea of a new track to fellow

trotting fan and Show Association trustee John Nott. The “dream” eventually became a reality when the International Sports Centre Trust, the State Government and TAB Racecourse Development Fund came to the party and built a magnificent new track and grandstand facilities. Radley also played an important role in helping get highly-respected greyhound broadcaster John McDermott’s career off the ground. “We had four people undertake practice calls at Showground trials, and John was one of them,” he explained. “I had to give an evaluation, and was very impressed with John and strongly recommended him.” Radley also was instrumental, along with Jack Newton and Dick Maclean, in the Newcastle formation of the Caduceus Club for harness racing devotees and was its inaugural president. The Knights’ initial coach, Allan McMahon, was the club’s first guest speaker. Coincidentally, Radley had secured a scoop from a reliable contact on McMahon’s appointment at the Knights before it was officially announced. Radley celebrated his 80th birthday twice in August. First, quietly with family and then, secondly, with family and friends at a well-attended function which took him completely by surprise. Though his achievements are many, his eyes welled when he spoke of the most important “achievement” of he and his wife Anne – their family.

The Radleys have four children; three sons Greg, Tony and Michael and daughter Claire. “We’re very proud of all of them, that’s for sure,” he said. “They have all done so well. “Our eldest Greg was born in 1971, and is now established as Sky Racing’s No 1 presenter. “Tony has always been interested in pacing and racing (together we had a share in a very good pacer called Gancia Guy, who won 24 races including seven at Harold Park) and has held executive positions with major companies in Australia and New Zealand. He is currently based in Auckland, where he is AMP Property Management’s corporate accountant. “Michael is the chief executive at Gloucester Park harness racing in Perth and loves what he is doing and Claire and her husband Graham are so good to Anne and myself, and she is a wonderful mother to three of our grandchildren; daughters Darcy and Billie and son Louis. “We have six grandchildren. Greg and Joanne have a son Jake and Tony and Natalie have a son (Sam) and daughter (Ava). “Life really couldn’t be better.”

HOOFNOTE: Tony remains in good racing company. His wife Natalie’s parents raced the classy sprinter Red Tempo, who won the 1985 Newmarket Handicap at Flemington (when trained by the legendary Colin Hayes).

“They were wonderful years, working with great journalists who were top blokes as well. “Jack Matthews was my first sporting editor, and Stewart Roach (who later assumed the role) was the best boss I ever worked for. We remain the best of mates.

Spelling and Agistment Farm

”So too George Piggford, who was the paper’s main rugby league writer. He took me under his wing and his guidance and advice was invaluable.” So began an award-winning journalistic career, which included a “best print story on any of the three codes” – thoroughbreds, standardbreds and greyhounds – in 1992 for an exclusive on “milkshakes” being used as performance-enhancing drugs.

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Radley covered a wide variety of sports. Apart from his beloved pacing, he also wrote on racing, rugby league, lawn bowls, soccer, and pigeon racing. Yes, pigeon racing. “We even had a Herald pigeon racing syndicate in the late 1980s and I managed it,” Radley explained it.

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FROM THE TRACK

NEWCASTLE

GREYHOUNDS

Brown prides himself on being available to all attendees on race nights. “I go and do the jackpot draw 15 minutes before the first race, and stay there until the meeting is over. “You have to be available, and the feedback is good. There was so much negativity until the industry was given a lifeline in September.

GREYHOUND RACING IS FUN – NOT DONE

“People started to have hope rather than doom and gloom. You can now feel the positivity around the place.

GREYHOUND racing is alive and well – and it’s fun. That’s the clear message Newcastle Greyhounds’ new boss Gary Brown (above) wants to get out there.

R SELECTION

“Everyone can have a terrific night out at Unibet Gardens,” Brown told FROM THE TRACK, relieved that the industry now at least has a future following the NSW Government’s backflip on its earlier decision to pull down the curtain on greyhound racing midway through next year.

ERING de from durable, wrinkle • Use of style and company logos to build team morale and KWEAR SELECTION ed and cut Brown for an up-tohas his ownpresent management consultancy business, and is a third a professional image.

“Patrons have the choice of a quality restaurant meal (Angsara Wok) or arance is mandatory. Durable for protection and staining. excellent canteen •food, andfabrics the action on thefrom trackheat is always exciting.”

remotely. Our racing operations manager Vicki McIntosh and myself communicate all the time, and we’ve got linked computers. “Because of my business, I can’t be here all the time, but technology these days allows you to manage the business just the same.” Brown started work at The Gardens on June 15, but barely had time to settle in when his greyhound world – along with that of the industry’s NSW participants – was turned upside down.

“Some of our members got a double whammy when this ban was first announced. Greyhound racing is not only their life, but they also live at Williamtown (in the contamination red zone). “This area (the Hunter) has the highest concentration of greyhound people in the State; they are in a wide geographical area which stretches from the Hawkesbury River and the Central Coast up to past Taree and out to Scone.” At no stage whilst the ban was still “on” did Brown lose hope. “I always believed it was too wrong to be true. Having been in the industry all my life, I knew it was the wrong decision. “This is the working man’s game. I grew up in Surry Hills (Sydney) and reared my first greyhound in Hyde Park.”

generation greyhound licensee (following on from his grandfather and father, • Practical clothing that meets food industry hygiene who raced dogs at Rooty Hill).(HACCP). regulations

“I was two and a half weeks into the job when the Government announced the ban,” he recalled.

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Brown is confident the industry will now move forward, and be managed differently to how it has been before.

“It was a demanding time. I came here to set up strategic directions and systems and introduce a new business model.

“It will require professional managers and, as such, be run as a professional business. Restraints on the participants also will have to be managed because we have an ageing participation and many are set in their ways.

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“They are constantly increasing, and I really attribute that our open and transparent communications with members and non-members.”

PAWNOTE: Newcastle Greyhounds races 104 times a year at The Gardens, and has attracted bookmaker John Summers to bet on local races. And Brown’s son Luke is now a fourth generation licensee. Based near Penrith, he has already trained city winners.

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Brown has subsequently seen a bonus side to that, quite apart from the obvious of getting the ban lifted. “It’s been a real positive; our crowds have increased,” he said.

“But it’s a great relief that we now have the chance to continue. Greyhound racing has been a way of life for generations of families.”

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“When the ban was announced, that all had to take a backseat. My job changed to a uniting role. I had to get everyone from the Hunter Valley together and ensure we were all heading in the same direction.”

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FROM THE TRACK

Artistry

PACE

@ THE JUNCTION

the

JANE Hextell has hit the track running in her new role as Newcastle Harness Racing Club’s inaugural Marketing & Business Development Manager.

airdresser Amanda Walton is a very busy woman. She and her husband Matthew are raising four beautiful children under the age of 11, including twin five yearold girls.

So much so that the club is promoting a “Hot To Trot” series of packages at three night meetings (two Fridays and one Saturday) in January.

Some 15 months ago, Walton (pictured centre with staff) left her mobile hairdressing business to purchase Artistry @ The Junction at 2/9 Kenrick Street, The Junction.

“It’s normally a quiet period of the year, as most people have either spent their money at Christmas or are away on holidays,” Ms Hextell said.

Whilst this was a huge step, she has not looked back and now employs three experienced stylists and an apprentice to look after her clientele.

“But we have targeted January 13, 20 and 28 by offering special food and drink packages in our restaurant.

Many personal services are provided by Artistry @ The Junction including the nutrient- rich botanical based JEVAL colouring system and the speciality of hair extensions for their clients.

“Our chef has arranged a new char grill menu for these meetings in keeping with the summer theme, and patrons who book into the restaurant will receive free entry and a complimentary dessert.”

During the past few months, Artistry @ The Junction has added a Millinery section by HANLEY HATS, featuring headwear and fascinators for the lady who is off to the races or that special occasion.

NHRC general manager Tony Drew, in welcoming Ms Hextell (pictured) as an important new member of the administration staff, said the main purpose of her appointment was to get people reconnected with harness racing, and encourage new patrons to become involved.

Open Tuesday to Saturday, Artistry @ The Junction is certainly racing ahead in the hairdressing stakes.

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The club, whilst it wasn’t able to race on Melbourne Cup day, staged a “BrandWorks Cup Function” for Southern Cross Austereo (owners of NXFM106.9) at the track. Two hundred people were in attendance, and Ms Hextell collected three new race sponsors for forthcoming meetings at the Paceway.

Rockmemama is Newcastle’s Horse Of The Year for season 2015-16. She clinched the award with her Group 1 triumph in the NSW Breeders Challenge at Menangle in June as a three-year-old, at only her 10th start.

Newcastle welcomes new sponsors to come on board. A single race sponsorship costs $1100 (including GST) and a full meeting sponsorship is also exceptional value at $8800.

Now a four-year-old, Rockmemama is prepared by Darryl Thomas at Sawyers Gully. Mark Callaghan is her regular driver.

Drew, meanwhile, is delighted with the success of Paceway meetings now that his club can accommodate 12-horse fields as compared with 10 previously. “It’s working really well,” he said. “We can now program 9 or 10 races at Saturday night meetings, and will run 535 races here this financial year. “Since we moved back to regular Saturday night pacing, the local support has been amazing. “We’re looking to not only consolidate that, but also improve our position with Jane’s appointment.”

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Formosa’s Ultimate Art was selected in the final lineup of 30 pacers to contest the heats on November 25 and 29 and December 2. The $1.1m final will be held on Friday evening, December 9. This is the second of a three-year arrangement which Gloucester Park clinched to stage Australasian harness racing’s “holy grail”.

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Trainer-driver Michael Formosa is representing the Hunter at the annual Inter-Dominion Pacing Championships currently being held at Perth’s Gloucester Park.

“We’re going to give it our best shot. Jane will look at theming at least one fixture per month as an event rather than simply a race meeting.”

Baker Love Lawyers is Newcastle’s longest established law firm and has provided quality legal services to generations of Novocastrians.

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“Now that we have re-established our continuity of Saturday night meetings (41 this financial year), we want to encourage new patrons to connect with harness racing and reconnect previous patrons who were lost to the industry for whatever reasons.

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“Jane comes to us with vast local experience in marketing and advertising, and I’m sure she will do a great job,” he said.

Shane Tritton won the Newcastle trainer’s premiership, and Todd McCarthy was the leading driver.

FROM THE TRACK

Professional Punting

55GREG

Jockey Ratings a Crucial Part Of Punting

seconds with

BRENTON Avdulla is the best jockey in Australia. So says renowned form analyst Luke Murrell, who places great emphasis on his jockey ratings in making selections for his very successful Professional Punting website.

RUDOLPH POSITION Hawkesbury Race Club Chief Executive BIRTHPLACE Brisbane, Qld SCHOOL St Mary’s, Maryborough & then Nudgee College, Brisbane FIRST JOB As soon as I could lift a hay bale and shovel, worked on the family-owned horse stud near Maryborough (Qld). During school holidays, I got a job doing everything from filling up 4WD’s to mowing the lawns at Eurong Resort, Fraser Island FAMILY Married to Rachael, and we have two sons (Thomas and Joseph). I have three younger brothers and four sisters. Mum lives in Queensland (Dad passed away in 2006) WHAT GOT YOU INTO RACING From the time I could remember, we attended race meetings with Mum and Dad when we had runners, mainly in Brisbane but also Gympie, Toowoomba or Rockhampton, where Dad grew up. I wanted to be a race caller originally, but had a few tries and didn’t like the sound of it

FAVOURITE HORSES To have seen raced, Octagonal. A sad day when he passed away on Caulfield Cup day this year. Saintly is up there in a vintage year and then Occy’s son Lonhro would make the trifecta. They are all framed on a wall in my office. On a personal note, Ease The Squeeze, our main stallion on the family stud Oakmeadows Farm, was my favorite. He was a magnificent horse by Showdown FOOTY TEAM Qld State Of Origin (Mighty Maroons) MOST ADMIRED SPORTS PERSON Susan O’Neill, but with a hint of bias as she is my cousin. I was lucky enough to be poolside for her two Olympic gold medals (butterfly in Atlanta in 1996 and then freestyle in Sydney in 2000). She has been a great ambassador for the sport and Olympic movement in and out of the pool, whilst maintaining her same uncomplicated outlook on life since we were kids FAVORITE MOVIE Photo between Life Is Beautiful and The Castle

Bloodstock, and race the nine-year-old with clients). “Obviously, the wet track that day was in Slow Pace’s favour,” he said. “But Robert’s initiative in taking off mid-race and sitting outside the leader was the deciding factor. “If he had sat back, Slow Pace would not have won. He beat the subsequent Newcastle Cup winner Sacred Master.” Murrell says some jockeys – thanks to a media push – have a profile which they really don’t deserve.

And his opinion certainly carries plenty of weight. Professional Punting is on course to return a profit for clients for the 19th year in a row.

“If the media gets behind a jockey, there’s no question their profile is lifted. In many cases, it’s way beyond reality.

Murrell spends a lot of time reviewing races and as a result continually makes alterations to his rating of jockeys.

“There are also some country jockeys who are every bit as good as some of their Sydney counterparts.

“Brenton (Avdulla) and Hugh Bowman are the best two jockeys in Sydney and, in my view, Brenton is the best in Australia,” Murrell told FROM THE TRACK.

“But they simply don’t get the opportunities in town.”

“Tactically, he is brilliant. He makes the least amount of wrong decisions and is always prepared to try things. “I never hesitate putting my money on him when I like any of his rides. “In any case, the proof is in the pudding. He is now getting lightweight mounts for Godolphin and rode Tally in the Caulfield Cup.” Murrell makes copious notes on jockeys’ performances, taking particular interest in horses’ SP’S (starting prices) and where they finish in a race. “As an example, if a horse starts at $21 and finishes third or fourth, then generally the jockey has done a good job,” he said. “Sometimes, the best rides are on horses which don’t win. “I look for consistency in jockeys, and also give marks to a jockey if he has won a race even though the horse probably should have been beaten.” Murrell made special mention of Australia’s winningest jockey Robert Thompson’s ride on French import Slow Pace to land the Listed Wyong Cup (2100m) in early September (Murrell and Jamie Lovett own Australian

Such is Murrell’s confidence in his ability to keep his clients on the right side of the ledger that he continues to offer a “full refund” to new subscribers provided they adhere to his advice and don’t finish in front over 12 months. “If any subscriber follows my instructions and loses over the 12 months, I will give them back their $349 subscription fee and another $1000 as well,” he said. “But our track record is proven, and I’m confident we will make it 19 straight years of profit this year. “Punters have to remember that disclipine is the keypoint. We won’t win everyday, but we will over the course of a year.” Don’t hesitate to look at professionalpunting.com.au or get in touch with Luke on 04 0745 1823. HOOFNOTE: The interview with Murrell took place a couple of weeks before Avdulla won the VRC Oaks on Lasqueti Spirit. Nor was he aware that Brenton Avdulla was to be our feature story in this edition. - EDITOR

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