October
AugustGolden years
This subject of great horses from different eras finds me in the fortunate position to have gone to the races in what I call the golden era of racing, being 1966/67. I was 18 at the time and mad keen on going to the races every Saturday. I think I was around in a time of multiple champions, and here are a few of them (not necessarily in order).
We roll up at the track in 1966 to see champions such as Tobin Bronze, Galilee, Storm Queen, Rain Lover, Citius, Star Affair, Chantel, Winfreux, Craftsman, Light Fingers and Prince Grant. Add to this the good horses Gala Crest, Bore Head, Tea Biscuit, Duo, Ziema, Red William, Gatum Gatum and apologies to those I can’t remember.
Then in 1967 we have those I have already named plus we get Pratten Park, Savoy, Nebo Road, Dark Purple, Marmion, Biscay, Cendrillon, Cabochon, Mister Hush, Red Handed, Sweet Embrace, Fulman, General Command and again apologies to those I’ve missed.
And what about the race callers we were lucky enough to have? Bill Collins, Bert Bryant and Joe Brown in Melbourne, Ken Howard, Cliff Cary and Des Hoysted in Sydney, John O’Neill in Adelaide, Wayne Wilson in Brissy, we had the lot.
Of course we had the great jockeys, in Melbourne Roy Higgins, Harry White, Frank Reys, Jimmy Johnson, W.A. (Billy) Smith, Pat Hyland and visits from the great J.J. (John) Miller. In Sydney there was George Moore (the greatest of them all), Athol George Mulley, Des Lake, Neal Campton, Ray Selkrig and Jack Thompson. And let’s not forget the great jumps jockeys Tommy McGinley, Ted Byrne and Ron Hall.
I’d like to mention in particular the great Crisp. I remember being at Flemington and watching him clear a jump in front of the stand by metres and landing at least 10 metres past the jump. Of course he won easily and never looked like falling at any time despite carrying extraordinary weights.
Today’s champions are great, don’t get me wrong. Winx and Black Caviar are/were something special, so dominant, but that is my point.
In 1966 and1967 there were a lot of champion horses around. Take Tobin Bronze — 60 starts for 28 wins, 10 seconds and six thirds, and that was against other champions.
Just writing this has bought back some great memories for me.
Horses turned up at the track and bias was unknown — you had to work it out for yourself.
Form guides were found on Friday with the horses’ last three starts and not much else. And half the time you wouldn’t know the jockey until they posted them on the board at the track.
Ah, those were the days when a punt was a punt. If you weren’t in with the stable you had to have luck and that was it.
There have been other great eras in racing but this was mine.
Scarsdale (Vic)