Old Trots Bookies NamesHarness & Greyhounds

Chariotsonfire

An old Greg Denham fictional story.

Dave Whittle, Harry Mack, Jack Ridley and Lofty Scott fielded at a Bridgetown meeting and on the way back to Perth Jack came across Lofty's car upside down in a ditch with the wheels still spinning. Lofty was dead inside. Jack said to his clerk I am obliged to let his wife know and drove to their house in the suburbs. He knocked on the door and being the early hours of the morning it took some time for Mrs Scott to come to the door. "Widow Scott" Jack said and Mrs Scott replied "I am not the Widow Scott". Jack's response was "I wouldn't mind some 6/4 about that".

TheDiva

the plunge will be a thing of the past in the very near future. 

Markovina

TheDiva said:

the plunge will be a thing of the past in the very near future. 

When you think back it was incredible - the money involved

That thing of Mark Reads - Henry Davis  at Canterbury Park 90s into 5s or something - now that is what you call; exciting - kept everyone on their toes and it was a mid weaker as well - and duly saluted 

You contrast to todays oncourse experience - Pinjarra Trots yesterday - or any meeting their - when you watch the race - in the background - surrounding paddocks - there is allways cattle grazing - and they couldnt careless about the race - and that sums it up - dullsville

PackedMetalPanda

Markovina said:

TheDiva said:

the plunge will be a thing of the past in the very near future. 

When you think back it was incredible - the money involved

That thing of Mark Reads - Henry Davis  at Canterbury Park 90s into 5s or something - now that is what you call; exciting - kept everyone on their toes and it was a mid weaker as well - and duly saluted 

You contrast to todays oncourse experience - Pinjarra Trots yesterday - or any meeting their - when you watch the race - in the background - surrounding paddocks - there is allways cattle grazing - and they couldnt careless about the race - and that sums it up - dullsville

I’ll get McLarty’s to give the cattle a form guide so they become more invested in what’s happening at the track.

Chariotsonfire

Talking about plunges and I was on the wrong end of many and more that went astray. One thing with plunges as a bookie you rarely win whoever wins as value goes out the window as bookies attempt to minimise potential losses.

Probably the most bizarre was the Franco Swift plunge in the Parliamentarians Cup in November 2000 approximately 3 months before I retired from bookmaking.

Mark Reed trained both Franco Swift and the opening favourite Skippers Trick. Lindsay Harper drove Franco Swift and Mark drove Skippers Trick. Franco Swift jumped straight to the front and never looked like being beaten after being backed from 14/1 to 5/2.

The aftermath involved names such as Frank Bratovich, Val Way (Wife of George) and Bruce Morris. Val Way was betting very big with Lucky Kalaf at the time and was used as a bowler to get a big bet on with Lucky at the 14/1. 

At a subsequent inquiry Val revealed that she had placed the bet for Bruce Morris who subsequently gave evidence that he backed it for a third party. When asked who the third party was Bruce said it was Ken Crew (the City Beach shark attack victim) and obviously he was unavailable to give evidence.

lick

EVENS, 10/9, 5/4, 11/8, 6/4, 13/8, 7/4, 15/8, 2/1, 9/4, 5/2, 11/4, 3/1,13/4, 7/2, SCR, 15/4, 4/1, 9/2, 5/1, 11/2, 6/1, 13/2, 7/1, 15/2, 8/1, 9/1, 10/1, 11/1, 12/1, 14/1, 15/1, 16/1, 20/1, 25/1, 33/1, 40/1, 50/1, 66/1, 100/1, 125/1, 150/1, 200/1, 250/1, 330/1 500/1.

1/4 odds for a place.  Reverse odds to some degree when odds on (in red figures).

Totally different from digital bookie boards we have now. 

"Give us $40 on Radiant Oro at 13/8"  = $105. In those days the Bookies would do all these calculations in their head. Betting ticket would be "xRO 105" in a hand written scrawl (x for a win).

Chariotsonfire

Incidentally Gilgamesh was represented in the Parliamentarians Cup of 2000.

JayJay

Reeds had a 3rd runner in that race in which Gil ran 10th but he lived to fight another day running 2nd to Another Party in the $20,000 Kalgoorlie Cup a few starts later. That was about it for Gilgamesh who went to the USA shortly via Ranaldi Airlines  where he won another 5 races.

Skippers Trick had his last Australian start in that Parliamentarians Cup, also heading Stateside where he won a remarkable 33 races to go with his 15 Australian successes, picked up buckets of prizemoney and took a low 1.53 life time record. Perhaps he under-performed a little in his last race in WA.

Chariotsonfire

Another couple of Dave Whittle idiosyncrasies.

Rang a school bell and told punters when the bell rang it was time to get on.

Told punters if they could recite a line from Shakespeare they would get a role of the board.;

Chariotsonfire

Bad Boy Daz was the other Reed runner and Franco Swift never raced for Mark Reed after that race and was unplaced at his next 11 starts before winning a mid week race for Eugene Harris.

Just an aside a prominent big punter in that era was first on Skippers Trick on the misapprehension that LBH would hand up to it but evidently Mark made it very clear that Franco Swift was to lead. The punter and the bookies were not happy.

Markovina

Mark Reed - i think he was a big punter at one stage on the AFL 

Around 2004/5  i use to listen the racing radio show in the morning - and they use to get him on - and  he use to go in depth into the football selections - i will give a sneaky chance to this mob at the odds 

It gave me the impression he was right into AFL Betting - which he is entitled to do 

Gilgamesh

Markovina said:

Mark Reed - i think he was a big punter at one stage on the AFL 

Around 2004/5  i use to listen the racing radio show in the morning - and they use to get him on - and  he use to go in depth into the football selections - i will give a sneaky chance to this mob at the odds 

It gave me the impression he was right into AFL Betting - which he is entitled to do 

You may have missed the chat he had with Matt Young when he wound up his time driving Marko.

Openly admits to pretty much losing the apartment he bought early in his career thanks to Another Party in Maryland's because he thought he was an astute footy punter.

Markovina

Gilgamesh said:

Markovina said:

Mark Reed - i think he was a big punter at one stage on the AFL 

Around 2004/5  i use to listen the racing radio show in the morning - and they use to get him on - and  he use to go in depth into the football selections - i will give a sneaky chance to this mob at the odds 

It gave me the impression he was right into AFL Betting - which he is entitled to do 

You may have missed the chat he had with Matt Young when he wound up his time driving Marko.

Openly admits to pretty much losing the apartment he bought early in his career thanks to Another Party in Maryland's because he thought he was an astute footy punter.

Is that right

I only have a very  few AFL Bets- but plenty do get hooked on them - i think the late Bert  Newton owed the Sports bookies about 80k re AFL Betting when years back he got in that financial pickle 

Ive got a good reason for that - late 90s  or early 2000s - around that period in Sydney - the very early days of AFL betting on the NSW TAB - and there was no interest at all in it . Honestly a TAB Agent on a Frid got  the old  sticky tape out - and a piece of paper - with the prices for the AFL matches and  stick it up on the wall - and those prices stayed exactly the same till the Sunday night

Anyhow one Sunday  lunchtime went into the Rose Bay TAB- and i heard that there were a couple of late outs for Ess - they were top 2.ladder  Carlton were ok to good around 6th - late in the year had to win - where as Dons could afford to drop a couple of games etc

Carlton were $3.50 - they had no ticket for it - you had to tell the agent - so  said to him i will have $200 on Carlton thankyou - so he is processing it - and i said to him -  you know that both Hird and Fletcher are late outs for Ess - and he looked up at me - and said - who is Hird and who is Fletcher - ha - ha - ha - and i thought to myself this is the easiest $500 you are ever going to win

No TV Broadcast in Syd - listened on the radio - very low scoring game - about 23rd minute of last qtr - Carlton kicked their 8th goal - so it was something like 8 -8 to 4-11 and i thought turn  off the radio the famous navy blues are home - go wash your car which i did - had a real spring in my step- in an absolute great mood .

Then i found an hour later they got beat on the bell - Silvagni - FB of the century my aarse - too lazy 30 metre kick ins from FB - went  straight to his Italian mate Mercuri ( pity he was wearing an Ess jumper ) who kicked them straight back over SOS head for goals

Ess were as flat as pancakes all day - and they suddenly got excited by that and got up and won - and that was basically the end of my AFL betting

Gilgamesh

Markovina said:

Gilgamesh said:

Markovina said:

Mark Reed - i think he was a big punter at one stage on the AFL 

Around 2004/5  i use to listen the racing radio show in the morning - and they use to get him on - and  he use to go in depth into the football selections - i will give a sneaky chance to this mob at the odds 

It gave me the impression he was right into AFL Betting - which he is entitled to do 

You may have missed the chat he had with Matt Young when he wound up his time driving Marko.

Openly admits to pretty much losing the apartment he bought early in his career thanks to Another Party in Maryland's because he thought he was an astute footy punter.

Is that right

I only have a very  few AFL Bets- but plenty do get hooked on them - i think the late Bert  Newton owed the Sports bookies about 80k re AFL Betting when years back he got in that financial pickle 

Ive got a good reason for that - late 90s  or early 2000s - around that period in Sydney - the very early days of AFL betting on the NSW TAB - and there was no interest at all in it . Honestly a TAB Agent on a Frid got  the old  sticky tape out - and a piece of paper - with the prices for the AFL matches and  stick it up on the wall - and those prices stayed exactly the same till the Sunday night

Anyhow one Sunday  lunchtime went into the Rose Bay TAB- and i heard that there were a couple of late outs for Ess - they were top 2.ladder  Carlton were ok to good around 6th - late in the year had to win - where as Dons could afford to drop a couple of games etc

Carlton were $3.50 - they had no ticket for it - you had to tell the agent - so  said to him i will have $200 on Carlton thankyou - so he is processing it - and i said to him -  you know that both Hird and Fletcher are late outs for Ess - and he looked up at me - and said - who is Hird and who is Fletcher - ha - ha - ha - and i thought to myself this is the easiest $500 you are ever going to win

No TV Broadcast in Syd - listened on the radio - very low scoring game - about 23rd minute of last qtr - Carlton kicked their 8th goal - so it was something like 8 -8 to 4-11 and i thought turn  off the radio the famous navy blues are home - go wash your car which i did - had a real spring in my step- in an absolute great mood .

Then i found an hour later they got beat on the bell - Silvagni - FB of the century my aarse - too lazy 30 metre kick ins from FB - went  straight to his Italian mate Mercuri ( pity he was wearing an Ess jumper ) who kicked them straight back over SOS head for goals

Ess were as flat as pancakes all day - and they suddenly got excited by that and got up and won - and that was basically the end of my AFL betting

Yes I find betting on the footy can often just ruin a good game of footy!

I can remember probably about the same time you have mentioned the old tip 8 and tip 12 with the WAFL use to have some really bug results if you could jag a few upsets but nowadays to sharp a minds play in to just about every sports bet type you could think of.

bookielover

Markovina said:

TheDiva said:

the plunge will be a thing of the past in the very near future. 

When you think back it was incredible - the money involved

That thing of Mark Reads - Henry Davis  at Canterbury Park 90s into 5s or something - now that is what you call; exciting - kept everyone on their toes and it was a mid weaker as well - and duly saluted 

You contrast to todays oncourse experience - Pinjarra Trots yesterday - or any meeting their - when you watch the race - in the background - surrounding paddocks - there is allways cattle grazing - and they couldnt careless about the race - and that sums it up - dullsville

Getting Closer was the horse in question. I got to know  Michael Fraser, who rode track work for Henry Davis back then. He told me that it was the biggest certainty on a track that I have ever ridden at track work. 

They were all sworn to secrecy and jockey Malcolm Johnson wasn't told of the horses ability until he was legged on. Had he known before hand, it would have started 1/2.

The first bookie hit was world war two veteran Digger Lob who was betting 200/1, then Ray Hopkins betting 160/1.Dominic Bierne laid the horse to lose$100,000 in a single bet, and Robbie Waterhouse laid $60,000/ 6000 and $10,000/600 before turning it into 2/1. His dad Bill laid it to lose $40,000. Jack Muir laid it to lose $80,000 while Len Burke  laid it at 50/1, and was still laying it as they went into the barriers at 11/2 even though the official starting price was7/1.

Laurie Briknell laid $33,000/1000 in the Gold Coast ring,and thousands more were lifted from betting rings around Australia.

Read always claimed that he only won a third of that reported and the average price was 12/1. But even if  that is an accurate statement on his part and you equate that to todays money, it was still a fortune at a time when average weekly earnings were $250.00 a week.

Getting Closer went on to win a Stradbroke so it was a terrific horse.

Just on Briknell, he once laid a bet of $80,000/32,000 cash at 5/2  in the Gold Coast ring which won. 

I think the horse, might have been Jezabeel,  but I I remember bookie Michael Eskander telling me that he had  laid it in the Melbourne Cup to Packer and Williams, for more than he really wanted. the field jumped away, and Michael rang  Briknell from his stand, bookies could do it back then, and asked him for a bet to win $500,000 on Jezabeel. Briknell said, no problem mate. Jezabeel won.

I think that encapsulates how big the betting was up until about the year 2,000. Having said that,when you take into account bookie Ken Ranger who fielded on the rails in Sydney from 1949, until around 1955, when heart issues meant an early retirement, his figures are staggering. He held $2,4000,000 for the year, back in 1950. I can't even begin to translate that into todays figures.

He laid bets to lose 10,000 and 20,000 pounds when a nice home in a nice suburb cost 3,000 pounds. So,on a pro rata basis taking inflation into account, he was the biggest bookie we have seen from 1950 till the present day.

Unfortunately, the days of big betting are over. The so called big plunges with the Corps are either a dead set mug with too much money and a guaranteed loser over a twelve month period, or they are bullshite bets for publicity sakes,. Win with a Corp, and you are barred.

About the only way you can win money is either with Betfair, where there are no restrictions, or you get ten mates, give them money to back a horse with the 10 Melbourne rails bookies working at Caulfield today, who have to bet you to lose $5,000 in a single bet,and go up to them at the same time and you can win $50,000.A nice amount, but no where near anything that you could win in a single bet, in the "good old days".

PictureSon1973

Just a matter of opinion but has the demise of Bookmakers on course diminished the Racing
Experience and how much would you think it’s affected on course numbers.

Chariotsonfire

In the 1990s when bookmakers numbers were starting to diminish and the WATA were pricing us out of business in an endeavour to increase revenue I pleaded to the Committee to consider the long term ramifications. My argument was that future trainers, drivers and owners did not come  straight out of TAB Agencies but became interested through the on course experience. 

As bookmaker numbers contracted on course attendance took a similar slide.

JayJay

The opening of the Casino in 1985? (I think it was) was a dagger in the heart to trotting, attendances went south along with turnover and it has never recovered. The decline in bookmakers  driven out initially by hopeless management decisions has just marched on and on and phones have now almost completely killed them off.

However, up until say 5 to 10 years ago, there was a semblance of the "on course experience" on Cup Nights and on select events. Past replays of I'm Themightyquinn confirm a pretty vibrant night out. But what really hammered home the failure of management to build the brand was the extremely disappointing crowds at the 3 Interdominions, forgiving the daylight final failed experiment, but when the great horse Lazarus competed, you would expect standing room only. Alas, that has flowed over to pathetic crowds at the last few Freo and WA Cups. It seems the decline has exacerbated greatly under the current management who seem powerless to arrest the decline. The joint is falling to bits, no one goes (not even on a combined Chinese New year/Pacing Cup/Fireworks night), there is zero promotion and the solution is to sell the farm for some pie in the sky uncosted, unplanned, undetailed redevelopment. What is the 'point of difference" on offer for an on course experience in comparison to a comfy lounge chair and a mobile phone betting app? Access to the venue is both difficult and expensive, food and drinks are barely competitive and it has a funeral atmosphere. The only people there are owners and industry participants hopeful of getting a few crumbs but still we have the same old talking heads preaching  to the converted on radio about another "great night" or a "cracking programe" or a super tip from "our man" so and so. Management failure 101.

AbbysAce

JayJay said:

The opening of the Casino in 1985? (I think it was) was a dagger in the heart to trotting, attendances went south along with turnover and it has never recovered. The decline in bookmakers  driven out initially by hopeless management decisions has just marched on and on and phones have now almost completely killed them off.

However, up until say 5 to 10 years ago, there was a semblance of the "on course experience" on Cup Nights and on select events. Past replays of I'm Themightyquinn confirm a pretty vibrant night out. But what really hammered home the failure of management to build the brand was the extremely disappointing crowds at the 3 Interdominions, forgiving the daylight final failed experiment, but when the great horse Lazarus competed, you would expect standing room only. Alas, that has flowed over to pathetic crowds at the last few Freo and WA Cups. It seems the decline has exacerbated greatly under the current management who seem powerless to arrest the decline. The joint is falling to bits, no one goes (not even on a combined Chinese New year/Pacing Cup/Fireworks night), there is zero promotion and the solution is to sell the farm for some pie in the sky uncosted, unplanned, undetailed redevelopment. What is the 'point of difference" on offer for an on course experience in comparison to a comfy lounge chair and a mobile phone betting app? Access to the venue is both difficult and expensive, food and drinks are barely competitive and it has a funeral atmosphere. The only people there are owners and industry participants hopeful of getting a few crumbs but still we have the same old talking heads preaching  to the converted on radio about another "great night" or a "cracking programe" or a super tip from "our man" so and so. Management failure 101.

Micheal Radley is more interested in what bottle of red wine he will be drinking then getting anyone to GP on a friday night..

Markovina

Re the excitement - re on course bookmakers etc 

I can remember when i was a kid - and with betting rings - and this was interstate at the time re trotting - there was say 90 bookmakers - and theyd have different rings located on the course - and i can remember one night Vic Frost ( big money stable ) one of his was crunched instantly 9s into 4s - and this other kid and i raced around to this other ring - where they were still betting the 9s - they hadnt been informed yet- that was the excitement of race tracks 

And i will tell you how keen some mathematical punters were - this is about 55 years ago so TABs shut at 5pm - the poor TAB agent would have writers cramp - all 

manual writing out bets - your copy - his duplicate copy 

Thus that era - country/regional trotting meetings - the tote odds because only oncourse money could affect it - theyd have like an old football scoreboard - so if something moved from $9 to $8 - a woman ( exactly like a footy scoreboard ) would replace the 9 with an 8 

And with a couple of trotting trots - out the back of the oncourse tote building - there was a glass window - and a woman would sticky tape thea pprox win/place 3-4 minutes before the race ( so only oncourse bets from then till jump could alter the prices ) and theyd be 4-5 people waiting for her - armed with their pocket calculators - keen as mustard - even with the place pool - i can see them doing it - take out the govt % and then divide it by 3 - thats fair dinkum that 

They were a hive of excitement racetracks - and i think one of the reasons - re the huge betting - was house prices were cheap  as  chips  - you could have a lovely house but worth nothing - a decent winning bet could buy you a decent house . Where as today - alot of houses are worth a fortune - so alot of people on paper feel wealthy

bookielover

Markovina,

I'll tell you one that used to happen at Geelong trots. I can do it now, because everyone is dead, and  I became very friendly with one of the punters that did it, but he was 35 years older than me, and this was well before my time as a punter.

The old Geelong track was a saucer. there were only 5 across the front line.You jumped to the front, you invariably won the race.

Anyway, an old punter used to stand at the minimum 100 pound  a bet window. He had a bloke standing in a position which would allow the bloke to see which horse had gone to the front,and signal with the fingers of one hand, which horse had done so and the old punter would get the operator to punch out as many tickets for the PLACE as she could before the tote closed.

It usually took about 3 seconds for that to happen, so the operator might punch out two or three tickets, before the system closed,and the old bloke would sling the sheila 5 pounds a night, to do it.

Anyway, there were a group of punters who wanted access to that window, but out of respect for the old punter, they never took his place and he was there all night. He dies, so they take over.

They were smarter than the old bloke. Firstly, they paid the tote manager who would shut down the system, 50 quid a night not to shut it down for 8 seconds,and they paid the lady 20 pounds. It was a fortune back then when the tote operator was probably getting two quid and the manager a tenner.

Secondly, they only bet for the WIN, and could get 8, sometimes 9, 100 pound win bets on, that's on all 8 races. 

The horse going to the front, had around an 80% success rate, and they won a stack, over about 18 months, until it got too hot to do it.

Another lurk these blokes got up to, was a beauty as well. To be perfectly honest, the general public back in the 60's and 70's had very little knowledge about the form of horses. They relied mostly on newspaper tipsters and tips from  the broadcasters. Bert Bryant tipped that winner, or Bill Collins did, you would hear them say.  Frankly, very little has changed, and the urgers on Sky, and racing radio stations, trumpet the fact when Gator or the other genii tip an even money winner.

The above mentioned gentlemen would bet mainly at the trots, both night and day, but they used to leave their biggest stings for Terang and Horsham, where they would pay the course commentator at Terang, the long deceased Bill Larty, I, might have the spelling wrong, 2 quid to tip horses they wanted him to tip in the daily double legs. 

The double could hold over 100, 000 dollars in the late 60's and 70's big money for a cr@p meeting at Terang trots. I think he called at Horsham as well,and the same arrangement took place. As we all know, unless you have an edge, punting is a tough game and it's virtually impossible to get an edge nowadays. As Diva said, the days of big plonks are numbered.

These blokes were extremely well informed.Of course they paid for the privilege, but made plenty. They knew that certain horses could not win, in particular, ones which were going to be well fancied by the public, but to ensure that the dead money was certain to be invested in the doubles, they got the course commentator to tip those horses on top and make them the bet of the night. And the public tumbled into the tips.

This ensured that if/when, the horses they had coupled up in their doubles won, the dividend would be at least 50/60% bigger than what should have been the case, They weren't always successful, but  my mate told me that their strike rate was around 85% and they won a stack of money over a ten year period.

I can tell you of trots rorts at Harold Park done by a very well known bookmaking family. They never got caught because what they did was brilliant. I'll leave that for another time.

PictureSon1973

Chariots was Falcon Strikes 1st Start @ G.P a plunge ?
As I think Disco Force was possibly in the Red .
If it was plunged when did you realise Oh No I’m going to get roasted here..

JayJay

Chariots will be all across the detail but it was a 3yo race, Disco Force drew 9  and The Falcon Strike 12 over the mile. Disco won had  8 straight as the champion 2yo of his year, had misbehaved first up as a 3yo and was sent back to the trials which he won (x2) easily. Falcon Strike was a maiden but had been backed heavily to win some rich $150k NZ 3yo race at his first start for his new WA owners. Barry Purdon was training him and he was a certainty beaten in running 5th. Smoke and fire? He came to Perth and was first up opening at a wary 4/1. He started at 7/4 whilst Disco drifted a little from 4/6 to 9/10. Disco tried to cross for Lindsay from 9 but was unsuccessful and was dragged back to last with Falcon Strike sitting 3 wide with a trail. when Disco let down, Jnr saw him coming and raced to the front down the back. They went to war but Falcon prevailed by a metre. I think the two drivers exchanged animated thoughts as they were pulling up in perhaps a less than complimentary manner.

Chariotsonfire

I actually ceased my bookmaking operation in January 2001 and The Falcon Strike's first win in WA was on 16th February 2001 so I was not involved in the plunge. Disco Force was the opening favourite in that event and TFS rated a very quick 1:56.4 for the 1700m an exceptional time in that era.

JayJay

Email correspondent suggesting it was in fact Snr driving Falcon Strike and engaging in post race conversations with Lindsay? I think that may be correct as not sure Jnr had his license back in 2001? I think he took over driving Falcon strike as a 4 year old.

curmudgeon

In Nov 2000 G Hall snr took a truckload of horses to Kalgoorlie. I think it was the first iteration of the mini round that existed for a couple of years before meetings were progressively cut from the goldfields season. The club ran meetings on the 13th 20th 25th & 29th of Nov & the last of the sequence on the 2nd Dec.....maybe one of which was a rerun of a washed out meeting but the quick turnaround between meetings encouraged visitors to spend the entire time up there..

Snr stabled his team on course & from memory his first 7 starters won ....he drove them all & it was his career best winning sequence..

He had two in a section of the on course where I had a couple of mine & I remember in conversation he mentioned he had been going through a depressing time with his team & was at his wits end with the trip being pivotal as to whether he continued in the game. The success & the 3 weeks away from the metro grind rejuvenated him & he had a spring back in his step when he left to return & the rest is history....the change was as good or in fact financially better than a holiday.

When he returned to Perth he left Upwardly Mobile with me as he struggled in Metro class & I raced him through the goldfields season then took him down & stayed with him at Snrs in Hazlemere.. This was during the period where The Falcon Strike was being worked up to that first start vs Disco Force. It was an oppressively hot Jan /Feb but the stable temperature surrounding TFS leading into that event was hotter. I jogged him a couple of times in the sand & he was like a little robot...the longer he worked  the stronger he got...what a great champion he turned out to be. Pre that race he ran the hands off the clock in work at the Guildford track.

The enthusiasm lift stood out for me in witnessing the turnaround in attitude & fortune from Nov through to Feb & it resuscitated the Hall camp.  .TFS's win in Jan 2001 probably defines the commencement of the contemporary Hall rise & rise but it was no guarantee in Nov 2000 when Snr was breathing in the eucalypt fragrance of the Cruickshank Sports Arena Kalgoorlie.

There you go Marko.....a topical little vignette....not San Simeon related but another champion nonetheless..   .

JayJay

I haven't looked it up but I know you won races with Upwardly Mobile in Kal and I have a feeling he won at GP for you one night? Or was it Kellie Kersley?

Speaking of TFS, the night he came off the back line in (I think it was) one of those Australian Pacing Championships ...Jofess was in it, Tricky Vic and plenty of others. He was last, went forward 3 wide, abandoned ship went back to last and then came around the entire mob in the last lap, eyeballed Jofess on the home turn and then whizzed on by. He was some horse TFS, somewhat in the shade with time and Quinny and others pushing him out of our immediate thoughts, but he could do impossible things when he was at his best.

curmudgeon

Old Upwardly Mobile ran second for me at GP not beaten far by ACL on a horse called Cullen NZ ....not the Christian Cullen but still too good for us on the night.  

Kate Kersley had him for a while & Bruce Lovett had him going ok on lease when the poor bugger fractured a pastern at GP one night. Sad end for an absolute gentleman of a horse.

Markovina

curmudgeon said:

In Nov 2000 G Hall snr took a truckload of horses to Kalgoorlie. I think it was the first iteration of the mini round that existed for a couple of years before meetings were progressively cut from the goldfields season. The club ran meetings on the 13th 20th 25th & 29th of Nov & the last of the sequence on the 2nd Dec.....maybe one of which was a rerun of a washed out meeting but the quick turnaround between meetings encouraged visitors to spend the entire time up there..

Snr stabled his team on course & from memory his first 7 starters won ....he drove them all & it was his career best winning sequence..

He had two in a section of the on course where I had a couple of mine & I remember in conversation he mentioned he had been going through a depressing time with his team & was at his wits end with the trip being pivotal as to whether he continued in the game. The success & the 3 weeks away from the metro grind rejuvenated him & he had a spring back in his step when he left to return & the rest is history....the change was as good or in fact financially better than a holiday.

When he returned to Perth he left Upwardly Mobile with me as he struggled in Metro class & I raced him through the goldfields season then took him down & stayed with him at Snrs in Hazlemere.. This was during the period where The Falcon Strike was being worked up to that first start vs Disco Force. It was an oppressively hot Jan /Feb but the stable temperature surrounding TFS leading into that event was hotter. I jogged him a couple of times in the sand & he was like a little robot...the longer he worked  the stronger he got...what a great champion he turned out to be. Pre that race he ran the hands off the clock in work at the Guildford track.

The enthusiasm lift stood out for me in witnessing the turnaround in attitude & fortune from Nov through to Feb & it resuscitated the Hall camp.  .TFS's win in Jan 2001 probably defines the commencement of the contemporary Hall rise & rise but it was no guarantee in Nov 2000 when Snr was breathing in the eucalypt fragrance of the Cruickshank Sports Arena Kalgoorlie.

There you go Marko.....a topical little vignette....not San Simeon related but another champion nonetheless..   .

Very good - i just wish there was a hell of alot more  content like that posted on this site - because its interesting reading that type of stuff - and this forum/site would be a hell of alot better 

A couple of comments Hall Snr re 2000 Kal - he basically did what Cortapassi did - take a truck load of horses - base yourself in Kal - win some races - make some money and pay the bills . Alot of trainers - their fortunes change when their kids ca help out at the stable - and bring that keeness  as well - Paul Fitzpatrick in NSW a good example - battling sort of trainer - then the 3 boys are teenagers - and  his results changed dramatically

Leads to the obvious question - who was the better horse San Simeon or The Falcon Strike - seeing you drove both of them  ? 

TFS in my opinion was a slightly better  horse than Chicago Bull - from memory it ran a huge/super race - may have been an A G Hunter Cup - might have run 4th or 5th - but it was a gigantic run

PictureSon1973

In the Hunter Cup that TFS ran in as you mentioned Marks was Elsu the Winner ?
Because if it was one what a Monstrous Win I backed TFS that night and if it was Elsu who
won I then realised how good the NZ Horses must be if they’re not willing to Sell
as he like Lazarus was on another Level..