Chris Waller is Australia’s greatest trainer, according to Martin King, a racecourse photographer since 1973, this created a spark from Bob Thomsen, well versed to argue on the subject.
King and Thomsen clashed at a recent lunch for turf types, promoted by Steven Hart, another snapper, an unsung group that have contributed much to the industry.
Apart from those employed by the media, racecourse photographers are freelancers who basically capture the winning moments for owner, trainers and those interested in keeping a memento.
Obviously modern technology, mobile telephones with camera functions and videos, have dipped into the market but their expertise is still appreciated.
King and Thomsen, a Group one winning trainer, go back a long way. “My first recollection of Bob was at Randwick and I was in the old flat enclosure,” King recalled. “I had five bob on a horse called Scheme, ridden by Jack Thompson.
“Bob (then an apprentice with Tommy Smith) beat me on a longshot.”
Thomsen later clarified the situation to King. Thomsen was racing outside of Scheme when “Long Jack” (Thompson) said: “Son, you better let it go or you’ll get 10 years”.
Relations between the pair wasn’t strained until King declared his allegiance to Waller as superior to Tommy Smith, Bart Cummings and Col Hayes.
Thomsen, whose training expertise enabled him to indulge in a vintage car collection, stressed the difference of the eras and the massive numbers, and quality thoroughbreds, Waller has.
“Look at the scoreboard,” King countered. At the time Waller had 220 successes for the season as well as a record equalling National Group one winning record of 18. Waller will be out to enhance the Group one tally Saturday at Eagle Farm with Joliestar in the Kingsford Smith and Belle Detelle (Queensland Derby) but unfancied stablemates for which he has a penchant could also play a role.
Not being present for the debate, I later questioned King and he admitted Waller was his preference but went a tad weak on the superiority over Cummings and overlooked John Size because he went to Hong Kong.
Being up close and personal with most of the past greats, attending Randwick trackwork for around 50 years I could not separate Smith and Cummings because their style and achievements were so different. Smith won races; Cummings notched targets.
None could condition 40 horses every morning as fast as Smith with a sharp eye and speedier tongue. Cummings was laid-back, but to see him in the final days at Flemington, leading up to the Melbourne Cup, hands behind his back, deep in contemplation, was observing a genius.
Col Hayes, too, in action at Lindsay Park in South Australia was an experience: fulfilling his policy that “the future belongs to those who plan for it”.
But lesser lights, master horsemen, come to mind: George Hanlon driving a rattle-trap truck, uphill and down dale, at his Geelong property, yelling instructions to nearby riders on once common mounts that he transformed into topliners.
And only Bob Hoysted, a horse whisperer, could have nursed the mighty Manikato back to champion from a hopeless, bleeding cripple. Hoysted was training at Epsom in Melbourne when we would wait for him to arrive in a special horse float with Sydeston who won a Caulfield Cup. Sydeston hammered the sides of a special float, designed by the trainer to carry him. Normal transport would have been disastrous.
Smith and Cummings had to compete with top achievers including Jack Green, Neville Begg and Les Bridge at Randwick. The remarkable Gai Waterhouse extends over both periods. Rosehill and Warwick Farm were outside my early morning sphere but Jack Denham and others added to the competition.
I regret not making the effort to see the Waller operation at Rosehill a decade back. Yes, he has horses by the hundreds and looking at them I am amazed that he can produce to so many fit, heathy types.
I never thought the figures he’s achieved were possible, and against sterling opposition. The consistency of horses trained by Joe Pride and Bjorn Baker rates highly. Ciaron Maher has an even bigger operation than Waller.
Still the opinion of King, formed through a different lens, should be respected. Pictures may not be as popular but still enough to keep King and Marc Bradley in focus.
Betty Lane, our first outstanding female trainer, was exiled to Geurie because of her gender and was a racecourse photographer on bush tracks to supplement the feed bills for her team.
With his ready camera, a larger version of a Box Brownie, Ron Bickley was renowned in my early days. Bickley was the chauffer for Bert Lillye, the Sydney Morning Herald Turf Editor. During floods he drove Lillye in pursuit of stranded horses and took the pictures.
Bickley captured jockey Ray Selkrig being dragged over line at Kembla Grange to win and the epic 1974 Doncaster at Randwick where streakers stole the limelight off the outstanding Tontonan. When they attempted to re-enter the track, the green coat (official) stopped them because they didn’t have tickets into the members.
Bickley’s picture of the nude finish outsold Tontonan under the heading: “The colt won by a length”.
As you know, Max, back in those days, some vets were joined at the hip to particular trainers, especially in Sydney, and their expertise in some matters was much in advance of general veterinary knowledge, and well in advance of the “rules”.
Cynthia,
When I kicked off, around 70 years back, trainers, then with very few horses and little capitol, could not afford flash veterinary assistance. Of course they were horsemen and tuned by previous generations. Les Bridge, still going strong, was apprenticed to “Clyde” Cook, who had a “medicine book”, the answer to any problem a horse developed, handed down by the family. While Bridge has thrived on the advice of great vets he still reflects on the knowledge of the “medicine book”. No doubt veterinary science has advanced quicker than the official analysing techniques. For the last 25 years I have referred to “Performance Drugs In Sport”, particularly “Racehorse Performance Drugs”, by Phillip Swann, published in 1990. Dr Swann had a good idea of the illegal “stings” and how they could be used in the previous era of more desperates. With trainers now having huge numbers, vets play an even more important role. However John Size, not only in Australia but Hong Kong, is one of the great training successes. The feeding regime of Size contributes to ulcer free, very healthy horses. Who devised it? A vet? No. Henry Davis, a trainer under whom Size was educated. Vets contribute, but the buck ends, and always has, with the trainer.
Cheers
Max P