Steve Hart snapped this one of Dr. Grace as Jim Cassidy was about to take him onto the track for the 1990 A.J.C Derby. The handsome son of Sir Tristram came from midfield to win that Derby from Stylish Century and Solar Circle on a Soft 5 track.
Steve Hart keeps coming up with these wonderful “blasts from the past “. Here’s one in the Randwick birdcage in the Spring of 1990 shortly before Stargazer’s win in the Frank Packer Plate.
Shadea didn’t turn too many heads as Wayne Harris brought her back to scale after winning the 1991 Sweet Embrace Stakes at Rosehill - one of only two wins for the plain, lightly framed filly.
Ever wondered what a 500/1 winner looks like? Steve Hart plucked this one from his archives and was kind enough to send it to me for Friday Flashback. It’s a gelding called Pablo’s Pulse parading before the 1987 Chelmsford Stakes at Randwick with Jamie De Belin in the saddle.
Another lovely print taken from an original oil painting by renowned equine artist Alister Simpson A.A.E.A. This is Durbridge captured on canvas shortly after his win in the 1991 AJC Derby. Alister provided a great likeness of the stallion, and his jockey Greg Hall.
This one was taken in a little restaurant called Backstage in George St, Sydney in 1980. The occasion was a farewell dinner to legendary Newcastle race caller Billy Hill (centre in brown jacket) who had just announced his retirement.
I was lucky enough to win this midweek race at Harold Park on 24/04/1984 on a pacer called Kamath. The driver of the runner up Magnus Cabell was Ms. Kim Moore, today better known as Mrs Kim Waugh, galloping trainer extroardinaire.
Steve Hart stumbled upon this one on his database the other day and was kind enough to send it to me. Steve snapped this photo around 1986 and it shows Neville Begg, then in his mid fifties with a lovely little mare called Heat Of The Moment.
This week’s Friday Flashback shows a pacer called Pick On (Percy Hall) winning a qualifying division of the 1952 Inter Dominion Championship at Harold Park. Note the “snug” hopple length on a horse who stood close to 17 hands.
Looking back on a fifty year involvement with harness racing, I’ve never had a bigger thrill than this.
This shot was taken at a Bathurst charity gymkhana in the early 1970’s, and I got to drive one of my all time favourite harness horses in a stallion parade.
Bradley Photographers caught this special moment at Randwick during the Royal visit of 1992. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth renewed acquaintances with former top jockey Edgar Britt, who had ridden extensively for the Royal family in Britain in the late 1940’s.
Mark Bradley has come up with another classic flashback from a Wyong race meeting in 1972. A very youthful Les Bridge at 27 years of age with veteran jockey Jack Thompson who was 50.
Ever alert photographer Steve Hart captured Mike Willesee at Randwick at the height of the TV icon’s involvement in thoroughbred ownership and breeding.
These old “rippers” were snapped almost fifty years ago at La Perouse, where dozens of Randwick trained horses were taken for a swim, in an endeavour to give them a break from the tedium of stable life.
Here is the champion Tulloch, moments after completing a track gallop during his two year old days. The rider is Arthur Ward and the strapper is Neville Johnson, a valued member of Tommy Smith’s staff in that era.
