Of the twenty eight fillies to win the Golden Slipper, none have gone into the great race with more miles on the clock than the 1965 winner Reisling.
Three years earlier a lightly framed South Australian filly called Proud Miss contested the Slipper at start number twelve, but had to be content with second placing behind the popular Sydney filly Birthday Card.
Reisling was having her eleventh start and was shooting for seven consecutive wins. She had captivated the racing world with her explosive speed and tremendous tenacity.
The fairy tale was further enhanced by the fact that she was trained by Rosehill battler Jack Norman and ridden by talented lightweight Laurie Billett who was more likely to be found at Newcastle on a Saturday afternoon.
My sudden impulse to remember Reisling was triggered by a brief meeting recently with well known Sydney race photographer Mark Bradley. Mark, who is the owner of an extensive archival database, casually mentioned that he’d stumbled upon some lovely, sharp photographs of Reisling on her day of days.
Image courtesy Bradley Photographers - Reisling ran them off their feet to win the 1965 Slipper from talented Victorians Star Affair and Citius.
In order to give the photos a run on the website I went back to refresh my memory on the deeds of one of the fastest two year old fillies I’ve ever seen.
I still can’t believe this flying daughter of Rego was beaten in her first two starts in the spring of 1964. She finished fourth in the Gimcrack Stakes and third in the Widden Stakes, before an easy win over the four and a half furlong “flutter” at Rosehill. She followed with an unplaced effort in the Silver Slipper, after which her dazzling sequence of wins began.
She won six straight, a couple of them by huge margins - 8 lengths in the Kindergarten Stakes at Warwick Farm and an amazing 15 lengths in a Newcastle event called the Northern Slipper.
She was getting better all the time, prompting her trainer to keep her going for another month to win the December Quality on Boxing Day stepping up to 6fls for the first time. Thankfully she was sent to the paddock after that long spring campaign.
Image courtesy Bradley Photographers - After the presentation. From left - Laurie Billett, Trainer Jack Norman, STC Chairman Bill Longworth, part owners Dr. J.C.M. Cook and his father Dr. C. E. Cook.
Her Slipper preparation was unorthodox to say the least. In the spring she seemed to race every week. Come the autumn and there was no Reisling until one week before the Golden Slipper. She carried 9st5lbs (59kgs) in a 2YO Quality over the Slipper course and won comfortably.
Laurie Billett never considered any other option than to use her dynamic speed in the ninth Golden Slipper. To say she broke their hearts on the day is an understatement. She led easily, got them all scrambling and was as strong as an ox right to the line. She broke Todman’s race record for good measure.
Three weeks later the “freaky” filly lined up in the Champagne Stakes, then over 6fls or 1200m. Under a peculiar set of conditions she had to give a whopping 10lbs (4.5kgs) to a brilliant Queensland filly called Eyeliner. A huge crowd cheered themselves hoarse for the Sydney filly, but the huge weight variation saw Eyeliner scramble in by a neck.
Image courtesy Bradley Photographers - Reisling spotted Eyeliner 10lbs (4.5Kg) in the Champagne Stakes. She was gallant in defeat.
Another unusual preparation followed. She was spelled after the Champagne with a long range plan to start her in the Doomben $10,000 as a late two year old. She went into this top grade sprint with just one barrier trial under her belt - four days before the big race. She was a weary filly finishing midfield.
Shortly after the $10,000 trainer Jack Norman incurred a 6 months disqualification when Pathetique returned a positive swab after a Randwick win. Reisling was transferred to fellow Rosehill trainer Jack Morgan, perhaps best remembered as the master of the talented jockey brothers Bruce and Dennis McClune.
The gallant filly had another fourteen starts for her second trainer and thankfully was able to win two more races. She won the Valicare Hcp at Randwick on 31/01/66 and the Wallacia Hcp at Warwick Farm on 27/08/66 beating a topliner in Academy Star.
Reisling’s final start was in the Group 1 Craven A Stakes down the Flemington straight on 29/10/66. She was out of a place.
I contacted Laurie Billett last week to test his memories of the filly who gave him his finest moment in racing. Laurie lives in Newcastle with wife Rae, and is hale and hearty at 85 years of age. “I was riding work at Rosehill in the mid 1960’s but doing most of my race riding at Newcastle”, recalled the former popular jockey. “Jack Norman asked me to ride his unraced filly in trackwork with an assurance that I could ride her at the races. After the very first gallop I knew I wouldn’t be getting off her.”
Laurie, a horseman of the old brigade took his time with the precocious filly always trying to keep her settled. “She was no problem in trackwork, but was a different kettle of fish at the races,” he said. “On race day I would always get the Clerk Of The Course to lead me to the gates, and she would be manageable.”
Image courtesy Bradley Photographers - Crowds of 40,000 were common in the early years of the Slipper. This was the scene shortly before the start of Reisling's Slipper.
Laurie approached the Golden Slipper Stakes with great confidence. “Even though she liked to rip along in front, she didn’t actually pull,” recalled the former jockey. “She didn’t waste energy and usually found another gear when she turned for home.”
Reisling led effortlessly in the big race and simply ran them along all the way. She had them scrambling on the corner and was going powerfully at the furlong pole (200m). “I didn’t touch her with the whip over the last furlong and she won comfortably from a couple of smart Victorians,” recalled Billett. “Star Affair ran second in front of Citius who won a Doncaster twelve months later.”
Reisling started favourite which generated a very warm reception from the 40,000 strong crowd. To a man, the throng gave trainer and jockey a rousing cheer as the filly returned to scale.
“She wasn’t a tall filly, but had powerful shoulders and great strength behind,” reflected Billett. “She made light of big weights a few times and was as tough as a seasoned gelding.”
Image courtesy Bradley Photographers - Reisling had 9st 5 lbs (59.5kg) when she won a 2YO Quality just one week before the Slipper.
For those interested the Rego filly’s racing colours were apricot, green sleeves, yellow armbands and apricot cap.
The Reisling experience was the jewel in the crown of Laurie Billett’s career. The popular jockey’s easy going nature endeared him to all sections of the industry. He was initially apprenticed to Les Quinlan at Randwick, but spent the last year of his time with “Nipper” Berry at the long defunct Roseberry course.
Laurie still talks of the circumstances which cost him the ride on Nagpuni in the 1954 Doomben $10,000. “I’d been riding the horse right through, but by the time he reached open company I was doing compulsory National Service with the Australian Army,” he says. “I tried every trick in the book to gain leave to join the horse in Brisbane, but to no avail. Billy Wade picked up a ride that would have been mine under normal circumstances.”
Apart from his eight wonderful wins on Reisling, Billett won a Galaxy, Challenge Stakes and Canterbury Stakes on Playbill, a Frank Underwood Cup on Superzam, a Penfold’s Classic on I’m Scarlet and a Randwick Country Cup on the giant gelding Skellatar.
Had Laurie concentrated on city meetings his ability to ride light would have assured him of regular rides. “I could have been getting three or four rides in town most Saturdays, but I was guaranteed a full book at the Newcastle meetings”, he said. “From a livelihood viewpoint it was an easy decision. Mind you I ducked Newcastle when Reisling was around.”
Inglis Sales Entry Co-Ordinator Wayne Massingham tells me Reisling produced only five foals at the stud. All five were winners but included only one stakes performer Allegory (by Wilkes) who won the listed Dequetteville Stakes in Adelaide.
You wouldn’t believe a few old photos could stir so many memories.
(Banner Image courtesy Bradley Photographers - A proud moment for Laurie Billett as he brings Reisling back to scale after a brilliant Slipper win.)