Ross Adams was nursing some pretty painful injuries when he hobbled out of Westmead Hospital on Tuesday October 26th. A spectacular crash at Penrith five days earlier had left the veteran reinsman with severe ligament damage to a shoulder, four cracked ribs, suspected hairline fractures to a hip and lower back, and a slight bleed to the brain. Subsequent x/rays have confirmed the presence of deep bruising around the affected hip and spinal trouble spots, but thankfully no evidence of fractures.
Those who witnessed the accident are surprised to see Ross back in action so soon. Driving Our Browneyed Girl he was among the tailenders as the field turned into the back straight on the first circuit. He didn’t see Linxx come down when racing outside the leader, but quickly sensed danger when other horses scrambled in all directions to avoid the fallen horse. “I just couldn’t get out of the way in time,” said Ross. “My mare crashed into the cart of the fallen horse propelling me head first onto the shaft of my sulky. That’s the last thing I remember. Apparently I got flung into the air before landing on the track unconscious. I didn’t know until much later that Linxx’s driver Jim Douglass had also been knocked out. I’ve got a vague recollection of being placed in the ambulance but that’s about it.”
While many in the Sydney trotting world were predicting his immediate retirement from the sulky, Ross himself gave no thought to the subject during those first few weeks of rehabilitation. Seven weeks on, and perhaps after family consultation the experienced horseman is now contemplating his future. The odds about his retirement as a trainer are very lengthy, but with every passing day his chances of race driving again are becoming less likely. “It’s something you’ve got to be doing all the time,” says Ross. “The longer I’m away the less chance there is of a comeback. I’ve had fifty four years of race driving in Sydney against some of the best horsemen in the sport’s history. I was a touch envious watching Brian Gath at age 77 drive Illawong Stardust in the Trotting Grand Final the other night. The man’s a marvel.”
Ross did the bulk of the driving for the Merv Adams stable from the mid 1970s - courtesy Club Menangle.
Seventy year old Adams is still a little sore and sorry, but has resumed most of the duties associated with the only life he’s known. In the aftermath of the accident Yvonne Adams arranged for several horses to be transferred to other trainers leaving her husband with a manageable number. The experienced horseman has only two horses fast working at the nearby Hawkesbury training circuit, and another two just beginning fresh preparations. He was spotted quietly bowling a horse around the track last week - his first time back in the gig since the accident. If he did feel a twinge or two of pain he certainly wasn’t admitting it.
Ross Adams decided in his early teens, that he would follow in the footsteps of his late father. At the time young Adams was learning the ropes, Merv Adams was one of an elite group of horsemen who dominated the weekly Harold Park meetings in Sydney. He’d already finished second in two Inter Dominion grand finals with Mineral Spring and Lew’s Hope. He shared a precious piece of history when Mineral Spring won the first race ever run out of a mobile barrier at Harold Park. He won a string of races with the talented pacer Deep Tan, and was one of three trainers to prepare the champion mare Sibelia during her stellar career.
Ross was just seventeen years old when he won his first race on a wet night at Bankstown in 1968. He gained the drive on a pacer called Spiderweb when Merv accepted with two horses in a standing start event. “Dad elected to drive Balloch and I got the call for the stablemate,” said Ross. “Balloch slipped in the slush and galloped away while Spiderweb slotted straight into the 1x1. I probably won that one by default, but I was happy to claim it as my first win.”
Merv Adams was one of the major players in Harold Park's glory days. He was rarely without a good horse - courtesy Club Menangle.
Surprisingly Merv wasn’t the trainer of his son’s first winner at the famous Harold Park track in the early 70’s. That distinction went to the late Herb Young who entrusted the young reinsman with the drive on the talented Dancing Chamfer. Ross worked full time for his father on three different properties over a long period of years - the first at Rooty Hill, the second in Penrith and the last at Agnes Banks. He did most of the stable driving in the latter part of Merv’s training career winning dozens of races with horses like Major Frost, Deep Flow, Cream Beauty, Nice And Easy, Not Before Time, Honkin Del, Dylan and Powder And Shot.
When Merv Adams called time on his training career in the late 1980’s, Ross moved to the six acre property at Londonderry from which he continues to train today. Coincidentally he and Yvonne are currently giving serious thought to the prospect of relocating to a smaller property. Ross and younger brother Scott enjoyed a memorable association with the talented Flite Dynasty a few years ago - with Ross as trainer, and Scott as owner and driver. The gelding raced 47 times for 15 wins and 8 placings for $183,000. His best win was a Sires Stakes Final at Harold Park, while perhaps his best performance was a second to Tanabi Bromac in the 2008 Victoria Derby Final at Moonee Valley.
Ross after a win on Deep Flow 1973 - courtesy Club Menangle.
Ross gives his wife of forty five years much of the credit for his longevity in the industry. Yvonne has been a tireless worker around the stables and you’d be hard pressed to find a better race day assistant. Ross and Yvonne are the proud parents of two sons Dean (41) who chooses to work away from harness racing, and Grant (37) who has forged a career as a stipendiary steward in the industry. He only recently took up the role of Deputy Chief Steward with Harness Racing Victoria, after three years as HRNSW Chairman Of Stewards. Grand daughters Sienna (11) and Ella (3) have been a source of great joy to their grandparents.
How fitting it was to see Ross given the opportunity to train and drive the talented filly Vincenzina in recent times. He took the Betterthancheddar filly to the races thirty two times for seven wins and a dozen placings. Her wins included a Breeders Challenge 2YO Fillies Semi Final and the Evolution series 3YO Fillies Final.
Vincenzina finished creditable seconds in the Bathurst Gold Bracelet Final and the J.L. Raith Memorial, beaten both times by Dr. Susan. The fact that the filly is part owned by his great friend master farrier Tony Lavrencic, gave Ross added satisfaction. Tony’s partner in Vincenzina is expatriate Kiwi horseman Richard Brosnan who was in the spotlight at Menangle on Saturday night. Forty two years after winning his first Inter Dominion Trotters Grand Final with No Response at Addington, the veteran horseman completed the double with Maori Law. This time he trains the winner in partnership with son Emmett. Ross confirms Vincenzina’s next preparation will be in the care of Richard Brosnan who’s now training in Victoria.
The first of seven wins for Ross and Vincenzina - courtesy Club Menangle.
Adams has long been regarded as one of harness racing’s true gentlemen on and off the track. His sense of fair play in races is legendary. He’d rather get beaten than endanger somebody else’s safety. The recent Penrith smash was the first race fall in which he’s been involved in close to twenty years. “I remember the last one clearly,” says the experienced horseman. “It was also at Penrith and occurred in the back straight when the leader came down with Tony Lewis. I didn’t suffer as many injuries as I did this time, but a fractured sternum gave me hell for a long time. A cough or a sneeze was a recipe for disaster.”
Ross Adams is an old world horseman in every sense of the term.
He places great importance on shoeing, dentistry, and diet and keeps a close watch on the all important dehydration factor. He breaks in a yearling as well as most, and can “gait up” a young horse with great expertise. His demeanour around horses should be observed by every aspiring trainer - quiet, composed and patient. He seems to get on the right side of the most obstinate of horses. Ross’s willingness to help fellow trainers or curious newcomers is well known in the industry.
Another HP win for the Adams family - Powder And Shot 1982 - courtesy Club Menangle.
He hinted last week that he might leave the driver’s part of his licence intact, just in case he feels the need to help educate a young horse at the Penrith trials in the future. That young horse whatever it might be, will be in the very best of hands.
A family portrait at HP 1986 - Ross and Scott Adams with parents Amy and Merv - courtesy Club Menangle.
(Banner image - Ross gets Vincenzina home narrowly in the 2020 Seymour Evolution Final at Menangle - courtesy Club Menangle.)