Devil of a time Colourful characters had names to match in bygone era
An inquiry about old-time trainer âThe Devilâ takes precedence over the new $2 million race for fillies and mares at Royal Randwick in October.
Perhaps the raceâs resounding bell is the strength of NSW racing amid the continuing prominence of the previously regarded âweakerâ gender, for both horse and human.
When Kingston Town made his mark, racecourse characters, given a moniker for many reasons, still abounded.Credit:Fairfax Archives
Before the early 1970s, fillies and mares events were nearly as rare as female jockeys. Then the entrepreneurial Sydney Turf Club ran amok and produced the Queen Of The Turf, the Coolmore Stakes, and Arrowfield.
It can be argued the only champions, in my assessment, since Kingston Town in the 1980s have been mares: Sunline, Makybe Diva, Black Caviar and Winx.
When Kingston Town made his mark, racecourse characters, given a moniker for many reasons, still abounded.
Now the turf landscape is bare of anything in the category, but dazzling memories were rekindled by the question regarding the trainer.
âYes, The Devil,â I recalled but didnât explain the context of the era, when those of prominence accepted their nicknames and the Australian skin, unharnessed by political correctness, was akin to a rhinoceros.
Colour, body shape, nationality and religion were reference tags for character, forged by Depression years and a world war. Many survived on their guile, instinct and desperation, well placed on racecourses, a hub for the needy and greedy.
Bill Waterhouse had no qualms with being known as âThe Serpentâ.
Titles had double meanings. While âThe Devilâ may instigate a grimace, another trainer - known as âAngelâ but who later only answered to âPoor Honest Vicâ - was no angel, hardly poor and his honesty was very much in question.
Tommy Smith kicked off as âTwo Bob Tommyâ, a strapper around the Doncaster pub, Kensington, seeking his âtea moneyâ. He graduated to the âLittle Generalâ or âNapoleonâ, one of the greats supping with the leaders of industry and politics.
The rotund trainer Jack Hogan was known as the âLolly Pigâ, and even bigger was âthe Jolly Fat Giantâ, an Australian Jockey Club committee man.
T.A.D were the initials of Tommy Kennedy, a successful trainer and later Sydney Turf Club chairman. Wise guys applied âTry Another Dayâ.
âSugar Lipsâ was given to another trainer because of his sweet delivery, and âEver Ready Edâ applied to one due to an alleged affinity with batteries.
The betting ring figured prominently. Bill Waterhouse, one of Australiaâs biggest bookmakers, had no qualms about being called âThe Serpentâ.
âI seemed to be biding my time until I was ready for the poisonous pounce,â Waterhouse decreed.
âLou the Pestâ, a Cockney, survived off the good graces of bookmakers, including Jack Shaw, leader of the ring at the time.
The main job for The Pest was to provide a stool for Shaw to watch races, long before television replays. Once he forgot, so instead he knelt down so the bookie could view the event standing on his back, supported by other employees.
Very much on the move were the fleet-footed âDave The Dasherâ and âHollywood Georgeâ, dapper and statuesque, advised to go to Tinsel Town and leave bookmakers alone.
Lesser lights like âCurly The Caterpillarâ and âRonnie Waterbagsâ, so called because he took the water to bookmakers on bush tracks, plied their availability while Brisbaneâs John Mort Green, âThe Butterflyâ, spread his wings to Europe and made the front page of the Sports Illustrated world edition.
Jockeys included âBetter Brakesâ, for obvious reasons, and âCotton Fingersâ George Moore, due to his delicacy with the reins.
On ground level, âOvercoat Harryâ, âThe Croonerâ, âLaurie The Lobberâ, âThe Wild Duckâ, âThe Fruit Flyâ, âMick The Greekâ, âthe Silverfishâ, âMelbourne Mickâ, âThe Pink Pussycatâ, âWarwick The Commentatorâ, âJimmy The Chowâ and âThe Antâ, added to the scene. All had a story. The devil was in the detail.
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Max Presnell is a columnist.
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