With coal prices dwindling and mines in the Upper Hunter retrenching staff one can only wonder if the shadows are lengthening on the industry. 

Yet with this in mind the government still fails to protect racing and breeding, an industry that continues to fill their coppers and will continue to do so, yet one this country’s most prestigious studs, Coolmore, at Jerrys Plains, continues its fight, along with the Hunter Valley Breeder’s Association, to protect the pastures and the well-being of the livestock raised there.

Coolmore is located on over 8000 acres, including 5000 of irrigated river flats and undulating paddocks, right in the heart of the breathtaking Hunter Valley. 

Horses of the highest quality have been raised on this land for over a century, including the great Heroic, a legend of the Australian in the 1920s who became a multiple champion sire in the 1930s. 

For Coolmore, Australia is where the mighty Danehill became a sire legend.

In the famous Blackwater Valley in Co. Cork, Ireland.

It’s where the Coolmore stallion tradition began with a man called Thomas Magnier. 

He started offering local breeders a stallion called Edington, whose services cost £3-0s-0d. 

Numerous champion National Hunt sires followed over the decades including the remarkable Deep run. 

He won 14 sires championships. 

Coolmore Stud in Co. Tipperary was set up to stand flat stallions and Be My Guest became champion sire in GB/Ire with his very first crop of three-yea-old’s in 1982. 

Caerleon went on to win two championships and the mighty Sadler’s Wells dominated it on 14 occasions. 

Then the omnipresent Danehill topped it three times, his son Danehill Dancer once, and last year Galileo won his fifth title.

What began with Thomas Magnier in the Blackwater Valley, and which today is still carried on by his great-great grandson Tom in the Hunter Valley, is a tradition of standing top quality stallions and their offspring that flourish under the care of a highly experienced and professional staff that draw on decades of knowledge and expertise of thoroughbreds from all around the world.

Roy’s lifetime ride

The winter edition of From the Track gives an insight into the racing side of former Newcastle jockey/trainer Roy Hinton.

Roy was born in Tamworth, and was apprenticed to his father Jim and also the legendary jockey Jim Pike (of Phar Lap fame), at Randwick. 

He rode his first winner, Lord Dennis, at Broadmeadow, in 1940. 

Roy rode more than 500 winners; he won eight Newcastle premierships (including seven in succession) during a stella 26-year career. 

Riding on all tracks, as a youngster I can remember Roy Hinton riding on the old track at Alabama and then at White Park, Scone. 

Taking up training in 1976 he trained “around 1000 winners” before retiring in 1986.

 But he won’t forget 1976 - Roy won one of Australia’s  feature sprinted - the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm - with Manawapoi, then a month later he trained the winners of Grafton’s famous July carnival double - the Ramornie Handicap with Swiftly Ann and Cup with Ontonic. 

Other feature races followed, Manawapoi winning both of Newcastle’s big sprints - the 1976 Newmarket Handicap and the 1978 Cameron Handicap. 

Roy also won the 1977 Newmarket with his classy mare Swiftly Ann and describes Lady Manina as a beauty - she won 10 races straight, which at one stage was an Australian record for fillies and mares. 

The Hinton stable was no stranger to the old White Park track at Scone winning many races with their other top sprinter Brother Smoke and taking out the 1978 Scone Cup with Bandoo Bay.

I always enjoyed having a chat with the Hintons at the Scone Yearling Sales each year, like myself they were right into racing memorabilia. 

Some 15 years ago, Roy and his late wife Audrey started Hinton’s History Room, now a showpiece of racing memorabilia at Broadmeadow racecourse, containing countless photos, colours and race books dating back to the early 1900s, etc.

When Audrey passed away nearly four years ago, Roy continued his involvement with the History Room and maintains it with the help of his daughter, Sharyn Scorse.

Now in his twilight years, 90 in November, Roy still remains active every afternoon walking up the road to  Alan and Sharyn Scorse’s       stables to help out feeding the horses.

The “ride” of a quite, unassuming Newcastle racing legend! 

Racing in 2014-2015

Country racing NSW have released their fixtures card for the upcoming season and I thought we could look at some local areas which will affect our owners and trainers.

Muswellbrook and Tamworth will both race on 17 occasions. 

Muswellbrook have six Sunday and one Saturday with the Muswellbrook Cup set down for Tuesday, November 14. 

Tamworth will hold their Cup meeting on April 26 with two Sunday and one Saturday set down for decision. 

Scone will race 15 times, with two Sundays and two Saturdays, one which includes the stand alone Dark Jewell meeting set down for May 16 with the Scone Cup to be run on Friday, May 15. 

Gunnedah will hold five meetings, one Sunday and three Saturdays with the Cup to be held on Sunday, May 10. 

Quirindi will hoist the flag for five outings, including the Cup on Friday, February 20. 

Wallabadah will herald in the New Year with the 163rd running of the Wallabadah Cup on New Year’s Day.