ONE of Australia’s most popular jockeys Robert Thompson received his greatest accolade when he was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in Brisbane last night.
Thompson, 57, broke Jack Thompson’s (no relation) Australian record of 3322 winners in 2008 and last year he broke the 4000 barrier with his record to date standing at just over 4100.
Thompson was clearly humbled by his induction into the elite club and as he responded to questions from Hall of Fame function compere Greg Radley he was typically modest when acknowledging his career achievements.
“To be taken into the Hall of Fame and be amongst champions of this great industry is very humbling and quite incredible,” Thomson said.
In recent years Thompson has been a regular at Tasmania’s Summer Racing Carnival and two years ago had much success with one of his favourite horses Youthful Jack.
Another popular inductee was Queensland-born jockey Glen Boss who delivered an emotional response to a packed house of 480 at the Sofitel Hotel in Brisbane.
Boss twice choked back the tears when delivering his speech that thanked the many people who have played an integral role in his rise to the top of the jockey tree in Australia.
Overall there were 11 new inductions into the Hal of Fame comprising two jockeys, four horses, three trainers, two associates and one Legend.
“When I got into this industry it was never about the money or the fame it was always about the horse and it still is,” Boss said
I’ve won some big races including three Melbourne Cups on the champion mare (Makybe Diva) but I think this is my most cherished win,” he said.
The horses inducted were Briseis that won the Doncaster at two and the next season she won the Victorian Derby, Melbourne Cup and Victorian Oaks in the space of a week setting her apart from any other filly in the history if the Australian turf.
Champion sprinter Choisir was a popular induction with his efforts in 2003 to win the Kings Stand-Golden Jubilee double at Ascot paving the way for many other star Australian sprinters to mix it with the best in Europe.
Choisir also has been successful at stud with one of his sons Star Spangled Banner also winning at Ascot.
NZ-bred Dalray was also a popular induction as was that of champion sire Danehill that has had arguably the greatest influence on Australian breeding in the modern era.
Victorian trainer Jim Moloney, 90, was a worthy inductee with his former star sprinter Vain one of the best he prepared.
Brian Mayfield-Smith who moved from Queensland to Sydney in the in the early 1980s and gained national acclaim as the trainer in the 1985-86 when he won the Sydney Metropolitan premiership dethroning the great Tommy Smith for the first time in 31 years.
The induction of Phar Lap’s trainer Harry Telford completes Australia’s greatest racing story with the trainer joining the horse, his strapper Tommy Woodcock and Phar Lap’s jockey Jim Pike as inductees.
Revered racing writer Bert Lillye and Philippine one-breeder Eduardo Cojuanco were inducted in the associates category and to cap a brilliant night one of the greatest jockeys of all time, George Moore, was elevated to Legend status.
Moore is the seventh inductee to achieve Legend status following Bart Cummings, Tommy Smith, Scobie Breasley, Phar Lap, Carbine and Makybe Diva.
Story by Peter Staples.