b'22 FEBRUARY 24, 2023 The Great Eastern Mailracing & sportI F the colt thought theBAIRNSDALE\'S George\'s plunges were change from the widelegendary. In the early open ranges of Nevertire todays following his move the more confined paddocksto Victoria he set one for of the stud was strange, howa kill and a commission of would he have felt looking outFORGOTTEN 5000 was placed. The horse from his float as he travelled tocrossed the line first, but in his the city? Down the highway,nervous haste George forgot through the La Trobe Valleya three pound lead weight the towns grew bigger and theand it was subsequently traffic grew thicker.disqualified. The stable had to By the time he got toCHAMP say good bye, not only to the suburbia it would be anprize money, but also the five expanse of houses andthousand pounds.buildings that never ended . aMaster trainer George Hanlon at BairnsdaleRod Griffiths rode plenty bit like Nevertire, but no dusty,with R Mc Mullen (left) and G Hartshorn.of winners for George rolling plains; just concrete,Photo courtesy of Bairnsdale Racing Club including the Sandown Cup bricks and bitumen as far ason Royal Snack, who George the eye could see. THE GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY trained to win an amazing Johnny Rule knew Garyfour successive Moe Cups. Hanlon through his yearsRod was in the racecourse of riding in the 1960s. GaryPARTS SEVEN & EIGHT sauna one day preparing for had been an amateur jockey,the horse in any of George\'sFunny stories abouta Hanlon stable ride when riding at the picnics over thestables but to take him to hisGeorge would fill more thanGeorge poked his head Summer. It was through thisown boxes where Gary wasWhy would he want aa Melbourne Cup winninga few volumes. He actuallythrough the door.contact it was decided thetraining a few of his own picnicbush colt worth a paltry fewtrainer, James Cummings.loathed the press, but racing"How ya going in there, colt should be sent to masterrunners. The colt settled inthousand dollars? He couldJames trained Comic Court tojournalists hung on everyson?" George enquired.trainer, Gary\'s father George,perfectly. He had made thehave the cream of a yearlingwin the 1950 Cup, strapped byword he said. He would more"Pretty good, George." Rod who kept a boutique stabletransition from wild outbackcrop, like the $850,000 Luskinhis son, James Bartholemewoften than not answer theirreplied of no more than 20 horses inyoungster to a country ladStar colt Robert Holmes a\'Cummings, who wouldquestions with a question. "I\'ll probably be half a kilo Mordialloc. Never had a moreand now city slicker withoutCourt purchased for him.become known simply as Bart."Well what do you think?over."astute trainer than Georgeturning a hair. Such are the vagaries of racingThe JB Cummings record of 13I think he ran good. Do youGeorge grabbed a broom Hanlon saddled a horse. that the almost million-dollarMelbourne Cup winners is wellthink he ran good?" and jammed it in the door. George didn\'t want the colt. colt, Paint The Stars failed todocumented. George\'s recordGeorge did some funnyThere was no escape for Rod.Johnny pulled the car andB Y the mid-1970s whensalute the judge in any of hisof three from such a smallthings. He once had a runner"Not when you get out now, float up out the front of thethe colt arrived atstarts and the almost give awaystable measures up prettyengaged in Tasmania.son. You\'ll be spot on," George Hanlon stables and knockedMordialloc, GeorgeLots Of Man colt "reached thegood and Bart paid George theLooking out the window heyelled.on the door. Gary answered,Hanlon was an acknowledgedstars". Ironically, they wouldultimate compliment by sayingwas a bit surprised to find theFunny stories about George welcomed Johnny and wentequine genius. He hadeventually stand side by sidehe was the best conditionerplane above the Hume Weir. abound. He was truly one to tell his father the colt fromperformed miracles withat Heytesbury Stud owned byof stayers he had seen. When"Why are we going this wayof the great characters of Bairnsdale had arrived. broken down crocs, pulled offRobert.George or Bart had a winnerto Tassie?" George asked theAustralian racing."I told those people I didn\'tenormous plunges and hadGeorge Hanlon startedand their paths crossed,hostess. But he saw nothing funny or want him." trained the first of his threefrom humble beginnings.George would always quip: "I\'m sorry, sir " she replied. attractive about the flashy bay That was George\'s answer.Melbourne Cup winners withHe was driving a bread cart"It\'s better than driving a"This plane is going tocolt from Bairnsdale. George Gary was told not to placePiping Lane.and working part time forbread cart, Bart." Sydney." did not want him.STRONGER TOGETHERGUESTS INCLUDE: Join us at the bet365 Bairnsdale Racing Club. The Tesbury Jack Lawn Bar will be operating, Fashions on the Field, entertainment for the kids and a selection of food trucks will be on track. DIPPER General Admission20$ PPSIMON MARSHALLMarquee3 PP$ f 5romNICK QUINN161st Patties FoodsBairnsdale Cup GRANDVIEW ROOM PPSUNDAY, 26 THMARCH 2023, GATES OPEN AT 11:00 AM 240$ fromVisit our website for all the details, including free tickets - limited availability.COUNTRY.RACING.COM/BAIRNSDALE'