Winning Slings

Harley Walden

Harley Walden, racing coloumnist

I have always found it amusing and enlightening to delve through the happenings of years gone by and I say to myself thank goodness horse racing isn’t all serious, and without further preamble we look at a few odd happenings, some amusing some absurd, in the hope of revealing more about the characters from those good old days who help to make them tick.

Strappers had it tough, although not nearly as tough as the pre-union days when they were one step away from being serfs.

Many strappers are nomadic and ever on the lookout for a good horse to look after, not forgetting the traditional slings-gifts when such a horse starts winning big stakes.

Slings to strappers can range from the high money bracket to a cold meat pie or a salad sandwich.

Some truly amazing slings have been given to jockeys.

Bill Camer once received a bag of pumpkins.

Garth Baird, the New South Wales country horseman who won eight premierships and about every country cup in the state, would tell of the one day when a generous owner gave him £800 ($1600) – a big sling in those days – and also of an afternoon at Dubbo when he won a race for the local barber who slung him free haircuts for a year.

Bill Cook was once happy to receive 5lb of king prawns.

Bill Williamson won an important sprint race and received a cheque for £2.10 ($4.20cents), he had it framed and hung it above his lavatory door.

Des Lake won a race and was given two cows, he recalls a fellow rider who was given a ton of potatoes.

Bob Skelton was once slung a side of lamb.

A young horseman rode Dalray in a special gallop at Riccarton in New Zealand before the stallion came over to win the Melbourne Cup.

The trainer, Clarrie McCarthy, returned home and slung him a pair of shoes which were two sizes too small but insisted he keep them just the same.

And then there’s the story of the Sydney rider who was given a sling of £200 ($400) after riding the winner of the Melbourne Cup. He handed the money back to the owner and said “Please pay me by cheque, the Taxation Department would never believe me if I told them I got two hundred quid for winning the Melbourne Cup.

The self-same jockey won the 1951 Scone Cup and was presented with a box of vegetables with a pineapple added as a bonus.