The racing world was stunned by the unexpected death of Guy Walter, among the most respected horse trainers the turf has known.

I had the pleasure of knowing the man, he was the perfect gentleman, he always greeted you with a warm smile and a firm handshake, he was great company.

Walter was born and bred (an old term) in Mudgee, he worked for Bart Cummings and Neville Begg before obtaining his ticket to train and going out on his own.

He became a successful trainer winning 36 Group 1 races and more than 120 Stakes races, totalling over $40 million in prize money.

There were a lot of good horses to pass through the Warwick Farm stable, but none better than Tie The Knot, he was a favourite.

The quietly spoken Walter underplayed his role in the development of the Nassipour gelding; however, it was the trainer’s time and patience that made the horse.

That attracted owner breeder Sandy Tait, he certainly selected the right man to train Tie The Knot, the horse was a handful at first but once gelded became a highly intelligent animal, you could do anything with him.

Guy Walter’s achievements on the race track were remarkable, but what was more impressive was the way he was respected and liked by all across the racing industry.

We are privileged to have known him as a trainer and a great man in so many ways. Not to mention his great skills and success in training so many champion racehorses.

During a stellar career he led home the trifecta in the 2005 Doncaster Handicap at Royal Randwick with Patezza, Court in Session and Dannie Martine, a rare feat in a Group 1 race.

Among the top class performers to pass through his hands were Defier, Spinning Hill, Republic Lass, Wild Iris, Toydini, Excites, Appearance, and the Doomben Cup winner, Streama.  

My apologies for being off line. Last Saturday week Dolores [my right hand] had emergency surgery. Now back home recuperating I am back to business.

It’s a long road without a turn, however, that would be difficult explaining it to Dean Lawson before Junoesque won the B M W Handicap at Sandown yesterday.

Dean has been doing it pretty tough over the last couple of years, slow horses don’t make it any easier, and personal problems to boot.

The last win for him seemed ages ago, Anzac Day 2012, when Underestimation won at Flemington but then failed to live up to early expectations.

Dean formerly trained on the course at Flemington but there was no future there, slow horses don’t pay the rent.

He has now settled at Cranbourne, he has rented three boxes and without Junoesque he may have given the game away completely.

When he commenced training he shared a stable on course with his late father Ray, one of the last great characters of the turf, racing has lost those sorts of people, it has all become too serious.

Ray’s stable was down a lane at the back of Flemington racecourse, with a tiny office inside the front gate.

With the door that opened inwards which meant it was easier to get in, but a darn side harder to get out.

There was a method in all of that, when an owner came for a visit he seldom got out without paying his bill.

SENIOR RIDERS were conspicuous by their absence at Flemington with 14 Victorian jockeys having mounts in the Goodwood Handicap in Adelaide.

As you would expect the odds were very much in the corner of the Vics, they filled all placings.

Goodwood Result

THE GOODWOOD proved a great result for Mornington trainer, Wez Hunter and Smokin’Joey, he was quietly confident all week that the gelding would run well.

Ben Melham hasn’t lost any of his talent either, it was his first ride back after a hip operation.

Melham won the race last year on Platelet for his former boss, Darren Weir, yesterday he got up in the last few strides to defeat Platelet by a half length.

Spare A Thought

VOILA ICI looked magnificent going to the start of the Cleanevent Handicap, a credit to his trainer, Saab Hasan, but let’s face it, he is a rising 10 year old entire, his race record is hardly likely to improve at his age now.

Realistically if the thought had been to put him to stud they have missed the boat, he should have been there four years ago at least.

He ran a surprisingly good race under the circumstances, he led for a short distance at one stage finishing up to run fifth, but his rating will remain the same.

An Amazing Record

TAYLOR MARSHALL was the toast of Rosehill Gardens yesterday and rightly so, after riding four winners on the eight race card.

Furthermore, he had never previously ridden at a Sydney Saturday meeting; his bag of four winners included the Listed Lord Mayors Cup.

He obviously won the approval of John Hawkes, a great trainer, but can be a pretty tough task master.

Taylor is 21, he would hardly remember when his dad John won the Melbourne Cup on Rogan Josh, or the string of races he won for Bart Cummings on Beau Zam.

John Marshall had a memorable race riding career, Taylor’s is just beginning, he is showing all the promise his father did when he commenced his life as a jockey.

JOHN O’SHEA led in his first winner for Darley with the success of Alaska, leading all the way to starve off a strong challenge by Duke of Brunswick to win by a long neck.

The win will be a confidence booster for O’Shea, whilst he has been a successful trainer at Randwick for several years; his new position is much different.

ZOUSTAR has arrived in the United Kingdom; his mission is the Group 1 Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in July.

A win would ensure him a place on the shuttle list to the UK, and after being purchased for $20 million the bill has to be squared up somehow.

If he wins the Golden Jubilee it is almost a certainty he would be invited to stand a season or two in the U K, but they like to see them win on their own soil before a commitment is made.

Zoustar is the best performed son of the ill fated Northern Meteor that is a title that is rightfully his.

RILEY’S DOUBLE

Mark Riley has been among the winners this week scoring with Kuaima at Sandown Park on Wednesday, and Rileme at Seymour yesterday.

There was a lot to like about the Seymour win of Rileme, a four year old gelding by the evergreen Mossman.

That was his first and only start, after leading for most of the trip he then had to combat several challenges in the straight, fighting them off one by one to win by three parts of a length.

Mark Riley has been patient with the gelding, and he is beginning to reap the rewards.

TIME TO STRETCH OUT

With about 10 weeks of the current racing season remaining surely it’s about time the two year old races were stretched out in distance, instead of constantly catering for squibs.

Where is the Gibson Carmichael Stakes normally run in the Autumn over a mile? A number of good horses won the race and came up in the Spring.

SISTINE DEMON

It would take a brave person to completely dismiss Sistine Demon’s chances in the Goodwood Handicap.

He has been racing in superlative form of late, even though he may prefer it a little further, and the wide gate is not a bonus.