Two of Sydney racing's biggest stars, trainer Gai Waterhouse and jockey Darren Beadman, were yesterday honoured with induction into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame.
Both broke new ground with their achievements as Waterhouse became the first woman trainer to be included and Beadman the first jockey still
riding to earn Hall of Fame status.
Waterhouse, who has trained more than 80 group one winners and won the Sydney trainers' premiership five times, joins her legendary father TJ Smith in the elite group, while Beadman's name is now alongside the likes of inaugural inductees Arthur "Scobie" Breasley and George Moore.
The seven-time Sydney jockeys' premiership winner recently accepted a riding contract in Hong Kong but was granted permission by the Hong Kong Jockey Club to fly back to Australia to attend the combined Hall of Fame and Australian Racehorse of the Year function at Randwick Racecourse.
Waterhouse and Beadman were among eight inductees into the Hall of Fame.
Joining Beadman for inclusion in the jockeys' section was Arthur Ward who is reputed to have ridden more champion gallopers than any other Australian jockey having partnered the likes of Tulloch, Bernborough, Comic Court, Carbon Copy, Rising Fast and Redcraze.
Top Queensland horseman Fred Best, who won the Brisbane trainers' premiership 17 times and prepared horses such as 1972 Doomben 10,000 winner Bengalla Lad and 1969 Stradbroke Handicap winner Prince Medes, was inducted in the trainers' section.
Former Sydney Turf Club chairman Harry Tancred was named a Hall of Fame Associate.
Three horses - dual Cox Plate winner Flight, Grand Flaneur, and champion miler Super Impose - were inducted in the racehorse category, joining legends like Kingston Town, Tulloch, Sunline and Makybe Diva.
Super Impose is the only horse to have twice claimed the prestigious Randwick feature mile double of the Doncaster and Epsom Handicaps in the same year, achieving the feat in 1990 and 1991.
The evergreen Flight was a top juvenile winning the 1943 Champagne Stakes and placing in both the Rosehill Guineas and AJC Australian Derby as a three-year-old before claiming back-to-back wins in the 1945 and 1946 Cox Plates.
- AAP
