Racing loses real gentleman
Sydney Morning Herald
Thursday August 13, 2009
A PALL descended upon Canterbury yesterday as the racing industry mourned the loss of one of its true gentleman. Horseman Pat Quinn, 63, was taking boots off his sole runner for the day, Insensitive, when the mare jammed the trainer against a saddling-stall partition.Four paramedic vehicles arrived, with reports Quinn was resuscitated before being placed on a stretcher and into an ambulance bound for St George Hospital. It is believed he suffered a heart attack in transit. Quinn's wife, Gail, also accompanied him to hospital.Quinn, who started in the racing game more than four decades ago, was training out of Port Macquarie. The family man, who had left Sydney for the north coast about a decade ago, had about a dozen thoroughbreds in work."He was a great horseman, a lovely family man," said Sydney Turf Club chairman Bill Picken, who has known Quinn for 45 years having lived alongside the trainer when preparing horses out of Rosehill. "He loved his horses. I suppose he died doing what he wanted to do."Champion trainer Gai Waterhouse described Quinn as the type to do anyone in need a favour. "Always a really nice man, he would always do you a turn," she said. "He had a wonderful worn face, he was timeless."News of Quinn's death was relayed to his apprentice Allan Chau, who emerged from the stewards' room in tears. "They won't let me ride the horse [Insensitive]," a distraught Chau said.The club doctor, fellow riders and Ron Quinton, a former jockey turned trainer who is now looking after apprentices for Racing NSW, consoled Chau.Picken accompanied Chau to St George Hospital while jockeys considered abandoning the meeting. "A champion," jockey Jim Cassidy said of Quinn. "Pat was there to help whoever needed it, he was a good man."Quinn was one of the early trainers for racing giants Jack and Bob Ingham, with horses such as Go Mod and Top Charger."One of the happiest blokes in the world," said Bob Rowles, the jockey-room supervisor on Sydney tracks for around 60 years. "He'd come down here and have a talk, he'd make you feel good."Darley's head trainer Peter Snowden, who worked for the Inghams' Woodlands Stud operation for about 17 years, described Quinn "as a good man" and "his whole life was racing, he lived for it".At one stage Quinn spent six years at the Inghams' pre-training farm, Belmont Park, where he cared for horses such as champion Octagonal. He then returned to training at Hawkesbury before heading to Port Macquarie. "Racing has lost a gentleman," leading jockey Corey Brown said. "A terrific man for the sport."Quinn is survived by wife Gail, sons Craig and Mark, who trains out of Hawkesbury, and daughter Tracy, who is married to jockey turned trainer Tracey Bartley.
© 2009 Sydney Morning Herald
Share This