MY RECENT MOOREFIELD RACECOURSE (1888-1951) RESEARCH ON COLUMNIST, FRANK PACKER’S HORSE , REQUIRED MUCH DETECTIVE WORK.
In 1993 / 1994 I was told by a number of people that Jack Packer , Frank Packer’s brother, trained Columnist. Billy Childs, and Maurice McCarten (ex jockey) also trained Columnist.
Arthur Croall was not the trainer, as some locals had suggested.
My sources were adamant that it was Jack Packer . Other locals with a good racing knowledge, had not heard of Jack Packer ,trainer.
I had to get to the bottom of this mystery………
I recently contacted the Local History Librarian, Murray at Kogarah Council to see what information the Library held on Frank Packer. (there is very little mention of Frank Packer’s interest in horses in his obituary , or any other biography)
Jack, aged 87 who drinks at the Moorefield Bowling Club, Kogarah has a good knowledge of racing, having owned a number of horses over the years. His wife, who previously rode trackwork at Moorefield in the early 1950’s, was an owner /trainer in the 1960’s. John, aged early 70’s, who rode track work at Moorefield, also drinks at the Bowling Club. Both gentlemen were consulted in respect of this mystery, but they did not know or remember Jack Packer.
I then rang Mrs O’Leary in Burlington Street, Monterey. She knew that Columnist and Journalist were stabled on her property, as she often recalled her late husband, Terry , who was a horse trainer, talking about these wonderful horses.
I next checked Columnist ‘s racing history , and did a search on Trove for the 1947 Caulfield Cup . (My parents attended this Cup, so it is coincidental that I am tracking down details on Columnist ) Maurice McCarten was indeed his trainer for the 1947 Caulfield Cup.
On April 15, 2015 I contacted the Australian Turf Club to help me solve this mystery . Graham ,who does volunteer research for the ATC Heritage Society, came to the rescue . We fortunately remembered each other, as we have chatted on the phone, on occasions, about Moorefield Racecourse, since the mid- 1990’s.
I then spoke to the Local History Librarian, Kirsten at Rockdale City Council to ask if she could check Burlington Street ,Monterey in the Rate Books for the mid -1930’s to the 1940’s.
The mystery was finally resolved on April 22, 2015.
It appears that Jack Packer was Frank’s uncle, not brother, and raised Columnist. He was given him to train, which he did from his first start, in November 1944, until the end of autumn 1947. While the horse was spelling, Jack Packer died of a stroke, aged 60 on August 2,1947 .
The horse was ready to resume racing, so was transferred to a new trainer, Maurice McCarten at Randwick. That association lasted only from August 1947 until November 1947. There was a disagreement arising from Maurice McCarten, his trainer scratching Columnist from the Melbourne Cup, without consulting Frank Packer .( The 1947 Melbourne Cup coincidentally was won by a Moorefield horse, Hiraji)
Columnist, which by now in 1947, was regarded as being the best racehorse in Australia, was left in Melbourne to resume racing in February / March 1948 . His registered trainer was then W.F. (Billy ) Childs , a Moorefield trainer. It is most likely that Billy Childs was sent from Burlington Street, Monterey, Sydney to Melbourne, to train the Columnist for the two Melbourne starts. This was likely to have been an interim measure, as Frank Packer was then awaiting another trainer for Columnist.
Columnist returned to Sydney and was then trained by Charlie Cullen at Randwick . Cullen was the trainer for the remainder of Columnist’s career, which ended in May 1949, when he retired to stud at Aluinn Stud , Muswellbrook , Hunter Valley. This stud was owned by Frank Packer and others.
Mrs O’Leary told me on April 24, 2015 that Jack Packer’s stables were most likely opposite her late husband’s stables in Burlington Street , Monterey . There were in fact three sets of stables in Burlington Street, Monterey. This can possibly be confirmed from Rockdale City Council’s rate books, as the Sands Directories ceased in the early 1930’s.
The elderly gentlemen, who told me that Packer , Mc Carten and Childs were Columnists’ trainers were correct . They, however, had the order incorrect, and stated that Jack Packer was Frank’s brother, rather than his uncle. They provided me with valuable information and for this I am thankful .
Columnist, I believe,is very much under-rated for his achievements as a race horse . These achievements must be acknowledged and receive better recognition in our horse racing history.
Anne Field
Kogarah .
ko7758222bigpond.net.au
April 27 , 2015
