An October 6 2021 email from Pauline Yates (nee Weate) in Bundaberg, Queensland, who attended St Patricks Convent School in Kogarah in her youth.
Pauline, who is in her 80’s, has been reminiscing of late, and provided Moorefield information by email. Pauline’s brother was jockey, George Weate.
There were 3 jockeys , who used to go around together at Mc Curleys : Ron Holman , Ernie Ackling and George Weate . Their nick names were Warrigal, Acker and Wizard.
I always found the nicknames interesting. In some cases, trainers were known only by their nicknames – no one knew their real names. This would never happen today!
My sister, Joyce lived in Sydney during the World War 2 and went to every race meeting where my brother, George was riding. She used to visit him at trainer, Jim Mc Curley’s home in French Street, Kogarah. Joyce was a former girlfriend of George Moore.
One of my brothers married Josie Fell (nee Dunne). She was the widow of jockey, Mick Fell (Lester), who was a most interesting man.
And Father O’Farrell.…. He would catch Foleys bus from Kogarah to Dolls Point, sometimes on a Friday night. He would get off at the top of our street, Lakeside Avenue (now in Monterey) and walk to my brother’s house. They would talk horse racing, and whilst doing so Father O ‘Farrell enjoyed my brother’s whisky! At the end of the evening , my brother took Father O’ Farrell home by car.
This happened occasionally on a Friday night in possibly late 1946 and into 1947. George was out of his apprenticeship then, and was planning to go to India to ride.
And
Farewell to Frederick Hood, Micky, a former Moorefield jockey, who passed on September 30 2020. I noticed the In Memorium in the newspaper recently.
October 9 2021.
