Cover image courtesy of the State Library of Victoria
Maurice McCarten wasn’t the first in Australian racing to migrate from the Sydney jockeys’ room to a trainer’s ticket. But he was one of the first to have been so good at both disciplines that it’s hard to know which he is more famous for.
Born in New Zealand in 1902, in the coastal township of Hāwera on the North Island, McCarten was race-riding by the age of 14. Within a handful of years, he had shown enough giftedness to earn an AJC Derby berth aboard Ballymena (NZ) for Kiwi trainer Freddy Jones, which brought him to Sydney in 1923.
Maurice McCarten | Image courtesy of the National Museum of Australia
Though a big fish in New Zealand, McCarten was small fry on his arrival in the harbour city.
The Sydney jockeys’ room was competitive and salty, the home of brothers Jim and Darby Munro, of Jim Pike, Andy Knox, Billy Duncan and Billy Cook. Settling among it in 1926, McCarten quickly had its measure.
For 16 years he was one of the most decorated of Sydney riders. He won the AJC Derby four times, the Doncaster twice, the Sydney Cup twice and the Metropolitan. He consistently had one of the best winning percentages of all riders, and his cool hands and sharp judgement made him a weapon in a tight finish.
Maurice McCarten winning the 1934 Moonee Valley Cup aboard Nightly | Image courtesy of Les Haigh via Wikipedia
But he was also the most well-mannered of riders in the ranks. McCarten was known as ‘the gentleman jockey’, and it stuck with him right up to his retirement from riding in 1942. As he bowed out, Truth newspaper said that "few jockeys have ever attained the high pinnacle of universal respect that this gentleman commands".
McCarten kicked on into training immediately, despite the Second World War choking normal life. He set up at 24 Botany Street, Randwick, in Jack Jamieson’s old yard, bringing with him seven yearlings, a handful of tried-horses, and patrons like Ezra Norton, W.J. ‘Knockout’ Smith and Harry Tancred. As he had been riding, McCarten was a wild success training.
His first winner came at the long-gone Ascot Racecourse on May 30, 1942, a horse called Before Dark (Blixten {NZ}). After that, he had Melbourne Cup winner Delta (NZ), Columnist, Wenona Girl (Wilkes {Fr}) and the brothers Todman and Noholme. Each of these was a superb racehorse, some a champion.
Gallery: Images courtesy of the National Library of Australia
McCarten was a disciplined trainer that worked his large team (up to 45) in neat divisions every morning. His more seasoned horses went to the track earliest, followed by a second lot, and the youngest of his horses would work last. His careful systems netted him four Sydney trainers’ premierships, while he was second to TJ Smith on 10 occasions.
It’s hard to quantify McCarten’s success in today’s terms.
He won a lot, both in the saddle and on the ground. He had champions and rough squibs that won constantly at midweek meetings, and his success made him both rich and respected, like so many of that golden era in Sydney.
McCarten said the best he’d ridden was the crack Kiwi horse Limerick (NZ) (Limond {GB}), the fastest Ajax and the most courageous Aurie’s Star (Stardrift {GB}). By a long way, Todman, who landed the very first Golden Slipper in 1957, was the best he trained.
The 'Sydney old firm' of Neville Sellwood and trainer Maurice McCarten in 1953 | Image courtesy of the State Library of Victoria
Maurice McCarten died in June 1971 at his home on Wansey Road, overlooking Randwick Racecourse. He was 68, as complete a horseman as Australia has ever known.
