Inducted into the Australian Racing Hall Of Fame in 2016 and on Australia Day this year awarded the Medal (OAM) of the Order of Australia, Neville Begg is one of the legends of the Australian turf.
Kicking off his career at the age of 14 with champion trainer and fellow Hall Of Fame member Maurice McCarten, Begg remained with the stable for 22 years - the last ten as stable foreman, an integral part of the careers of many outstanding horses including the champions Todman and Wenona Girl (Wilkes {Fr}).
Setting up as a trainer at Randwick in 1967, Begg trained the winners of 139 stakes races including 39 Group 1s with many a great horse coming under his care - the star mare Emancipation (Bletchingly) one of the best. Renowned as a great overall trainer, he was particularly well known for his flair with fillies and mares - winning the 1980 G1 Golden Slipper S. with Dark Eclipse (Baguette).
Maurice McCarten | Image courtesy of the Australian Racing Museum
Also training successfully in Hong Kong, Begg retired in 1996 though he remains actively involved in the sport and whilst never having big numbers of broodmares he has enjoyed great success breeding the likes of Telesto (NZ), Bonanova (NZ) (Star Way {GB}) and Written By - all Group 1 winners.
He still has around half a dozen mares, enjoying the process of studying their pedigrees and finding the right mates, excited to currently have Written By's dam Yau Chin (Tobougg {Ire}) in foal to Zoustar.
What advice would you give to a 20-year-old just starting out in racing today?
“It is best to start off slowly, to feel your way. If you go into racing or breeding too big too fast and get burnt you don't come back to it.”
Are there any figures in the racing industry who you feel deserve more recognition for their contribution?
“There are plenty but one in particular I think should be mentioned is Darren Gauci. He was a great rider with an unblemished record and he has dedicated his retirement to mentoring young riders. He is a quietly spoken man but when he talks people listen and he is doing an outstanding job with the apprentices at Racing Victoria.”
Darren Gauci | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
What has been the biggest obstacle you faced in your career?
“Finances! Keeping a stable balanced with the running costs is always a battle.”
Can you share a story that had a lasting impact on you?
“Being the first Hong Kong based trainer to own a Hong Kong winner!
“I bought Monopolize (Rubiton) with one of my Hong Kong owners Justin Yue for my son Grahame to train and he won two runnings of the G2 Hong Kong International Bowl - a race I trained the winner of two years previous, also for Mr Yue - Winning Partners (NZ) (Take Your Partner).
“Monopolize was owned by us (my daughter Carmel Size also in the ownership), trained by my son, led in by my son and ridden for his first win by my then son-in-law Wayne Harris. The whole family was there so it was a great day and a wonderful memory.”
Which people influenced your career the most?
“Maurice McCarten influenced me greatly, I was just a lad when I started with him and over 22 years we had a great association. The stable's jockey Neville Sellwood was also a great mentor to me, he helped me a lot in those days.”
Inducted into the Australian Racing Hall Of Fame in 2002, Maurice McCarten won the Sydney Premiership on four occasions, his major victories including the G1 Melbourne Cup with Delta.
Neville Sellwood | Image courtesy of John Tapp Racing
His big race wins included a Melbourne Cup (Delta), a G1 Caulfield Cup, two G1 W.S Cox Plates and three G1 Epsom Handicaps.
Honoured with a place in the Australian Racing Hall Of Fame in the same year was Neville Sellwood who, after winning six Sydney premierships and each of Australia's elite races on at least one occasion, ventured overseas to win a G1 Epsom Derby aboard Larkspur (GB) - tragically losing his life later that year in a fall in Paris.
You have learned a lot from horses as well?
“You learn as you go along and sometimes the least expected horse is the one who comes out and does the job for you.
“Dark Eclipse was one of those horses, she won the Golden Slipper but it was Fiancee (Baguette) who was our main chance that year. But things can change very quickly in racing!”
Neville Begg | Image courtesy of Searcy Media
Fiancee ended up being a better horse in the spring (Fiancee unplaced from a wide gate in the Slipper but able to defeat Dark Eclipse in the G2 Flight S. later in the year).
