Legendary trainer Tommy Smith - he of the 33 straight Sydney trainers’ premierships - marked his 50th birthday on September 3, 1966 with a win in the Canterbury Guineas.
The horse’s name was Garcon, owned by David Chrystal, one of the proprietors of Woodlands Stud, and ridden by George Moore.
When an official count was made by Form Focus of Smith’s 246 victories in Group One races, that win, one of 11 in the race now known as the Rosehill Guineas, came in No.74 chronologically, an achievement at that point unprecedented by any Australian trainer by their 50th birthday.
It came 20 years and five months since his very first victory in a race that would be classified Group 1.
Eleven years later, on November 14, 1977, it was Bart Cummings’ turn to celebrate his 50th birthday. Cummings’ milestone came 13 days after he captured his sixth Melbourne Cup with Gold And Black.
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