Tributes for Group 1-winning WA trainer Colin Webster

The Australian racing community is mourning the death of Group 1-winning trainer Colin Webster, who has died aged 85 after a six-decade career that shaped Western Australian racing.

A former accountant who began training at 21 in 1961, Webster built a reputation as one of the state’s most respected horsemen, producing elite performers including Wolf City, Hasten Lass and Queen Inca from the 1970s through to the 1980s.

His later years brought continued success with horses such as Beau Heed, Terwilliger and Pop Culture, whose black-type victories between 2012 and 2014 underlined Webster’s longevity and skill deep into his career. He was also the original trainer of 1999 Melbourne Cup winner Rogan Josh, trainer Bart Cummings’ 11th win in the race.

The defining moment came in 2022 when, aged 82, Webster trained Trix Of The Trade to win the Railway Stakes, one of Australia’s oldest Group 1 races, with the gelding ridden by his former apprentice Troy Turner.

Turner later reflected that Webster’s influence extended well beyond results, describing him as a mentor of integrity whose calm approach, trust in jockeys and lifelong commitment to horses and people left a lasting mark on the sport.