ALBERT STAPLEFORD TURNS 95

LEGENDARY former Gosford trainer Albert Stapleford has turned 95.

“The family celebrated the occasion with Dad at home yesterday,” his son David said today.

“Whilst he can go out, it is with some difficulty, and it was easier to mark his birthday by spending time with him at home.”

Stapleford, who trained for more than seven decades and prepared 501 winners (his last, fittingly, was Dissenter at his home track on February 2, 2023) in a remarkable career.

He brought the mare back to 2100m after scoring with her a week earlier, also at Gosford, over 2600m.

Stapleford decided not to renew his licence at the end of the 2022-23 racing season, and was feted at a race meeting by Gosford Race Club, which hosted a special function to acknowledge not only his longevity and success as a trainer, but also the magnificent contribution he made to the industry.

The club had a commemorative racebook printed, and presented Stapleford with a montage of photos and stories in the saddling enclosure that day.

Born in Phar Lap’s Melbourne Cup year (1930), Stapleford grew up at Millfield, near Cessnock in the Lower Hunter Valley.

Whilst he was apprenticed in Sydney in 1944, he grew rather quickly and, with a riding career out of the question, headed home the following year and began working at the famous Segenhoe Stud.

Stapleford’s training career began with a bang. At 17 years of age, he won with his first starter Renmark at Muswellbrook.

He had terrific success with the now deceased Magic Albert, a horse named after him. From 13 starts, the stallion won seven races, including the Group 2 Peter Pan Stakes (now Golden Rose Stakes) at Rosehill Gardens and Group 3 Spring Stakes at Newcastle.

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Heavy rain has played havoc with scheduled midweek provincial meetings.

Tuesday’s Newcastle program was abandoned today after the track received more than 200mm in the past seven days, 101mm of it in the last 24 hours.

With more rain forecast, Thursday’s Wyong meeting has been transferred to Goulburn.

Connections of horses accepted for Newcastle have until 8am Tuesday to nominate for the Goulburn fixture.

Acceptances for that meeting will be taken an hour later.

As a result of the switch, two distance changes were necessary.

Both the Class 1 Handicap and Super Maiden Plate have been shortened from 1100m to 1000m.

Story John Curtis, May 19, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos