Tribute to a Burdekin racing icon
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A LARRIKIN that loved his family and cherished winning races on his local track at Home Hill.
That is how long-time Burdekin trainer Ray Tapiolas is being remembered after his sudden passing earlier this week. Tragically, Tapiolas passed away from a heart attack on his 71st birthday.
While he had not started a horse in his own name this year – the Tapiolas family was taking a break from the gallopers to focus on their farm work – racing participants recall chatting with Ray and his wife Denise at the Cluden Park track earlier this month.
The surname Tapiolas has been a constant in North Queensland racing circles since the 1950s, with Peter Tapiolas, who eventually passed the baton to his son Ray, with his son – Chris – giving him a hand at their barn every morning.
Ray started out helping his father with the horses around the age of 20. He was involved with the industry for more than four decades, preparing their gallopers on their cattle and cane farm.
“It is in the blood. Grandad was the best, and dad and I were just country trainers,” Chris said this week, following his father’s death.
“It filtered through down to dad and eventually I got involved about 10 years ago.
“Everyone knew him all the way up to Townsville, he was the type of bloke to stop and chat to anyone and everyone.”
Ray and Denise both spent at least a decade each as secretary and president of the club at Home Hill.
It is people like the Tapiolas that keep regional clubs alive in the Sunshine State.
“When you talk about racing around the Burdekin, people always talk about the Tapiolas,” Burdekin Race Club president Ricky Gudge said last year.
Townsville-based trainer Joanna Hassett always felt included and appreciated at the track when she travelled her gallopers down the highway to the Burdekin for their race days.
Hassett wanted to race her r horses at that track, as locals like ke Ray made it an enjoyable and positive ositive atmosphere.
“He was just a larrikin, if f you were in a bad mood or stressed sed about your horses, Ray would ld crack an inappropriate joke e that would make you come e back to earth,” Hassett said.
“He would make you feel that it was not all so serious and there was fun to be had.
“But, in saying that, he loved ved his racing and he definitely loved oved Home Hill and all the Burdekin rdekin Race Club, the whole family ily are stalwarts of the club.
“They are a great family ly and Ray embraced everything that is country racing, he was a genuine volunteer that all race clubs need.”
The Hassett yard has run into a purple patch of late – preparing two winners from its past four starters – and dedicated Bakuhatsu’s victory on Tuesday afternoon at Cluden Park to Ray, after he passed away just the day before.
“I thought if anyone is going to get me over the line, it is going to be Ray,” she said.
The four-year-old gelding is unb e a t e n since arriving at the Wulguru stable and it was a knowledgeable eye at the track that informed Hassett that Bakuhatsu had won first-up.
It can be a tricky angle when it comes to a photo-finish at Cluden Park from the grandstand and Tapiolas – who has watched races at the track for much of his life – gave Hassett a winning nod.
“Because the race was such a close photo finish, I was worried that I had come second, but Ray was quick to tell me I had won, so there wa was hugs, kisses and high fives. fives They The were right there for it.”
Ray’s father Peter trained the Townsville Cup winner back in 1975 with a stayer named Namdrae.
And, Ray and Chris have raced their team of horses in Peter’s colours since: pale blue, white stars, sleeves and red cap.
According to Racing.com’s statistics, Ray prepared 33 career victories when he held his own licence.
As his son Chris explains, Ray enjoyed training TAB winners at Townsville, but more than anything, he loved preparing winners on Home Hill Cup day.
A mare named Starlistic was Ray’s “pride and joy” – Chris said – winning 11 races in North Queensland for the Tapiolas before retiring in late 2016.
Starlistic won on the local cup day, as did Hibachi Miss in more recent years.
While there is never a “good time” for someone to pass away, Chris thinks it is fitting that Home Hill will race this coming Saturday – July 9 – and Ray’s life can be celebrated.