Tears as Revell hangs up boots

WHEN Russell Revell dismounted an unraced twoyear-old at the Brighton Training Centre shortly before noon on Thursday he heaved a sigh of relief which was followed by a torrent of tears.

Revell had ridden his last piece of trackwork to finally hung up his riding boots and end a career that has spanned 43 years in the saddle.

For the past 22 years he has been a trackwork rider and for 18 of those years he was a clerk of the course, and according to some, the best there has been.

Revell, 55, began his riding career aged 12, riding trackwork for trainer Terry Evans before school.

When Evans moved his operations to the Huon, Revell joined the Bill Pettit stable and that’s where the 15-year-old became an apprentice.

“It took me about 40 rides before I cracked my first winner, Super Astra, a lovely old horse I’d placed on a couple of times before winning and the next week I rode a double and I was on my way,” Revell said.

He rates Swallow Gem one of the best he rode in races, winning a Brighton and Turf Club cup and Prairie Wind was one of the most consistent.

Revell rode for about 18 years and while he never made the headlines he was a much sought after rider because of his innate connection to horses. He turned to trackwork riding and secured the role of clerk of the course for southern-based gallop and harness events.

“I led back 18 Hobart Cup winners and two Inter-Dominion winners while serving as a clerk of the course and I loved every minute of that job.”

For the past 43 years Revell has ridden, on average, 15 horses a day, which probably makes him one of the most experienced trackwork riders on the planet. It was on the training track where he connected with some of the best to ever grace the turf in Tasmania.

“I’ve been fortunate to have ridden some of the best to ever race here including Charlie Goggin’s big three in Lord Manina, Cafeteria and Conquering. I rode some of Gary White’s good horses in Birle’s Gamble, Tempest Tost and my old favourite Scruples and they were some of the best of their era. And of course I rode my favourite horse of all Geegees Blackflash in most of his trackwork and when he was trained by John Luttrell I reckon he was good enough to win a Caulfield Cup the year he won our Newmarket and Hobart Cup but he never got to race outside this state.

“I’m very fortunate because everywhere I’ve gone to ride I’ve managed to connect with the best southern based horses to ever race in the state.”

For the past seven years Revell has been aligned to the Stuart Gandy stable at Brighton and they forged not only a great working relationship but a rock solid friendship.

“This a very sad day for me because Russell has been such an integral part of my journey as a trainer,” Gandy said.

“When you train horses you have to develop a great understanding of the animals and I’ve been very lucky to have had Russell working by my side and I’ve learned so much from him.

“When Russell says a horse is ready to win it usually does and that’s a powerful tool to have in this game.

“But it’s not just his ability with horses, it has been his friendship and honestly, you couldn’t find a nicer person than Russell.”

Revell is not sure what the future holds in terms of a job but he’s hoping something might turn up that has a connection to the racing industry.

“I have been thinking about giving it away for about 18 months and every time I suggested it to Stuart he would drop his lip and I’d change my mind and keep going,” Revell explained.

“But I had to stop riding because now I can’t walk more than 100m without my hips giving way, and waking up each morning in pain isn’t good for your health, so I’m hoping by not having to ride each day it will give me some pain relief.”

Revell and his wife Glenda, who works for Pennicott Wilderness Journeys at Port Arthur, spent most of yesterday moving into their new digs at Taranna, which will save Glenda about two hours travelling time a day.