Goodrick a champion of the ‘reject’

BARRY Goodrick didn’t reach any great heights as a racehorse trainer but he was one of the most-liked players and the industry was saddened by his death late last week.

Goodrick, 78, lost his six-year battle with cancer and even while suffering from the terminal illness, he maintained a happy-go-lucky persona while at the races.

He was also a much-loved husband to Helen and a loving father to his two daughters, Chelsea and Leah.

Goodrick started training under an owner-trainer licence in 1986 but never had more than two horses in work at any one time.

In more recent years he had a knack of buying tried horses, rarely paying big money, and he had a terrific strike rate with rejects.

He had a great sense of humour, something that helped him extend his life expectancy after his cancer diagnosis.

“They gave Dad five years and he stretched that beyond six years, and even when you know the end is near, it still hits you pretty hard when you lose a parent,” Chelsea said.

Barry was always on the lookout for a bargain, and he had a way with words that usually led to him securing a steed at the right price.

One purchase that tops the list is a filly named Ansaam that he bought from the David Hayes-Tom Dabernig stable in Victoria.

The asking price for Ansaam was $6000 and the owners were firm, but he told them he was only a pensioner and that he could give them $2000 and pay the rest off over a few months, which they accepted.

Ansaam won two races (one a dead heat) and racked up a few minor placings for $24,000 in prizemoney, so according to Barry she was a worthwhile purchase.

Whenever interviewed by this writer after a win he was always happy to talk and keen to discuss the horse’s breeding, but also happy to deliver a joke or be on the receiving end.

Goodrick had a penchant for grey horses and his best was Ash For Cash that he purchased for $2000 in 2013. He won five races and placed 12 times for almost $80,000 prizemoney.

He was a family man and very proud of his daughter Leah’s achievements as a successful jockey and of Chelsea’s skills around horses.

“Dad always told us that we should have horses in our life but only as a hobby. I listened, Leah didn’t,” Chelsea said.

Barry had a way with animals and his cockatoo Jose was his sidekick.

“There wasn’t an animal that did not get on well with Dad,” she said.

Chelsea also said of her father: “Dad always made everything better.”