2023 SA Racing Hall of Fame Inductees

Glynn Pretty was a household name in the 1960’s and 70’s riding with multiple successes in Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong, where he retired after a serious fall at Happy Valley in 1978. He was also a SA premiership winner in the 1971/72 season and rode multiple feature winners here including the 1963 Goodwood Handicap, the 1964 Adelaide Cup, and the 1970 SA Oaks. After moving to Singapore in 1966, he rode over 300 winners in the next four seasons, becoming the leading rider in 1967, 1968, 1969 and 1970, including the incredible feat of riding 10 winners on the Singapore Gold Cup card in 1969. Glynn won nearly every Classic on the Malaysian circuit and in 1978 was inducted into the Singapore Racing Hall of Fame.

He returned to Adelaide in 1970 and rode for Bart Cummings, earning the greatest accolade from the master trainer that Pretty “may have been the best horseman he’d ever seen.” He returned to Hong Kong in 1973, where he was consistently in the top echelon of jockeys, twice riding 5 winners on a day before his career was abruptly halted. A comeback in 1984 saw another 50 winners before retirement from the saddle beckoned a year later.

Glynn’s post riding career has continued an enormous contribution to the industry, including roles as President of the SA Jockeys’ Association for 15 years, presiding over the introduction of jockeys’ liability insurance and safety vests. Glynn continues to serve the industry as an assessor on the SA Racing Appeals Tribunal, assisting
the Chairman in thoroughbred racing appeals and enjoys a round or two of golf in retirement.

Selected from the Adelaide Yearling Sale by legendary horseman Bart Cummings, Taj Rossi was the pin-up three-year-old of his generation.

In the Spring of 1973 he had an amazing run winning seven of nine races.

It started with the Ascot Vale Stakes before carrying 61kg to victory in the Carrum Handicap.

He went on to win the Moonee Valley Stakes over a mile, finished fourth in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas before beating the older horses in the 1973 Cox Plate with Stan Aitken in the saddle carrying 49.5kg.

Taj Rossi continued his sparkling run of form, winning the Group 1 Victoria Derby, backing-up at Flemington a week later to win the George Adams Handicap before adding the Sandown Guineas to a stunning resume which saw him awarded the Australian Racehorse of the Year Award in 1973.

His racing career was cut short after a virus, but his legacy continued as a sire.

He was exported to America where he spent two years at stud before returning to Australia to continue stud duties and subsequently siring more than 100 winners including Victorian Oaks winner Taj Eclipse and Merimbula Bay who won a Doncaster Handicap.

David Peacock has been a member of the SAJC since 1976 and served on the Board on two separate occasions for 14 years from 1981 to 1991 where he was Deputy Chairman in 1990 and 1991. He served again from 2009 to 2012.

His second stint on the Board was recognised for strong leadership, following a period of rebuild to restore the club’s reputation with the State Government, The Australian Racing Industry and the Members of the SAJC. He was elected Chairman to commence this arduous task with his new Board and achieved his goals in his 3 year term. A leading breeder of thoroughbreds over many years, David has long been a passionate supporter for SA breeders on a national basis. With his horse’s carrying the ‘Discreet’ name and familiar lime green silks, they have been synonymous with his success, including at Group 1 level over many decades. This has culminated in him being a recipient of the ‘Matrice Award’, the highest honour awarded by the SA breeding industry, for his service and contribution to breeding and racing administration in this State. In his professional life as a family lawyer,

David has been recognised as a fierce advocate for the underprivileged, particularly with a strong commitment to the issues of racial equality. He is noted for his work with the Aboriginal people of South Australia, being a pioneer in working with them in the complex area of matrimonial law.

David Peacock has been awarded Life Membership of the SAJC for his services to the Club well before the normal 50 year term of being a member to receive this honour.

Trained by Colin Hayes and owned by Mrs L Hannan and Lady Monahan, Fileur was a multiple Group 1 winner, whose 1969 wins included the 3 Group 1’s of the C F Orr, Turnbull and the Memsie Stakes and the Group 2 Blamey Stakes.

He was a winner as a 2yo, 3yo, 4yo, 5yo and 6yo, continuing to race as a 7yo, including campaigns in SA where he had his first start at Morphettville in February 1967, before mainly campaigning in elite company in Melbourne and Sydney. His Group 1 record would have been enhanced but for running multiple placings in the Mackinnon Stakes, Cox Plate and a roughhouse Melbourne Cup of 1968. Most notably, his 1968 Spring campaign highlighted his durability with him running three seconds to Rain Lover in the space of a week at Flemington. A winner of the 1968 Gothic Stakes (now RN Irwin Stakes) over 6 furlongs also gave credibility to his durability at Black Type level over sprint, middle distance and staying distances right up to a two miles throughout his career, spanning 6 racing seasons.

Feature race performances:
3yo-
Cheltenham - 2nd Port Adelaide Guineas
Moonee Valley – 1st Moonee Valley Stakes
Morphettville – 1st Gothic Stakes
Victoria Park- 1st City of Adelaide Handicap
Victoria Park – 2nd Birthday Cup
4yo-
Moonee Valley – 2nd Cox Plate (to Rajah Sahib)
Flemington – 2nd McKinnon (to Rain Lover)
Flemington – 2nd Melbourne Cup (Rain Lover)
Flemington – 2nd C. B. Fisher Plate (Rain Lover) (3rd run in 7 Days)
Moonee Valley – 4th William Reid Stakes
Sandown – 1st C. F. Orr Stakes
Flemington – 1st Blamey Stakes
5yo-
Sandown – 4th J.J. Liston Stakes
Caulfield- 1st Memsie Stakes
Caulfield – 2nd Underwood Stakes (Rain Lover)
Flemington – 1st Turnbull Stakes (2nd Rain Lover)
Moonee Valley -3rd Cox Plate (Daryl’s Joy)
Morphettville – 1st Gothic Stakes
6yo-
Caulfield – 4th Caulfield Stakes
Flemington – 3rd McKinnon Stakes
Flemington – 1st C. B. Fisher Plate
Flemington-1st - Elizabeth Stakes
Randwick – 1st Autumn Stakes
Randwick – 2nd Queen Elizabeth Stakes
Summary: 59 Starts-14 wins-11 seconds-6 thirds

(Prizemoney: $7,542,150*)
*Conversion to today’s prizemoney levels