Harnessing a passion that fills the void

When veteran harness racing trainer-driver Arthur Clancy had to give up footy in the 1960s, it left a “bit of a hole” in his life.

But as a newcomer to the NSW standardbred stronghold of Bathurst, finding a way to fill the void wasn’t too hard – and 50 years on harness racing is still doing the job.

“It’s been a wonderful sport to be involved in and when the footy finished early, I could see that this was something I could do forever – I just don’t know yet how long forever will be!” Clancy, now 79 laughed.

“I came down here from Wollongong to work at the County Council and play footy.  George Butler was a linesman at work and was involved in harness racing.  He got me in a horse with him, then I started coming down to the Showgrounds and you pick up bits and pieces as you go along,” he said.

“I ended up getting my trainer’s and driver’s licence fairly soon after, and I’ve had it ever since.”

Clancy said he’d been fortunate to have trained and driven some nice horses along the journey.

“The horse I rate as the best I ever had wasn’t that well known but he had interdominion ability.  His name was Tara Fire and he was unbeatable out of the barrier and a super horse for me. He won six at Harold Park but he only had about 30 starts because he was very injury prone,” he said.

“Kotare Craft was another I won a few with when I got him right, while Timbucktoo was a nice horse and won races at Harold Park and Albion Park. And in recent times I had good success with Jiggy Rhythm, who won eight for us.

“Racing is a buzz, but working with horses has always been a switch off from everything else for me.  Especially developing a young horse is always a long road but it can be very rewarding.”

On that measure, Clancy’s training and driving of a horse he also bred, The Ringmaster (Auckland Reactor), who strolled to victory at Bathurst earlier this month (Oct 7) must certainly rank as one of the most rewarding of his career, coming at the five year old’s 58th start.

“It was very very satisfying win. A bit of a monkey off my back, to be honest!  He’s had a lot of issues over the last three and a half years. He had some injuries, but he’s always been flighty and spooky too, and he’s been in a position to win races before and thrown them away,” he said

“He has got the ability and he’s one of those I went along with for a long time, but after a while, he owed me that win!

“I have had offers to buy him because in some of his defeats his ability has been evident. I think he has more than that in him and now he’s on his way to Tamworth. He is going up to Dean Chapple’s stables, and if he can keep his manners, I feel the racing in that area will be more suitable for him.

“It’s very hard to win races at Bathurst because of the very good horses right down the line, so I’m hoping he will keep the good work going when he gets up to Dean’s.”

Clancy trains only a handful of horses at any one time, and is currently working a yearling and his promising three-year-old Rose of Juliana, but admits it’s a team effort at the stables.

“We’ve got 25 acres out of town at Laughing Waters, with stables and a track and we go into the main Bathurst track to fastwork,” he said.

“My wife Carmel does an enormous job in helping me out – she does a lot of spadework and jogger work. And I have a mate who is about my age and was very successful himself, Dennis Oxley, who comes and works a second horse for me when I do fast work and helps me out when we go away.

“It’s honestly a bit of a Dad’s Army’ setup out there sometimes but it’s really enjoyable and a combined effort, and we all enjoy what we’re doing. It’s one of those games you have to be enthusiastic about because there are plenty of lows with the highs.”

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink