RaceCafe..#1...Tipsters Thread.... Share Your Fancies For Fun...Lets See Who The Best Tipsters Here Are.
tim vince

Tony Grayling

Recommended Posts

nice article in the SS times. One of the great guys- always keen to help me. When u see the effort  and rewards it makes u shake your head.

 

I get even more filthy when a couple of board members at the ATC say " we are sick of subsiding trainers and they shouldn't get 10percent of the stakemoney."

 

Really!  Some would say - not me of course -that the members shouldn't subsidise you to the tune of about 10k a year for  your services.

 

 

A prominent Cambridge trainer told me he did the numbers for a month- his hours and return and worked his  pay out at 6 dollars  per hour.

 

Anyway Tony good luck and u have dome a great job with Shaun- he is a great kid -.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes, I have read that article this morning.....

Sounds like he is a little pissed that he never had a real top horse.....never had any big owners.....and is still renting a house and barn?

Good on him for his future.....but I do not think it is worth moaning about not making money after all these years. He should have done what many others do, train for a hobby......and have a real paid job at the same time.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes, I have read that article this morning.....

Sounds like he is a little pissed that he never had a real top horse.....never had any big owners.....and is still renting a house and barn?

Good on him for his future.....but I do not think it is worth moaning about not making money after all these years. He should have done what many others do, train for a hobby......and have a real paid job at the same time.

 

A bit harsh there Portfolio....he obviously had a passion for the Industry.

Things are tough when a trainer can't make a living with 20 horses....many don't make a lot out of the % of stakes a trainer earns ,staying afloat by selling horses abroad.

And tough too ,when they don't feel good about passing all actual costs on to owners.

Even tougher when they don't get 'new' stock from the sales.

 

Trainers are a vital part of the Industry, without them horse numbers will continue to dwindle.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

A bit harsh there Portfolio....he obviously had a passion for the Industry.

Things are tough when a trainer can't make a living with 20 horses....many don't make a lot out of the % of stakes a trainer earns ,staying afloat by selling horses abroad.

And tough too ,when they don't feel good about passing all actual costs on to owners.

Even tougher when they don't get 'new' stock from the sales.

 

Trainers are a vital part of the Industry, without them horse numbers will continue to dwindle.

 

My point being is that a lot of people out there are battling in all types of work, not just trainers.

I am not dogging the guy, and I wish him all the best with his new role.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes, I have read that article this morning.....

Sounds like he is a little pissed that he never had a real top horse.....never had any big owners.....and is still renting a house and barn?

Good on him for his future.....but I do not think it is worth moaning about not making money after all these years. He should have done what many others do, train for a hobby......and have a real paid job at the same time.

 

I've read a lot of uninformed drivel on here, but this post is right up there with the worst.

 

It's the Tony Graylings of the game that hold it together. Training a good sized team, filling fields every week, winning his share of races, catering for the average owner, employing staff, cultivating the next genertaion of trainers and drivers, working ridiculously long hours, and all for minimal financial reward.

 

And your advice is to go out and get "real paid job as well". He was providing "real paying jobs", and his wife has a "real paying job"..

 

The loss of Tony Grayling to the training and driving ranks may not have a huge impact of the industry, but it is symptomatic of the fragile state of the industry when a guy that's sitting in the top 40 on the national trainers list and enjoying his best season ever, simply walks away because the money just isn't there.

 

How many more "Tony Graylings" will disappear before the powers that be, stop patting themselves on the back for the great job they're doing, and wake up to the fact that the game is going downhill fast, and apart from the odd real estate windfall such as Alexandra Park are aiming for, or the Harold Park sale in Australia, the core business of harness racing in it's current state, is unsustainable.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Sorry to see guys like Tony leave this side of the industry.

Tim you are so right about the ATC directors getting paid - it's not on. I remember an AGM about 4/5 years ago when the Directors gave themselves a pay rise and only half a dozen members voted against it - the members must agree?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I've read a lot of uninformed drivel on here, but this post is right up there with the worst.

 

It's the Tony Graylings of the game that hold it together. Training a good sized team, filling fields every week, winning his share of races, catering for the average owner, employing staff, cultivating the next genertaion of trainers and drivers, working ridiculously long hours, and all for minimal financial reward.

 

And your advice is to go out and get "real paid job as well". He was providing "real paying jobs", and his wife has a "real paying job"..

 

The loss of Tony Grayling to the training and driving ranks may not have a huge impact of the industry, but it is symptomatic of the fragile state of the industry when a guy that's sitting in the top 40 on the national trainers list and enjoying his best season ever, simply walks away because the money just isn't there.

 

How many more "Tony Graylings" will disappear before the powers that be, stop patting themselves on the back for the great job they're doing, and wake up to the fact that the game is going downhill fast, and apart from the odd real estate windfall such as Alexandra Park are aiming for, or the Harold Park sale in Australia, the core business of harness racing in it's current state, is unsustainable.

 

So Jack......

What do you tell other trainers out there in the same situation. Keep going at all cost.....no matter how hard it gets?

 

This is the way Harness racing will be. Many will stop training in the future.

I am sure this will be his best decision ever.....now he will not have the worries he once had.

 

He can still have a horse or 2 to train.....like many others do.

 

Major stables will always be around, they  have good records, cashed up clients etc. Small hobby trainers will still keep going, but those battling with mostly very average horses in medium sized teams may not continue  as much in the future. That is just the way it is.....and really nothing is about to change.

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

So Jack......

What do you tell other trainers out there in the same situation. Keep going at all cost.....no matter how hard it gets?

 

This is the way Harness racing will be. Many will stop training in the future.

I am sure this will be his best decision ever.....now he will not have the worries he once had.

 

He can still have a horse or 2 to train.....like many others do.

 

Major stables will always be around, they  have good records, cashed up clients etc. Small hobby trainers will still keep going, but those battling with mostly very average horses in medium sized teams may not continue  as much in the future. That is just the way it is.....and really nothing is about to change.

 

 

Yep, everything is fine with the game. Nothing to fix here!

 

Pokies were the short term miracle cure that propped the game up last time round. This time around it's real estate sales injecting some funds to pay the bills. What happens when the land is all sold, and the miracle cupboard is bare?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Sobering reading. It seems inevitable that the only people who will stay in training will be the super stables and a few cooky eccentrics. All the middle of the road types will be forced to quit.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Tony, if you do read this , all the best in the new venture and sorry to see you go from the training ranks.You trained a few for us over the years and sorry it eventually did not work out in the long term.Make the most of the new venture and the best of luck.

Alan(Archie) Dawson (Perigo !!)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I agree that Tony was a good trainer but he did himself no favors by driving most of his horses himself!  His driving left a lot to be desired and nine times out of ten you could be guaranteed a tough run in the breeze or back in the running with no room in the straight. Driving stats of 12% in the first three placings vs starters over 30 years is not going to make money for anyone.... 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.