18/06/15

The following story appeared in the January 1987 edition of Turf Monthly in an article written by the late Graham Dawson. Entitled “Aussie Stakes Races Are Losing Their Glamour” the article went into the life and times of the then Tattersall’s Racing Club General Manager and Secretary – Paul Jones.

Paul Jones is a well-known Queensland racing identity and Paul and his wife are both still alive and well and are enjoying their retirement on the Gold Coast.

Graham Dawson’s article also covered such topics as Paul’s racehorse ownership and his controversial thoughts on Group 1 racing, which would have no doubt ruffled a few feathers back then.

The family of Paul Jones maintains a close association with the Brisbane thoroughbred industry to this day, via his charming daughter Mary-beth being the partner of multiple Group 1 winning trainer Dan Bougoure.

In full and unedited the article read:

After an army career of 28 years during which time he saw service in Australia, Vietnam, New Zealand and Canada, Paul Jones, 49, has become the driving force behind one of Queensland’s most prestigious clubs.

General Manager of Tattersall’s Club (Qld), Paul Jones is also secretary of Tattersall’s Racing Club.

Paul knows the thrill of owning a Group 1 race winner, however, that doesn’t stop him from embarking on a long-term project designed at upgrading the status of Australian pattern racing.

“I am concerned that stakes racing throughout Australia is losing its glamour,” Paul recently explained.

“I am in the middle of compiling statistics on our Group and Listed races.

“One thing already obvious to me is that we have far too many Group 1 handicaps.”

Paul believes we may have to go back to scratch if Group racing is to fulfil its promise of providing a yardstick against which to measure the best racehorses.

“We’ve lost sight of what Group racing is all about,” Paul says, warming to his subject.

“To my way of thinking Group racing is supposed to tell us which is the best colt, filly and older horse of their particular era.

“The thoroughbred breeding industry in Australia would be so much better endowed if we had a system like that.”

It is not difficult to agree with this energetic racing administrator.

With Australia currently relying so heavily on handicap events to provide the bulk of its black type performers, we are left to the whims of handicappers to provide us with an annual guide to the “best” via the mythical Free Handicaps.

The winner of the Group 1 race in Australia today is generally, quite simply the best galloper as handicapped on that particular day.

“They are not by any stretch of the imagination the best horse in Australia,” confirmed Paul.

There will always be an exception, naturally.

Kingston Town, Emancipation, Sir Dapper and a host of winners from yesteryear will always claim handicap and weight-for-age (or set weight) victories in their grab-bag of racing history.

“The fact remains that we are not realising out best horses in Australia by not having our Group races properly sorted out,” Paul Jones proffers.

Equally as sure that Australians will one day enjoy direct telecasts of all race meetings, Paul is confident additional exposure of his favourite sport will ensure its popularity in years to come.

“If you can bring racing into the living room, get people to understand the sport, know the rules, see jockeys weighting out … all these sorts of things, then they will go to the course.”

Paul uses the resurgence of cricket as the prime example of how television, used correctly, can benefit sporting administrators.

“I went to the first cricket test between Australia and England at ‘The Gabba’ on the Friday, and the ground was packed,” Paul observed.

“The thing that’s keeping cricket alive, which on occasions can be about as exciting as watching grass grow, is that people know it, they understand it, and they know the game’s personalities from watching television.

“Rather than racing administrators being afraid of TV, we ought to embrace it as hard as we can and use that publicity, that others pay thousands of dollars for, to our benefit.”

Paul’s comments, considering Australia’s racing administrators have agreed-to-disagree on the subject of live telecasting of racing, come as a breath of fresh air.

Indeed, why shouldn’t racing capitalise on the most influential medium in order to promote the sport.

But fresh and innovative ideas are not new to Brisbane’s Tattersall’s Club, and Paul Jones.

While other race clubs are struggling to attract decent crowds to Saturday meetings, Tattersall’s regularly boast attendances of 10,000 plus to each of their four annual race days.

“For many younger people, Tattersall’s meetings have become the place to go and be seen, and this can only be to the benefit of racing,” Paul suggests.

A firm believer that today’s youth are the future of racing, Paul says if racegoers like what they see on-course they will return regularly.

“People will always go to the races providing they are interested and educated about the sport,” he opines.

A few people might be surprised to see a former army officer involved in the administration of Queensland racing.

There is some background, as Paul puts it: “… on my distaff side.”

His father was not even vaguely interested in racing. However, Paul’s mother’s family boasts a strong connection with the sport in Central Queensland.

“I think they won a Rockhampton Cup, but I can’t be precise about their racing interests,” Paul confesses.

Born in the Queensland township of Home Hill in 1936, Paul was educated at Christian Brothers St. Brendan’s School, Yeppoon, close to Rockhampton.

After leaving school, he joined the army as an officer cadet at Duntroon in 1956.

At that stage, Paul’s parents lived at Bowen and he freely admits joining the army was a good way of getting out of country Queensland.

Paul enjoyed a variety of postings during the next 28 years. “I suppose it’s always more interesting to work backwards. Prior to joining Tattersall’s, I was the team leader of the Australian Defence Force Academy,” he recalls.

“Prior to that I was the Commanding officer of the Central Army Records Office which was the unit responsible for the postings and promotions of the other units of the army.”

Perhaps not so well known is that before his posting to Records, Paul spent three years as the military secretary to the Governor-General of Australia.

He worked with both Sir John Kerr and Sir Zelman Cowan. It was during his time with Sir John Kerr that Paul Jones became re-interested in racing.

“I came to work for Sir John Kerr a short time after the dismissal of the Government. I spent the last 12 months of his term with Sir John.”

Were they interesting times?

“Very interesting,” replies Paul.

You can always learn from those things. I had the opportunity to meet a number of people I might otherwise have not known.”

Paul has always been a keen follower of racing. “I used to read every sporting magazine I could lay my hands on,” he says, smiling.

“I was particularly keen to read about racing and breeding.”

It was at the Melbourne Cup of 1978 that Paul Jones was to meet the man who would play an integral part in turning his dreams of owning a racehorse, into reality.

“At the time Ken Cox was secretary of the VRC,” Paul remembers.

“I was attending the Cup meeting with the Governor- General. The Vice Regal party was coming and going and ducking inside for a cup of coffee, so I stood outside watching the horses parading.”

Ken Cox, the proprietor of “Stockwell Stud”, enquired as to whether Paul had ever considered racehorse ownership.

“Yes lots of times,” was the reply Cox received.

Paul added, however, that the sort of horse he would like to own was way beyond his pocket.

Cox suggested Paul might lease a horse.

“Who is going to lease me a good horse?” enquired Paul.

“I will,” was the stud master’s reply.

Unfortunately, the first horse Paul raced on lease from Ken Cox was not the things of which dreams are made.

The filly was out of Show Day, the dam of Showmeran. Broken-in at Canberra, the filly had the makings of a good type when she broke her leg on the training track.

Paul was working for the Governor-General at the time and the trainer’s news that the filly has been destroyed caused great consternation on the lawns of Yarralumla.

Somewhat tentatively Paul rang Ken Cox in Melbourne to inform him of the demise of the prize filly.

Cox’s reaction was not at all what Paul had expected.

“Don’t worry,” said Cox. “If you want to be involved in racing you have got to be prepared for that sort of thing.”

Cox asked his stud manager, George Smith, to arrange an alternative lease for Paul.

“Get him a winner,” Cox told Smith.

The Comeram (Fr.) filly Smith selected for Paul had the worst legs of any young horse many people had ever seen come off the famed “Stockwell” pastures.

If Paul had any intention of sharing the cost of leasing the filly with friends, he soon forgot them as experienced racing men and vets alike damned the legs of the daughter of Comeram (Fr.).

Two people, however, had total faith in the filly. George Smith, and then-Rosehill trainer Terry Ramsay.

“To his eternal credit, Terry told me the filly would stand up to training and racing,” says Paul with admiration obvious for both men.

Paul and Terry gave the filly plenty of time to develop and grow.

George Bernard, of Canberra, prepared the filly for racing. “His daughters were show riders and by the time it was ready to go to Ramsay at Rosehill, the filly could perform most of the dressage steps, but both girls were quick to suggest she was the laziest horse they’d had anything to do with,” says Paul with a laugh.

Once he had her safely in his Rosehill stables, trainer Terry Ramsay continued to exercise patience with the filly which was to race as Allez Show.

He gradually readied the filly for racing and then rang Paul in Canberra, suggesting he might travel to Sydney to watch Allez Show go around in a barrier trial.

There is still a hint of surprise in Paul’s voice as he recalls Allez Show won her Warwick Farm barrier trial “… by so far!”

“Her first race at Rosehill, Allez Show won by over eight lengths. She won her second race, also over 900m in 51.1 seconds which established an Australasian record,” he says proudly, pointing to a photo of the filly which adorns his Tattersall’s office wall.

Allez Show (b.f. Comeram (Fr) – Show Francaise, by Showdown (GB) won five races from 900m to 1600m and $100,700 including the AJC Flight Stakes (Gr 11) and the STC Reisling Slipper Stakes (Gr 111) during her racing career.

“She stills holds the race record of 1.35:2 for the Flight Stakes,” Paul smiles.

What an introduction to racing!

Even Robert Sangster once suggested to Paul Jones that he had just about used up all his beginner’s luck!

Luckily, Paul us not one to accept such advice blindly. Not even from such prominent racing people as Sangster.

“People said to me I’d been lucky with Allez Show. They told me I’d never get that sort of luck again.”

“Savour the moment while you can,” was the tone of the advice other racing people heaped on the newcomer.

Ken Cox was only too happy to suggest Paul’s good fortune could continue.

“Well,” Cox said. “You’ve been lucky, do you want to race another one?”

Paul quickly replied in the affirmative and Cox turned to George Smith once again.

“George, pick us a winner,” was the familiar cry.

The filly George Smith selected for Cox and Paul to race was by Showdown (GB) out of the Wolver Hollow mare Little Hut (GB).

Named ‘Love a Show’, the filly was to prove the best of her sex as a two-year-old.

The filly was trained by Bob Hoysted and faced the started for the first time in the 1982 Merson Cooper Stakes at Caulfield.

Paul recalled the filly was left at least 20 lengths at the start. However, Solo Performance only just held out the barn storming ‘Love a Show’ at the finish.

Connections were, to say the least, delighted with the debut of their filly.

“Bob Hoysted told me, following that run, Love a Show was one of the best fillies he’d ever trained, without a doubt,” Paul added.

High praise indeed from the man who put the polish on the great Rose of Kingston.

A great believer in heart scores, Hoysted reported to Jones that Love a Show returned a score second only to the trainer’s former champion sprinter Manikato.

Love a Show lived up to Hoysted’s high expectations by winning the Windsor Handicap, the Blue Diamond Prelude, and the Blue Diamond Stakes before travelling to Sydney to take on Sir Dapper and company in the Golden Slipper of 1983.

The filly started favourite for the Slipper at 7-4.

Sir Dapper was second in the market at 7-2.

Purpose was an 11-2 chance, while Been There (9-1), Te Puninga (11-1) and Daybreak Lover (20-1) were also given a good chance in the race.

Ridden by Ron Quinton, Sir Dapper jumped well from barrier 11 and settled in about fifth spot.

Purpose, winner of the Reisling Slipper Trial, set a blistering pace from her wide alley and carted the field along at a merry clip.

For a moment it appeared the favourite would win the day.

But only for a moment, really.

No sooner had Love a Show been acclaimed the winner when Sir Dapper loomed up out wide to hit the front.

In the finish it was no contest.

The plaudits of the day rightfully belonged to the winner, Sir Dapper.

Unfortunately the glory of his victory was dimmed only a week later when news of the death of Love a Show was released.

Racing has been robbed of a budding champion by a twisted bowel.

“Before the Slipper, Bob Hoysted remarked that the filly was not herself,” recalled Paul Jones.

“She did well to finish third in race record time considering she was obviously feeling the effects of her illness.

“No-one was to know at the time, however,” he added.

“Her death was a tragedy.”

As a three-year-old, Love a Show had the potential to become the best in Australia. The ease of her Blue Diamond victory and her gusty performance under pain in the Slipper is proof of her undeniable quality.

While Love a Show is lost to racing, Paul has an interest with Ken Cox in a filly by Bletchingly out of his former top race filly Allez Show.

Names (sic) Showingly, the filly is in training with Brisbane’s premier trainer, Bruce McLachlan, at his outstanding “Thornhill Park” complex at Caboolture to the north of Brisbane.

Both Ken Cox and Paul Jones have exhibited the utmost patience with Showingly. The filly, now a three-year-old, will have her first start after the Summer.

“This filly is the spitting image of her dam and we are confident she will prove herself on the racetrack,” Paul suggested.

As General Manager of Tattersall’s Club, Paul heads one of Brisbane’s most popular clubs. “The fact that there is an eight year waiting list and a queue of 5,000 waiting to join suggests I am not alone in thinking Tattersall’s is one of the leading clubs in the State,” Paul says proudly.

As Secretary of Tattersall’s Racing Club, Paul is responsible for an organisation which has played a major role in Brisbane racing for over 100 years.

Tattersall’s conducted their centenary meeting at Eagle Farm on 8 December, 1984.

Tattersall’s was founded in November, 1883, when a small group of sportsmen, mainly concerned with racing, got together on a regular basis.

The first Tattersall’s race meeting was conducted on Saturday 10 December, 1884.

Prize money that year totalled 425 sovereigns for the six events.

A far cry, indeed, from the $384,589 distributed in 1983 and the $343,253 distributed from only three meetings in 1984.

There are a number of interesting anecdotes from the history of Tattersall’s.

Perhaps the best of the Tattersall’s memories comes from former Turf journalist and author Bill Ahern.

Bill remembers that back in 1929 a scoundrel was nabbed with three half-walnut shells and a pea, during a Tatt’s meeting at Eagle Farm.

Police charged the man with “possession of instruments of chance.”

Doing a “Perry Mason” the man decided to act as his own defence in court.

Before Chief Police Magistrate H.L. Archdall and Senior Sergeant D. McGrath, the accused gave a demonstration to support his claim that the shells and the pea were “… not instruments of chance.”

After shuffling the shells, the accused asked the CPM to nominate the shell under which he thought the pea would be located.

His worship pointed and was a bit perplexed to find no pea under the upturned shell.

Likewise the Police Prosecutor was at a loss to discover his selected shell empty.

The defendant turned to Bill Ahern, then a police roundsman for a Brisbane newspaper and said: “It has to be under the one that’s left, hasn’t it?”

All agreed such would prove to be the case.

Up came the walnut shell and … nothing!

“There you are, Your Worship,” said the defendant turning to the CPM. “The mugs had no chance, so the shells and the pea can’t be instruments of chance!”

There is a lot of tradition at Tattersall’s Club.

Paul Jones is just the man to maintain those traditions and temper yesterday’s memories with a touch of forward thinking which will help hoist Australian racing into the next century with a proud bearing and, perhaps, a system of classifying our races to ensure our Group 1 winners truly are the best of their generation … not just an ordinary galloper with connections astute enough to catch the handicapper napping.

Today on www.brisbaneracing.com.au there are the answers to yesterday’s racing quiz. On www.sydneyracing.com.au there’s the story of the longest winning sequences of our equine and canine athletes in Australian racing history, whilst on www.melbourneracing.com.au there are the answers to the huge montage of jockeys that readers were asked to identify by their face yesterday.