REMEMBER a jockey by the name of Danny Scott?
Of course you do- especially those who followed racing around these ridges in the late 1970s and early 80s.
He was the star of the show- known as Dashing Danny and a career highlight was his win on Smittens in the 1982 Cleveland Bay.
Danny, like most jockeys was forced out of the game because of weight and hasn’t been in the district for many many years.
But we found him. In semi retirement in the north coast of NSW after 25 years in the Motor Industry.
That change of profession began when he joined Geoff Pickering in Townsville. And just as he did in the saddle, Danny found the gaps and short cuts in the motor industry and within a short time was operating his own Toyota agency in Grafton.
He is totally lost to the racing industry- but has no regrets. Just a lot of memories of racing in the north. This is his story.
I grew up on cattle stations west of Townsville and went to High School in Hughenden. My father trained a couple on the station so I was riding work when I was 10.
I used to work them on the air strip at Daintree Station before or after doing correspondence with School of the Air.
At the end of 1978 we moved to Hughenden and my father Mal started race horse training as a career. So I was cleaning out stables from the time I was eight and riding work when I was 10.
Early in the 1980 western season Dad could not get jockeys for his starters at Winton so at 13 years and 5 months I borrowed a pair of silks and boots from Kevie Cairns,(brother of the great Nobby Cairns)-and rode them. I ran second in my first race ride and my first winner a month later at Richmond on a horse dad trained called Fire Warden.”
Danny rode seven winners on the western circuit that year.Then during the Christmas school holidays of 1980 the family came to the coast- and rode two winners at Ingham.
He turned 14 on December 28 that year.
“ I applied for and was granted my apprenticeship a year before the 15 year minimum age- on the condition that I rode on the western circuit for another 12 months before coming to Townsville.” he said
Danny weighed 40kg and with a 3kg claim was a popular choice for top weights with 60kg and over.
Danny rode another 22 winners on the western circuit in 1981 and at his last appearance at Richmond on October 17, rode four winners and two seconds on the six race card. He was already knicknamed Dashing Dan when he
Rode his first Townsville winner in Novdember that year on a horse named Diamond Future.
When his father returned to the west his indentures were loaned to the late Ray Birse and later transferred to the late John Ross.
“I used to live in the flat at JP's stables and eat with him and his mum inside. I
remember Mrs Ross teaching me to iron the race colours that the trainers would leave with you if you were to ride their horse next start.”
One of the greatest horses I ever rode was Rum Ration. Trained by the late Col Jurs, he was an absolute flying machine in the calibre Smitten or Forever Noble. Rum Ration had only ever raced over 1000m or less but I encouraged the trainer to start him over 1200m .He won by
10 lengths and the next Saturday he equalled Bartase's track record over 400m.” He recalls it was the only time he ever had the reins thrown at him from the jump- “and almost did a second lap on him just trying to pull him up”
His parents moved to Townsville mid way through the 1982 season and he resumed his apprenticeship with his dad.
He was second to Troy Brandenburg that year but won the next two premierships before weight became the ogre- and eventually forced him out of the game
My biggest wins were a Cleveland Bay - Lightning double on Smitten.
“I had 13 rides for Tom Hedley - Peter Homan combo that year for 11 wins including the NQ Cp on Bowbarrel.”.
The Innisfail Cup win on Smokey Cola is another cherished memory.
Abd so is the day he rode the first four winners on Ingham Gold Cup day and vows it should have been five.
“Many including myself, my father and the trainer of the horse believe I won the fifth (and final) race on the card that day.
“When we asked to see the photo we were told the camera hadn't worked?
Danny reckons he rode in “ the golden days”of Queensland racing.
“When Townsville raced every weekend and most public holidays.
When there was also a country circuit around Townsville that raced every weekend at a different venue as well.
“The jockeys room was full of great riders like Bill Cardwell, the late Bill Bethel, Stanley Watkin, Darin Sewell, Don Campbell, and many more. When I went south I rode against the Mick Ditman, Mal Schumacher, Gavin Duffy, Gary Palmer
“If I had to choose one I would say the best rider I rode against would be Noel Harris in NZ although Jim Cassidy, Brent Thompson, Shane Dye, Neil Williams and Peter Cook are all up there”.
And of the locals in that era he rates the late Ivan Wernowski and Darin Sewell.
His best trainer was “probably Peter Homan or Bent Madsen although Bob McKenna deserves an honourable mention.”
Danny rode 200 winners before he conceded to weight, at the end of 1985. He spent three months in NZ on loan to Bent Madsen who had trained horses like Holy Toledo & Rose Mellay, runner up in a Melbourne Cup.
He returned in May 1985 and was on his way to Richmond races with his good friend, popular race Sean Ryan, “when we had a car accident trying to avoid a beast in the early hours of the morning”
“I sustained a hangman’s break to my neck (the same thing that happens when you get hung) as well as a broken collar bone, busted left lung and three ribs broken off my back bone.
Unfortunately Sean didn't make it and this was the most painful injury and the source of so much grief over the last 30 years as I always blamed myself for the accident.
Over time I have learned that I was the passenger not the driver and received some professional help in 2011 that helped me come to terms with the loss.
The physical injuries I sustained have had a lingering effect on my life but it was weight that eventually forced me to hang up my boots.
“I am currently about 85kg."
The accident occurred in May 1985. His last ride was in 1986.
