By Duane Ranger (courtesy of Redcliffe Paceway)
Ian Mabbott recorded two victories with My Latin Lady on consecutive Wednesdays at Redcliffe Paceway on October 23 and 30 – but not in his normal role as a Tamworth trainer.
The 71-year-old and his son Anthony own the Foreclosure filly. In fact, Mabbott senior trained the 3-year-old bay for 18 of her 33 starts before passing her on to Graham Dwyer at North Maclean in August. His son Layne drove My Latin Lady to two and 1.1-metre victories on both days.
“We bought the filly off her original Forbes trainer, Jason Gaffney. His family bred her, and she had six starts for them before we took over in February this year. The problem was that there just weren’t enough races for her down here, and when there is a meeting I have to travel several hours to get her to and from the races.
“I’m in my 70s now and the days of long journeys are behind me, so Anthony and I decided to send her north. Apart from Tamworth the closest track is more than three-and-a-half hours away. I train them down here and Anthony manages them for me,” Mabbott said.
Both Mabbott and Gaffney recorded one win each with My Latin lady, and in nine starts for Dwyer she has been victorious four times. In fact, she won her first two starts for him on consecutive Fridays at Albion Park on August 30 and September 6.
All-up My Latin Lady has had 33 starts for six wins, four placings and netted $34,088 in purses. All six of those triumphs came this year. Her quickest mile-rate came at ‘The Creek’ on September 6, when going 1:57.7.
Last Wednesday My Latin Lady drew nine, and was second last at the bell, and was still there at the 300m before Dwyer let her loose. She then looped the field and came via the car-park to win race five – a 2,040m pace going away with a 1:59.8 mile-rate.
She won the week before over the same distance (from gate two) with 2:00.4 mile-rate.
My Latin Lady was the $2.60 favourite two starts back and the $4.40 third-favourite last week.
“I didn’t even know My Latin won first-up in Queensland back in August. It was a pleasant surprise to get that call from Graham. He has done a superb job with her. She hit a form-slump, but she is going really well now, and I expect her to go on with it,” Mabbott said.
Mabbott said Dwyer also trains the 11-win Boom Boom Hall gelding, Tralee Maxie, (1:55.3), for them. That 5-year-old bay also won at Redcliffe on October 9 and then placed at the same venue last Thursday (October 31) – both times in the hands of Dwyer junior. The Dwyers have had him for two years.
“Anthony’s wife, Melanie, trains greyhounds at their ‘Tralee Kennels’ in Tamworth. That keeps my son fairly busy, but he also helps me manage my horses. That’s where we got the name for our horses from.
“I usually train a couple here in Tamworth, but like I said there’s very few regular meetings in this area. My only horse in work at the moment is one-win pacer Tasmans Delight,” Mabbott said.
The Mabbotts also race 10-year-old Major In Art Black gelding, Major Tralee with Tayla Gillespie at Prenzlau. He’s out of the 2006 Ifihadyourluck 10-win mare, Full Confession.
She also left the 2014 Pet Rock 13-win mare Tralee Rocks (1:54.7) for the Mabbotts and promising 2-year-old McWicked colt, Tralee Snickas, who won well at Tamworth on August 15.
“Both Tralee Rocks and Tralee Snickas, were and are, very nice juveniles. Full Confession was served by Bling It on last November and we now have a lovely filly out of her. She will be next served by Cattle Wash.
“Full Confession’s full-brother, No Confession, was also a nice gelding that I trained. He won 18 races and was also trained by Tayla in Queensland, and is right up there with Tralee Rocks, Mitryhs Magic, Tralee Snickas, and Thundamental as some of the best I have trained over the years,” Mabbott said.
“Tralee Rocks actually gave Jack Chapple his first two winning drives at Tamworth a couple of years ago (2022),” he added.
He said Shaun Gillespie had trained several good horses for him over the years including No Confession, Major Tralee, and Purple Shades, and then he bought them off him.
“The Gillespies did a great job for us, but a few years ago Anthony got onto the Dwyers and we have had our last couple with them. Graham has always been a good horseman. His numbers just keep getting better every year,” said Mabbott.
Born In Armidale, which is 110km north-east Tamworth, Mabbott, was lured into harness racing by a local named, Joe Doughan.
“Dad (Reg) was a trainer, but died when I was 10, and Joe was my mentor when I left Armidale High School in the late 1960s. I’ve trained on-and-off all my life, but was busy when I bought the Hillview Superette in Tamworth 26 years ago and then sold that in 2015.
“Anthony owns a bakery in Northgate and pastry/pie and coffee shop business in Tamworth, and works there during day. I left Armidale when I was 43 and have been in Tamworth since,” he said.
Mabbott won several Armidale training premierships, and although Harness Racing Australia says he’s trained 206 winners and 405 place-getters from 1,745 starters ($855,140) since 1983-84, he knows there’s been a heap more because he started out in the 1970s.
His best season was in 2013-14 when he triumphed 24 times, placed on 35 occasions, and banked $76,980 in stakes.
“I’ve still got Dad’s original colours (white with the yellow sash) securely stashed at home and I have replicated them as my own. I use them today. I’ve driven a few winners over the years, as well a lot at the Shows.
“I remember Dark Frost – by Johnny Frost, was my first driving win at Tenterfield (near Wallangarra) when I was about 18. I think my first training success was Air Control when I was 21. I remember that day vividly because my first wife, Lorraine turned 18 that day,” Mabbott said.
“I’ve been lucky to have two beautiful, supportive wives in my life. I’m now married to Ursula, Sadly Lorraine passed away from a severe stroke. Ursula does a tremendous job helping me with the horses in the afternoon mixing the feeds and waters them etcetera. It saves me a lot of time while I train them and do my own shoeing,” Mabbott said
He said he got more into training in recent years when Anthony gave up training to concentrate on greyhounds.
“Anthony is my only son, and I’ve also got a daughter named Amy. Two of my six grandkids also drive the mini trotters.”
Asked what he thought of Redcliffe Paceway, Mabbott replied:
“I love the track. I’ve had some good success up there, and even though it’s a tight-turning triangle, my horses never seem to knock a knee there. I can’t work it out. I guess you can put that down to the trainers I’ve had.”
He said although he had won some nice races over the years, his prized possession was the 1953 ‘Key To The Country’ that his father won.
“Dad won cutlery for that race and to this day I’ve never opened the red wooden box it came in. No-one has ever cut a steak with it. I still look at the ivory handles a lot. It makes me think of a father I never really got to know, because he was taken too soon. I inherited it when Mum (Mavis) died more than 40 years ago,” Mabbott said.
Footnote: Tamworth, the country music capital of Australia, is 406km north of Sydney; 570km south-west of Brisbane; and 599km from Redcliffe Paceway. The northern New South Wales town boasts a population of 43,874.
