By Duane Ranger (sponsored by Fletcher Racing)
A few seasons ago, Donny Smith, would have been spitting tacks at scoring 99.
The former premier cricketer, who was a classy batsman, and no stranger to scoring tons at The Gabba, finished the 2019-2020 Queensland harness racing season with 99 victories – but the 60-year-old trainer said he was more than happy with that number.
“Ninety nine wins in a season is a personal best by 16. I won 83 races the season before and about 60 before that.
“The last two or three seasons have really taken off. I’m just rapt to be a Top 15 trainer in Australia,” Smith said.
Smith finished fourth in the Queensland standings last season ($605,783 in stakes) behind Grant Dixon (273), Chantal Turpin 0and Jack Butler (102). He has been a Top 10 Queensland trainer since the 2016-2017 season.
In 2018-2019 he won 83 and $485,588 (fifth); in 2017-2018: 61 and $302,200 (seventh); 2016-2017: 61 and $336,269 (seventh).
All-up Smith has amassed 521 wins since March 2001.
“If you had told me I’d be doing this well at the turn of the century I would have laughed at you. I never really considered myself a horseman back then. It’s been an interesting ride,” Redcliffe-based Smith said.
Smith was born in St George in Western Queensland and was a boarder at Toowoomba Grammar.
“I wasn’t born into a harness racing family, but I did enjoy going to the Saturday night trots when I was young. Then I got to know a few trainers and drivers, and then one day one of them offered me a drive one day – and that was it. I was hooked and that’s where my love affair with the sport really kicked in.”
However, Smith spent the first few years of his working life managing and running pubs and hotels.
“I went okay at cricket at played the top grade here in Queensland and went close to the State side. In fact, I was guaranteed a place in the Tasmanian State team, but stayed here because I wanted to make the Queensland squad. I was a batsman (number three) and got a contract playing for Wynnum-Manly and then Eastern Suburbs.
“I played with some greats like Greg Chappell, Jeff Thomson, Carl Rackemann, Greg Ritchie, Kepler Wessels, and many other international players at that time. West Indians too.
“I remember facing Jeff Thomson one day and on-drove it back past him. I then feared for my life the next three overs. It was like facing a big gun with huge bullets,” said Smith who was still nervous just thinking about the man who could bowl more than 100 mph (160km).
“I enjoyed my cricket here playing against the best, but If I had my time over again I probably would have gone to Tasmania. Instead in my late 20s I secured a contract in England and also played in Malaysia before returning home,” Smith said.
In his early 30s Smith and his wife Maureen owned a party hire business for several years before he decided to take the plunge and buy a horse.
Then before he knew he was training one horse, then two, and when he sold his business her set himself up at Albion Park with a team of eight.
“We were living at Morningside, and then Hendra back then, and I trained my team at Albion Park.”
Smith said he was grateful that one of his first horses in work was the 1993 Stoneridge Scooter gelding, Skyway Scooter.
“I got him as a broken down old horse and over a five-year period he won enough races to set me up in the game. Because of him I was able to buy all my gear and gigs. If he hadn’t set me up, who knows what I’d be doing today.
“Shane Graham actually won his first MO Saturday night as a junior driver behind him,” Smith said.
The Smiths relocated to Redcliffe about six years ago.
“That was the best move we ever made. The people are so friendly here and the club is a progressive one mainly run by volunteers. Redcliffe made me a better trainer,” Smith said.
“The track has been very kind to me, and I really enjoy training on it. Sole Ambition and Lachie Manzelmann winning this year’s (Group 2) Redcliffe Gold Cup in June was not only a season highlight, but a career highlight. Redcliffe is such a beautiful place to live as well. I’m living the dream,” he added.
Today Smith works a team of 24 and is training better than he ever has. His latest winner at Redcliffe came via the Nathan Dawson driven hot favourite, Gidup Captain in the second race at Albion Park last Tuesday.
“The best horse he has had was a A Good Chance, who has won our only Group One race so far. I bought him at the Sales with brother, Trent. He’s now tracing in the USA and won at Northfield Park in 1:50.1.
“I owe a lot to Tumby Park and Scott Whitton, because they have allowed me to have some real nice horses. For example, Sir Fahrenheit (11 wins and $86,703) is the best trotter I have ever trained
“They’ve also given me other good ones like Slice Of Heaven, Sole Ambition, Always In Command, and With The Band are other good ones I’ve had the privilege to train.
“Recently Lauriston Bloodstock (Victoria) just sent me a rising 5-year-old mare, named Looking Fabulous. She is racing twice this week and is out of the very good New Zealand-bred mare, National Gallery, who won 11 races. I’m looking forward to winning a few races with her and continue our winning association,” Smith said.
He said his mentors were Brad White, Brian Stankey, and Peter Thomas.
“I owe them all so much. They all inspired me and taught me a lot. Then there was John Nieman and Graeme Prowse who taught me to shoe. I soon learnt early on that if you can shoe a horse it will help a heap to train and understand them.
“I also owe a lot to Mausey (wife), who has been my rock. She is the reason the stable has progressed. Without her I don’t think I would have had the success I’ve had.
“The aim is now to get over 100 winner-mark next season,” Smith said.
Smith’s stable colours are the light green with the black hopped armbands with a big ‘S’.
“I chose green simply because there were hardly any other trainers using that colour at the time. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to work out that the ‘S’ stands for sex symbol,” he joked.
The Smiths have one adult daughter named Kassia aged 33.
