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"In The Chair "
with Steve Hawkins
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NEIL ARCHER
Former racing journo joins the GCTC
IN the past few weeks you may have noticed a regular face back in the mix at the Gold Coast Turf Club under a new title. Former respected Gold Coast Bulletin racing journalist Neil Archer is now the Racing Manager at the GCTC.
A journalist for most of his life, Neil took a redundancy package from the Bulletin in 2009 and, just some 12 months later, has filled the vacancy at the Bundall-based club.
Neil has a fascinating life story beginning from his birth in England to tipping the race card at the GCTC in 1999.
We talk with Neil about his past and some of the racing highlights of his career.
Steve Hawkins "In the Chair" talks with Neil Archer.
Q. Neil... thanks for taking the time to join me “In The Chair”. Before we get stuck into some racing I want to talk about your background. You tell me you weren’t born in Australia?
A. Thanks, Steve. That’s right. I was actually born in Yorkshire, England. We migrated to Australia in 1965 when my father had work with BHP at Newcastle. My mother and father were always keen to move to Australia and especially Qld, so we moved up here in 1966. I attended a number of schools in Brisbane, including Greenslopes Primary and then Wynnum High.
Q. Did you attend College in Brisbane?
A. No, I actually went to College in Toowoomba. I studied behavioural science and journalism. At one stage I did have aspirations to be a psychologist, but eventually settled on being a journo.
Q. So you decided on being a journalist, where did you start off?
A. My first job was in 1980 with the Warwick Daily News and from there moved to Mackay to the Mercury and then 18 months later was working alongside some top racing journalists at the Courier-Mail. Jim Anderson was the turf editor back then. Peter Cameron and Bruce Clark were also there at that time. After four years at the Courier, I moved back to Mackay for a brief time and then moved to the Gold Coast Bulletin in 1988 and spent 21 years there, mostly reporting on racing. When I got there Gavan Keep was the racing writer, so I took a backseat for a few years until he moved to Hong Kong. I think it was 1994 when I was appointed to the role fulltime after filling in for many years for Gavan.
Q. So in the last 12 to 18 months you’ve been taking it easy?
A. Yes, pretty much. While there’s been a burning ambition to get back into racing journalism or something similar, I’ve basically been taking a few holidays up to the Sunshine Coast. I also enjoyed a trip to Melbourne for the Cup carnival last year.
Q. We’ve covered the background of Neil Archer. Now to the present and some racing stories. Give us the background to starting with the GCTC?
A. Well, as I said, I’d had a good break and was looking at doing something back in racing and the job of Racing Manager become available and now I’m here. They are a good team to work with and I’m really enjoying it.
Q. Just going back to your journo days, Arch...I remember one day you tipped the card at the GCTC ‑ eight winners! A remarkable effort and something most people never achieve in a lifetime. You are obviously very proud of this?
A. Yes Steve, thanks for that. It’s a day I won’t forget - August 7, 1999. Eight winners. It’s a rarity and not many can say they have done it. Former chairman, the late Peter Gallagher, made a presentation to me and so did the bosses at the Gold Coast Bulletin. Both trophies sit proudly in full view at home.
Q. Neil, you would have witnessed some great highs and lows in your time reporting at the GCTC?
A. No doubt Might and Power’s win in the 1998 Hollindale was a day I won’t forget. He was a horse of rare quality. Brave Warrior’s win in the Magic Millions was special too. It was a journo’s dream with all the drama surrounding jockey Chris Munce’s injury on raceday and Neil Williams coming “off the bench” to take the ride and complete a wonderful story.
Q. I suppose that leads us to a lowlight of the racing world and the death of Neil Williams?
A. Yes, Neil’s untimely death was very sad and, while I didn’t know him that well, it affected us all. He was a terrific jockey and a very likeable person. I think the other moment which I won’t forget was when promising young horse Blue Pill had to be euthanised after breaking down just past the post after winning the Baramul Bowl. Trainer Michael Flanigan and jockey Michael Cahill experienced a day they won’t forget either. It was a terrible outcome.
Alan Cowie’s terrible injury on Magic Millions day a few years ago was also one of those terrible days.
EI was probably the biggest story to come out of racing for many years and thank goodness it’s behind us now.
Q. Thank goodness. Neil, the highs outweigh the lows in this sport. You would have seen some great jockeys and trainers over the past? Michael Rodd and Paul Hammersley are two young apprentices you reported on early in their careers.
A. Yes, both Michael and Paul were incredibly talented young riders. I’m not surprised with their successes. Michael from day one was very professional. He always conducted himself extremely well and you could see the talent early on. It was no surprise to see him go on and win the Melbourne Cup on Efficient.
Paul showed the same early talent as an apprentice. His ride on Mon Mekki in the Qld Oaks was a ripper. But I might be bit biased because I backed Mon Mekki at huge odds that day.
Q. And you would have seen some excellent trainers come through the Coast?
A. Steve, I think back to Greg Mance with Cole Diesel, Noel Doyle with Stylish Century and Kinjite. People probably forget that John Size began training here on the Gold Coast. When Gerald Ryan was here he had great success and was excellent to deal with. Alan Bailey, John Wallace and Gillian Heinrich have trained countless winners since I’ve been on the Coast. John now has this super horse in Shoot Out. He’s looks one right out of the box. He was so dominant in the AJC Derby. His first-up win in the Bletchingly was brilliant and he looks like he’s in for a great spring carnival.
Q. Do you think Shoot Out deserves to be one of the Cox Plate favourites?
A. Definitely. On his Bletchingly win he looks to have come back better than ever. I suppose if there is a reservation then the Moonee Valley circuit could be it. But good horses like him can adapt. He looks the real deal.
Q. How about horse ownership?
A. Horse ownership has basically been a ‘no’ for me. I leased a horse once with a few colleagues about 25 years ago but we never got to the races with her. She was always going amiss on the training track. It was a costly experience, but most owners would know all about that.
Q. I’ve asked you about the Gold Coast jockeys, trainers and horses but what about nationally? Who are the best in your opinion?
A. As far as horses go, certainly I think Kingston Town is the best horse I’ve seen and Makybe Diva is clearly the best stayer. Bart Cummings is obviously still the master of his field. There are so many good jockeys in Australia it’s hard to pick one, but I’ve always been a huge fan of Damien Oliver. Sadly, I’m old enough to have also seen George Moore ride near the end of his career. Just about everyone rates him the best they’ve seen. My late father first took me to see Moore ride at Eagle Farm, I think back in about 1970. I remember seeing him that day win a lead-up race to the Brisbane Cup on a horse that I think was called Bluelough. Moore was my favourite when I first became interested in racing and later, long after he’d retired and was living on the Coast, it was a thrill to actually meet him. Mick Dittman was another of my all-time favourites jockeys.
Q. What do you do outside racing?
A. I don’t really have any hobbies. I do like to read a lot - historical books mainly - and I enjoy going to the movies. I’m also keen on the NRL and try to get to a few Broncos and Titans games during the season.
Q. What do you see as the challenges ahead for racing?
A. I believe we have to work to keep crowds coming to the track, especially the younger generation, because there’s so much competition now for the gambling dollar, like sports betting and internet gambling.
Steve: Thanks for joining us Neil and good luck in the new position with the GCTC
Neil: I appreciate the interest, Steve.
Join us again soon for another special guest in the chair with Steve Hawkins.
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