Changing of the guard in the Cunnamulla training ranks

By Jordan Gerrans

There has been a passing of the baton in the Cunnamulla training ranks over the last year.

An energetic newcomer to the racing industry has replaced a respected stalwart of the game in the Downs Country Racing Association.

At 61 years of age and having trained for around 25 years, Cunnamulla’s Tim Higgins has been ready for some time to step away from the caper on a constant basis with his knees not as strong as they once were.

And, with a few horses in work in the regional Queensland town, Higgins pursued Monique Gavin to teach her all the tricks of the trade to be able to eventually take over his team of gallopers.

With Higgins the only licensed trainer with gallopers in work in Cunnamulla in recent years, he wanted to up-skill Gavin to keep the tradition of racing going in the community.

As Gavin is on the verge of claiming her first winner as a licensed trainer this weekend at Noorama, the rookie conditioner reflected on all the hours her mentor has put into her over the last few years.

“I often say to my family back home in Sydney, you would need to pay for the experience I have received in recent years and I was lucky to receive it as someone was just willing to show me,” she said.

The 26-year-old grew up in Sydney and had no involvement in racing or around horses until she relocated to Cunnamulla about eight years ago.

By chance, she lived on the same street as Higgins and his stables, and was intrigued by the animals and the work going on behind the scenes to get the team ready for race day.

Higgins – as well as few other statesmen who were working with the horses – offered to show Gavin the ropes if she was to help out around their stables doing a couple of jobs.

“He told me if I came around to give him a hand, he would teach me everything I need to know about and from there, I took over strapping while learning the ins and outs of the industry,” Gavin remembers.

“Tim said that he was getting a bit old for it all now and he wanted to teach someone else.

“He taught me everything and now has handed the reins over to me as he no longer has any horses.”

Gavin took one of Higgins’ retired gallopers to pony club as she learned to ride, eventually progressing to riding track work.

As Gavin has taken out her own licence over the last six months, starting the first galloper in her own name in October of last year, Higgins’ horses have been transferred to her name as the veteran trainer has stepped back from being at the stables every day.

He still is there every now and again to offer advice and guidance, as well as just being a phone call away for whenever a question arises.

Higgins trained 60 winners in his time as a trainer – 20 of which came on his home track – and is proud of the trainer Gavin has become.

“She has picked it all up pretty quickly, which can be difficult at times for some people coming into racing who do not have a great understanding of it all,” Higgins, who was born and bred in Cunnamulla, said.

“Especially over the last year she has really come a long way.

“She listens to what I tell her and she takes it all in and uses it on her horses.”

Gavin’s growing stable includes Funky Farm – who will go around this Saturday – and Miss Moss – who went within a half-length of handing the rookie trainer her maiden victory at her first start last year.

“I love these animals and seeing the difference you can make to them with simple things like treating them right, it makes all the difference,” she said.

“It has been the best thing ever for me getting involved in racing, as a kid I used to see horses and always dreamed of owning one but living in the city as I was, it was near-on impossible.

“I have been really well supported by trainers out here, people from Charleville as well, or just seeing people at race meetings.”

Starting his career with Kris Lees, gelding Funky Farm made his way to regional Queensland last year and has had two starts for the Gavin barn.

She has booked Paul Randall for the riding duties on the son of Star Witness in the 1400-metre Benchmark 55 Handicap on Saturday and the stable are optimistic a breakthrough victory might just come this week.

“After a troublesome first six months or so, we are now best friends, all he wants is cuddles and kisses,” she said of Funky Farm. 

“We trust each other like anything.

“We will start him over 1400 metres and see how he goes.”

Stablemate Miss Moss is not far away from returning after being away from the races since early October of last year.