Retirement not an option for Graeme Green

By Glenn Davis

Just over 12 months ago, former Rockhampton trainer Graeme Green handed in his stopwatch.

But, it didn’t last long as Green soon got the bug back to return to training.

This time he is based at Emerald in Central Queensland.

Green now trains as a hobby and has no plans to return to the days of training a large stable as he once did in Rockhampton.

“It’s hard to give it all away when you’ve been involved in the racing industry for around 50 years,” Green said.

“The body still wakes up early each morning and we don’t stay awake late at night to watch television.”

The catalyst for Green’s retirement last year was a knee reconstruction and the dream of being a grey nomad travelling the countryside in his caravan.

Green trained for two decades at Callaghan Park and is best known among racing followers as the trainer of former star galloper Master Jamie.

Master Jamie won a host of races in Brisbane and in Central and North Queensland. 

That included two straight Rockhampton Cups before retiring with more than $1.1 million in prizemoney with 19 wins and 23 placings from 64 starts.

“It wouldn’t have been fair to my loyal owners at the time to continue to train after the knee replacement as I would have been too long out of the game,” Green said.

Green still plans to travel in his caravan and to do red claw fishing at the local dam in Emerald.

“Training is just a hobby for me now,” Green said.

“It’s only for horses I own myself and not for any other person.”

While Green’s name was missing as a trainer in the form guide for over a year, it returns at Rockhampton on Tuesday when he saddles Rebelious Red in the Benchmark 62 Handicap over 1050 metres.

Rebelious Red was entered for a Class 6 Plate at Mackay last Saturday, but Green believed his Rockhampton assignment looked easier.

Green paid $7,000 for Rebelious Red at an online auction after he was previously prepared by Gosford trainer Jake Hull.

The four-year-old son of Red Henno started five times for Hull for two wins and has only had one start for Green when second to the Toni Schofield-trained Jukebox Lucy in a 1000 metre Benchmark race at Emerald on November 22.

“He likes to lead, much like Master Jamie, but he’s nowhere near his class,” Green said.

“He drew near the outside in his first run for me at Emerald and he wasn’t beaten far after having to do all the hard work to cross them and it just told in the end.

“He looks to be right in this race on Tuesday.”