Former jockey gets Group 1 guernsey

By Ross Stanley

All seven jockeys who competed in last Saturday’s Doomben Cup had Group 1 wins on their resume, and another key player with a role in the contest was making his elite level debut.

The story behind the starter Brad Richardson is utterly remarkable. 

Back in early 2023, he was a barrier attendant who unfortunately suffered a broken leg while working on a race day.

It goes without saying that the road to recovery was painfully rocky.

Later, Richardson progressed to being part of the starting team.

The former outstanding apprentice, who was born in Queensland’s South Burnett district, had a positive omen going for him last weekend. 

On September 30, 1995, he saluted on Chief De Beers, the illustrious lord of the Doomben manor. The gelding’s 20 wins there included the 1995 and 1998 Doomben 10,000.

The Chief’s yellow and orange colours were sported by Hatchet, the Worthy Cause chestnut that was unplaced in Saturday’s XXXX Chief De Beers.

Richardson had earlier worked as a Clerk of the Course. His horsemanship traces to his pedigree.

His father Trevor, mother Glenda, aunt Margaret Freeman and grandfather Fred Freeman were all jockeys.

Glenda, Fred and Brad's brothers Lionel and Glen turned their hands to training, while the latter’s wife Hannah (nee English) is a talented jockey and is a relative of the late Pat Duff.

The family relished their string of triumphs with the prolific iron horse Mick’s Luck late in a career that stretched from 1963 to 1974.

Burrandowan, a course one boil of the billy west of Kingaroy, was a place of opportunity. It was a venue for amateur riders and so there were also early events restricted to ladies.

“My first indentures were with my mother Glenda when the family was based in Emerald. I had a stint then with Noel Mayfield-Smith in Newcastle before finishing my time with Des McGee in Brisbane," Richardson recalled.

"I was twice runner-up to Alan Russell for the Leading Apprentice honours, he scored eight times on Chief De Beers.

"After weight brought my race riding days to an end, I was a stablehand and work rider with Kelly Schweida.

"I then took up a chance to be a clerk of the course in Brisbane, but the barrier accident killed off the trackwork side of things - you have to cop these things on the chin.

"My wife Erica and children Charley and Abbey were absolutely tremendous during the seven months or so when I was out of action. 

"So too was the Brisbane Racing Club. A member of the starting team was retiring around the time of my comeback and I was offered his spot."

The photos of the Doomben Cup gates opening reveal a very fair break. The barrier team did its homework. There might have been a small, classy field but five attendants were posted in the framework.

“I treated the Cup like any other race, going through the same process. The runners were all experienced. There was a field of 12 two-year-olds on 10,000 day and nine needed watching,” said Richardson.

There was a spring in his step on May 23, 2026. The odds of that outcome three years ago were extremely forlorn.