Australian trainer Guy Walter dies at 59; racing world pays tribute

Australian trainer Guy Walter dies at 59; racing world pays

tribute

Prominent Sydney, Australia, trainer Guy Walter died Thursday at the age of

59 after suffering a suspected heart attack. Walter saddled the winners of 36

Group 1 races throughout his career, his last coming with one of his favorite

mares, Streama, in the Doomben Cup last weekend.

Walter, a native of Mudgee, New South Wales, got his start in racing through

jobs with trainers Bart Cummings and Neville Begg. Walter set out on his own

shortly thereafter, and was based for most of his career at Warwick Farm

racecourse in Sydney.

He burst to prominence in 1997 when conditioning Tie the Knot to 13 Group 1

victories. Walter referred to that A$6.2-million earner as a "life-changing

horse," and as such, he paved the path for other Walter-trained stars such as

Defier, Spinning Hill, Republic Lass, Wild Iris, Toydini, Excites, and more

recently Darley's four-time Group 1 winner Appearance, who most recently took

the Canterbury Stakes March 15. Streama is also a four-time Group 1 winner.

Walter experienced one of his greatest moments at the 2005 Doncaster Handicap

at Randwick, when he trained the first three runners home, becoming the first to

achieve that feat in the race's 149-year history. Fellow Sydney trainer Chris

Waller trained the top four finishers in the race this year.

"Like everyone in the racing industry, we are shaken by the tragic news of

Guy's passing," Racing NSW Chief Executive Peter V'landys said. "Guy was one of

the most popular and humble trainers I have ever met.

"I guarantee you would not find one person with a bad word for Guy; he was a

very genuine, kind and respectful person.

"Guy was a man of the highest integrity and professionalism, and a wonderful

role model for the racing industry. As the mark of the man, when Guy mentored

apprentices he would call Racing NSW and insist we do not credit him for the

usual 25 percent of the apprentice's earnings. He wanted the fee to go back to

the apprentice."

"Guy achieved some amazing success during his career and he will be sadly

missed."

Steve McMahon, Chief Executive of the NSW Trainers Association, said: "This

is a shockingly sad day. Besides being a brilliant trainer, Guy was one of the

nicest men you'll ever meet. He was polite, courteous and a real thinker that

never complained. Our thoughts are with his wife Wendy, their family and the

whole racing family at Warwick Farm and beyond."

Additional tributes poured in on Twitter, including the following:

Jockey Blake Shinn

@blake_shinn: "Guy Walter was nature's kindest gentlemen. To be called his

stable jockey was an honour. He was like a father to me & I'll miss him dearly."

Jockey Hugh Bowman

@HugeBowman: "Guy Walter has been one of the most influential people in my

career. A gentleman of the turf & we will miss him dearly. #RIP"

Jockey Kerrin McEvoy

@KPMcEvoy: "A true Gentleman now not with us , we will miss you Guy #RIP #GuyWalter."

Racing presenter Oli Bell

@olibellracing:

"Really is desperately sad news about Guy Walter. Champion trainer. Champion

man."

Trainer Lee Freedman

@freedman_lee:

"In shock at Guy Walter's death. Chatted for an hour with him on Sat. Great

trainer, friend and true gentleman."