Episode 335: Bruce Compton

Had a phone call recently from former top jockey Gordon Spinks to tell me that Bruce Compton was in retirement with wife Marina on a Moreton Bay island in Queensland. A quick phone call and we had Bruce locked in for a chat. We check out where he’s living and what he’s doing in retirement. Bruce begins by talking about the final years of his riding career in northern NSW,  and a couple of business ventures he and Marina operated when he quit the saddle.    He highlights a few smart bush gallopers he got to ride at the end of his career, and talks of the health scare that ended it all.   Bruce talks of his exploits as a wine grower and as a waiter in a small restaurant he and Marina opened on their South Kempsey property. The former ace jockey takes us back to early days in Hastings NZ and his apprenticeship to George Cameron at Takanini. He relives the thrill of his very first race win. Bruce talks of three apprentice’s premiership wins and a trip to Sydney for a short stint with the legendary Theo Green. He looks back on a surprise invitation to represent NZ in a jockey’s challenge in India. He got the call when no senior rider volunteered for the role.   The hard working jockey takes us through a whirlwind twelve years in which he rode successfully in many different venues. Compton loved Australian racing and only needed a decent offer to make the move. He talks of his four years as Sydney stable jockey for the late Paul Sutherland. He pays tribute to several favourite horses during his Sydney stay with special mention of the budding champion Red Anchor. Bruce recalls one memorable season in NSW which would have been even better had he not been suspended several times. He reflects on a couple of visits to Hong Kong which didn’t work out as he’d hoped. He looks back on another trip to Sydney with the good horse Castletown and the lucky pick up ride which would bring him Gr 1 glory on the best horse he ever rode! The talented horseman reflects on a second invitation from Paul Sutherland- this time to become stable jockey for the veteran trainer on the Sunshine Coast. This led him to the NSW mid north coast and his twilight years as a jockey. Bruce looks back on his amazing resemblance to another Sydney jockey Ken Russell who lost his life in a race fall in 1993. Bruce shares a couple of funny stories inspired by his likeness to Ken. It was a delight to catch up with a bloke who made a million friends during his stellar riding career.