Episode 355: Bob Lapointe

Bob Lapointe was just 26 years old and didn’t know a soul when he arrived in Australia in 1967. Within a few years he’d become the king of fast food dining in this country. He ventured into varied business interests including horse racing. It wasn’t long before he was leaving his mark on the turf. We caught up with Bob at his beloved Muskoka Farm which he established more than fifty years ago. With a tinge of sadness Bob reveals that he and his wife Wendy will soon be moving on. Bob takes us back to his early life in Canada and an enrolment in a Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Administration course at Ryerson Uni. He talks of his early interest in the hospitality industry. He has never forgotten his first meeting with Kentucky Fried Chicken founder Colonel Sanders. He says the colourful character had a huge impact on his life. Bob says he owned eight KFC stores at home before he left for Australia with a brief to launch the concept here. He recalls feeling very intimidated when he stepped off the plane in Sydney. Bob’s first job was to lock in a regular supply of chickens. He’s never forgotten his first meeting with Jack and Bob Ingham who were still operating from their original office at Casula. The entrepreneurial Canadian looks back on a succession of alternative dining concepts around Australia- Pizza Hut, Sizzler and Lone Star Steakhouses.  Bob looks back on his early involvement in the racing industry. He founded Doncaster Bloodstock and appointed the late Les Young to run the business. It was Les who became his chief adviser in the buying and selling of thoroughbreds. Doncaster Bloodstock started with a bang at the Adelaide sales.  A major investment for Bob was the purchase of the state of the art Nebo Lodge training complex at Rosehill. The now defunct establishment was created by Stan Fox. Bob talks of his approach to one of the world’s biggest racehorse owners Robert Sangster. He persuaded Sangster to join him in the Nebo Lodge venture. He recalls the appointment of young Queenslander Brian Mayfield-Smith as Nebo lodge trainer. The arrival of the new conglomerate shook Sydney racing to its foundations. In his very first season, Mayfield-Smith deposed Tommy Smith after a 33 year reign as Sydney’s champion trainer. Bob looks back on the unique fundraising concept he created in conjunction with Lone Star Restaurants. The Variety Club of Australia benefited greatly in a five year period. He remembers Iron Horse, the best to carry the Lone Star colours. He reveals that the great old gelding is still hale and hearty in his 30th year. Bob pays tribute to an elite group of horses he had the good fortune to race with friends and associates. He acknowledges the talents of his wife Wendy who is a skilled veterinarian and a successful horse trainer. Wendy has also played a major role in the management of Muskoka’s well known training tracks. This is a wonderful trip down memory lane with a remarkable 80 year old who applied his innate business skills to horse racing with spectacular results.