Episode 403: Mark de Montfort

The 63 year old was stunned in November when diagnosed with Bradycardia - an excessively slow heart rate. While not life threatening the condition can cause sudden fatigue and shortage of breath when the sufferer is placed under high stress levels. Riding half a ton of racehorse at a fast gallop isn’t the smartest thing to be doing when you’ve been diagnosed with Bradycardia. Mark’s emotional upheaval coincided with the passing of his much loved mother Gwen. The successful trainer and former brilliant jockey pays tribute to a very special Mum. Mark talks about the slow onset of his condition and the sudden drop in energy levels. He says it took only one chest pain to send him scurrying to a cardiologist. Mark talks of the distribution of his horses to other stables and fondly remembers his final training win. The talented horseman explains that Bradycardia isn’t the only health issue he’s battling at the moment. He talks of the complicated toe injury he sustained under the most unlikely circumstances. Mark rode several outstanding horses during a stellar career as a jockey, but he has special affection for a mare called Red Letter Daze. It’s a great little story.   He says McLintock was by far and away the best horse he trained - six wins, 13 placings and more than $500,000. He got him by sheer accident. Mark says a grey mare called Country Matters was the one to get away. He was devastated when she broke down. de Montfort takes us back to his original apprenticeship to a great horseman called Frank Penfold. He says he couldn’t have had a better tutor. He remembers his transfer to Ray Guy and the unforgettable thrill of his first win on Tudor Vain at Kembla. Mark is still trying to work out how Theo Green was the trainer to supply his first Gr 1 winner- Red Nose in the 1979 Canterbury Guineas. He’s never forgotten his first Randwick Gr 1 success on Row Of Waves in the 1985 Doncaster. The win launched a long and fruitful association with trainer Les Bridge. Mark was delighted to win the 1986 Epsom on Chanteclair for Tommy Smith. Shane Dye’s decision to ride Myocard in the 1987 Rawson Stakes brought Mark the prized ride on Myocard. The association continued in spectacular fashion through the Autumn Carnival. It’s almost certain that Quick Flick was de Montfort’s all time favourite. He looks back on a wonderful association with the free striding grey. Mark’s reminiscences about his Golden Slipper win on Catbird make for interesting listening. He looks back on several overseas riding stints. Mark talks of the successful business he and wife Carol operated in the CBD for a few years. The retired horseman was a natural sportsman from early days at school. He was a good RL halfback, a promising cricketer and in later years an exceptional golfer. He boasted a handicap of 3 for many years. He humbly deflects the praise. Mark says he’d love to stay in racing and hopes the right opportunity presents itself.