Episode 472: Scott Singleton

Five years ago Scott Singleton found that he was spending much more time on the road to country race meetings than he was at city and provincial meetings. He made the snap decision to put his hand up when boxes became available at Scone. Nowadays he has easy access to any number of country meetings, and an easy run to Sydney when the right horse comes along. Scott says relocating an entire training operation from Hawkesbury was pretty taxing. He admits there was an emotional downside to leaving his much loved Hawkesbury Valley. Scott says he explored options in Victoria before settling on Scone. He says he and wife Lucy were lucky to stumble upon an ideal property on the outskirts of Scone. Scott explains that most of his team are on course, but says some horses are happier on the property. He says a good camaraderie exists between Scone trainers. The experienced horseman takes us back to childhood days when his maternal grandfather got him interested in thoroughbreds. He recalls his transition to Hawkesbury trackwork and the former bush jockey who tutored him in the skills of riding racehorses. Scott says he dreamed of becoming a jockey but his build and weight eliminated that possibility. Encouraged by his grandfather Scott opted to do the next best thing and apply for an amateur licence. He looks back on a brief stint at the picnics and the two winners he can now dine out on. Scott says his brother Dean was also an active picnic rider. Dean kept going for some time after Scott’s retirement. He pays a heartfelt tribute to his English born wife Lucy, daughter of a Wiltshire jumps trainer and an outstanding rider in her own right. The trainer talks of Lucy’s current role in the operation. He talks of son and daughter Jack and Zoe and the things that interest the pair. Scott talks of his magical first win with Reginald at Bathurst in 2006. He talks with mixed feelings about the talented but quirky Shazee Lee who caused him many a headache during her racing career. Scott acknowledges the talents of a few handy horses who’ve helped to get him on the road. He looks back on a unique two state double in 2013. Scott remembers the brilliant but single minded Partners who never learned to conserve his energy. He was a horse without brakes. He talks about a handful of handy horses likely to win some races in the near future. Scott speaks highly of stable apprentice Mitch Stapleford, grandson of recently retired training maestro Albert Stapleford. The trainer pays tribute to two valued work riders. One of them recently quit the race riding ranks, the other continues to be a very capable jockey. Scott says he still helps out with trackwork. He acknowledges the talents of one of his “go-to” jockeys Mikayla Weir. It’s a laid back chat with a top horseman who wishes he’d made the move to the Hunter Valley long before he did.