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Highly regarded former jockey and trainer Alan Scorse lost his battle with cancer and passed away on Thursday.

“I first met Alan when I came to Newcastle in 1976 and we were great mates ever since,” Newcastle-based former jockey and trackman Alan ‘Jock’ Gollogly said.

“He was a wonderful horseman.”

Scorse, 69, was affectionately known as Groovy. He was a dual Group 1-winning rider having won the Stradbroke Handicap aboard Manawapoi in 1976 and the William Reid Stakes in 1993 aboard Spanish Mix.

He also held multiple Stakes winner Razor Sharp in high regard.

“I didn’t win a Group 1 on Razor Sharp but I won Group 2s and 3s on him and he was a great horse as well,” Scorse said back in 2019.

Scorse was an apprentice to Australian racing Hall of Fame trainer Harry Plant who trained one of Australia’s greatest gallopers Bernborough among many top-level horses like Fine and Dandy, Time and Tide and Front Cover.

During Scorse’s career in the saddle, he rode more than 1250 winners before he retired in 1997 due to a back injury. Based in Newcastle, Scorse turned his hand to training before retiring due to ill health in 2019.

Two of the highlights of his training career were his two Melbourne Cup carnival winners, Looking For Lang on Oaks Day in 2008 and Who’s Ready on Oaks Day two years later in 2010.

Other talented horses under his care included Plain Crazy, Sir Covet, Danger Lurk and Gentleman Jon.

Earlier this year, Scorse was inducted into the Newcastle Racing Hall of Fame alongside Peter Snowden, Pat Farrell and Media personality Gary Harley.

“He told me it was the highest accolade he ever received and he was very proud of it,” Gollogly said. Scorse’s wife Sharon died two months ago. She was the daughter of Newcastle Hall Of Fame trainer, the late Roy Hinton.

Scorse is survived by his two sons, former jockey Mathew and Bradley. Scorse’s brother John also forged a successful career as a jockey.    - By Clinton Payne [Racenet]