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Australian Turf Club joins the national racing industry at Rosehill Gardens this Saturday in paying tribute to the latest inductees to the Australian Racing Hall Of Fame.

Four horses (Tie The Knot, Beau Vite, Red Anchor and Sailor’s Guide), two trainers (Les Bridge and Guy Walter), two jockeys (Darby McCarthy and Bill McLachlan) and two racing industry associates (Bob Charley AO and John Messara) will be formally inducted into the ARHOF at a ceremony in Adelaide this Friday.

Tie the Knot (Shane Dye) in one of his 10 wins at Randwick

As part of Saturday’s feature card at Rosehill Gardens, three races will be named in honour of the latest inductees:

• Multiple Sydney Group 1-winning champion galloper Tie The Knot;
• Legendary Royal Randwick and 2020 The Everest-winning trainer Les Bridge;
• Prominent breeder and former Racing NSW Chairman, John Messara AM.

Australian Turf Club next month also hosts the third running of the Bob Charley AO Stakes at Royal Randwick in honour of the leading Sydney racing administrator and former AJC Chairman.

In February each year, the ATC runs the Group 2 Guy Walter Stakes – run on the same day as the Chipping Norton Stakes, a race won four times by the trainer’s champion Tie The Knot.

The Club also named a race in honour of jockey Darby McCarthy this year following his passing with further plans to ensure his memory is acknowledged each year on a raceday.

Australian Turf Club Executive General Manager of Racing and Wagering, James Ross, said: “The Australian Turf Club acknowledges and congratulates all inductees into the Australian Racing Hall Of Fame and joins the racing industry this Saturday in celebrating their achievements.”

Racing returns to Rosehill Gardens this Saturday with Australian Turf Club hosting the traditional second day of the Scone Cup Carnival meeting. The track has benefitted from a six-week break and the race card features four black type races and a huge 151 runners accepting for the meeting.

Click here for Saturday’s full fields

The feature race is the $300,000 Inglis 3YO Guineas, headed in TAB markets by the Richard and Michael Freedman-trained Prime Star ($2.90) for jockey Tommy Berry ahead of Exoboom ($4 TAB) for trainers Peter and Paul Snowden.

The Listed $140,000 Vinery Luskin Star Stakes features the boom John O’Shea trained Lost and Running ($1.60) with Tommy Berry to ride. The winner of five of his six starts, Lost and Running is even being speculated as a TAB Everest contender.

Three other listed races on the program – the $140,000 Turangga Farm Woodlands Stakes, $140,000 Emirates Park Denise’s Joy Stakes and $140,000 Kia Ora Stud Ortensia Stakes – add to a strong program.

Click here for TAB markets for all Saturday’s feature races at Rosehill Gardens

For all ticketing, racing and general information go to theraces.com.au

Tie The Knot
Trained at Warwick Farm by Guy Walter, Tie The Knot was a crowd favourite. The big chestnut won four consecutive Chipping Norton Stakes, a record only recently equalled by Winx. He won two Sydney Cups wins, dual victories in both the Ranvet Stakes and H E Tancred Stakes, and successes in the Rosehill Guineas, Spring Champion Stakes, Hill Stakes and St Leger. Tie The Knot won 21 races, including 13 at Group 1 level.

Les Bridge
Les Bridge is Royal Randwick’s longest-serving trainer and when he started in 1961 was the youngest person at that time to gain a licence. His first feature win was in the Villiers in 1967 with Maigret. Bridge is one of a few Sydney trainers to win the Melbourne Cup (Kensei 1987). Other horses included Sir Dapper (Golden Slipper winner), Row of Waves (Doncaster), Hot Danish and more recently Classique Legend winning the 2020 TAB Everest.

John Messara
John Messara has been hugely influential in racing regulation. Chairman of Racing NSW from 2011 to 2016, inclusive of a time as Chairman of Racing Australia from 2014 to 2016. Mr Messara was responsible for initiatives such as licensing of veterinarians, improvements for Country and Provincial racing, Jockeys Benefit Scheme, Thoroughbred Rehabilitation Program, amendments to the Rules of Racing, and approval of new technology and infrastructure. He owns Arrowfield Stud and has bred and or raced many champions including Miss Finland and It’s A Dundeel.

Robert “Bob” Charley AO
The distinguished career of the renowned racing administrator has covered a remarkable array of jobs and passions in the racing industry. Charley’s industry involvement has included amongst other titles as trainer, owner, breeder, punter, commentator, magazine publisher, historian and advocate of A.B. ‘Banjo’ Patterson. He was also Chairman of the Australian Racing Hall of Fame from 2011-2018.

Richard ‘Darby’ McCarthy OAM
Darby is Australia’s most celebrated indigenous rider and had a riding career that spanned three decades, but primarily the 1950s and 1960s. He competed at the highest level in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and internationally, and ultimately being awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for services to racing.