Desleigh Forster savours special Wayne Wilson medal triumph

Popular Brisbane trainer Desleigh Forster has capped off a stunning 2022 by being crowned the Wayne Wilson medallist.

The annual medal named after the late legendary race caller is run by the Australian Trainers' Association and every year honours trainers from across Queensland who have recorded a special career milestone or improved their personal best result.

Forster put her name in the frame for the coveted award by claiming her maiden Group 1 as a trainer during the recent winter when her bold front-runner Apache Chase took out the Kingsford Smith Cup.

The medal consists of trainers being evaluated on a monthly basis before a large number of judges, who come from the media and racing industry, rank the monthly winners each month to land on an eventual overall winner – in a process similar to the AFL’s Brownlow Medal.

The spirit and significance of the medal was not lost on a proud Forster.

“It is one of those awards that a lot of people would love to win,” Forster said.

“Everyone knows who Wayne Wilson was, he was the pinnacle of racing and an icon.

“He is sorely missed and for me to win the medal, it was an honour.

“It is a pretty high award to win.”

Forster's gelding Apache Chase trialled on Tuesday at Doomben ahead of a trip to Sydney soon for the Group 2 Premiere Stakes over 1200 metres.  

Cameron Partington, from the Queensland arm of the Australian Trainers’ Association, explained the process behind the medal, which delivered Forster another prize for a strong year.

Now in its 12th year, the annual medal has grown in its significance within the industry, according to Partington.

“It is about an event, something the trainer does,” Partington said.

“When Wayne was still alive, I was close with Wayne and we wanted to use his name to honour a trainer that has done something significant as an achievement.

“It is about the trainer lifting their personal bar.

“Some of the winners over the years have been small trainers from country towns with just a few horses.

“Usually the right person wins the medal at the end of it all.”

In other awards on the evening, the Darling Downs' Jake Capewell was recognised as the rising star trainer within the Sunshine State.

Capewell prepared his first winner as a trainer back in 2018 and recorded his best season since in 2021-22, picking up ten winners from a tick over 50 starters.

He has also made his presence felt on the metropolitan scene, despite only having a small team of gallopers, training four winners from just 11 attempts, to go with three other minor placings.

Also on Thursday evening at the awards ceremony, the second ever Pat Duff Trophy was handed out.

The Deagon-based Duff, a long-time president of the Association, had an award named after him – the Pat Duff Trophy – last year which honours trainers who go out of their way to support others within the industry.

Trainer Les Ross, a close friend of Duff’s, was the first recipient of the prize.  

And, the trophy went regional in 2022, being awarded to Rockhampton’s Tony McMahon.

The 70-year-old McMahon has a had a long history in the industry, training gallopers in his own right, covering the sport as part of the media as well as calling races from the broadcast box.

“It’s a privilege,” McMahon said.

“It’s number one as far as I’m concerned and I’ll treasure it.

“Racing has been my passion and it’s my life.

“I don’t think I’ve done anything so special but I’ve always been proud of myself for trying to help the younger trainers and if anyone’s in trouble they know they can come to me.”