Veteran cattleman takes to training like a duck to water

By Jordan Gerrans

Bob Black jokes that his first-up victory may have been ‘beginner's luck’ on Saturday but after many years of mustering cattle, the veteran horseman undoubtedly brings a unique skill set to the training ranks.

The South Burnett-based Black lived out every trainer's dream on Saturday afternoon when he produced his first runner in a race and walked away with a victory.

It came with veteran nine-year-old gelding Igbo.

The trainer and his wife Dorothy have long been in the gelding’s ownership group but Black has only recently taken over the training duties following Tom Moloney’s decision to scale back his stable.

Ridden by emerging apprentice Isabel Jessop, Igbo only just lasted to win the Ratings Band 0 – 60 Handicap over the speedy 850 metres on the sand at Bundaberg on Saturday.

The 78-year-old Black was chuffed to record a maiden victory at his first opportunity.

“I probably did not think he would win, I thought he would be competitive,” the rookie trainer said.

“With bad weather and what not, we have been struggling to find the right race for him. I thought he might be a bit short of a run on Saturday as he is the sort of a horse that always takes off and puts in.

“But, he does not have a great finish, I thought he may have lacked a little bit on Saturday.

“He only just got there in the end as if there was another few strides, we would not have been winning.

"We were pretty happy to see him win.”

The Blacks have long been on the ownership journey with five-time career winner from 36 starts Igbo alongside the Victorian-based Michelle and Mark Ruff.

The Ruffs bred the galloper.

Igbo initially raced in Victoria but transferred to Moloney’s barn in July of 2021.

Black previously held a strapper's licence to help out Moloney but took out a training licence in recent times.

Black is based at Chahpingah – which is 60 kms from the Wondai track - and will head into Wondai to do his fast work.

He can work his small team at his property as well as giving them a swim when needed. 

The newly licenced trainer credited his grandson Jack Fairbairn’s efforts to swim Igbo in the lead-up to Saturday’s assignment as he had not been able to get on the track as often as he would have liked.

Black has taken over three gallopers from Moloney: Igbo, Ultra Instinct and Diggity.

“I have been helping him a bit with them over time,” Black said of fellow Wondai trainer Moloney.

“We still have a good relationship, Tom and I, but he was just keen to have a few less in his stable with a sore back he has.”

Nearing 80 years of age, Black is officially retired from the work force but is still regularly on horseback mustering cattle or driving a tractor at his family’s South Burnett property.

The family have 13,000 acres.

While he is vastly experienced in that field, Black says he is happily a novice when it comes to training race horses and leans on other trainers in the area for a tip or two.

“It has all been a learning experience for me,” Black said.

“Tom still helps me a lot and I have a few mates that are trainers like Kym Afford – who rides some track work for me - and a few others.

“They are all helpers and are part of the family, they all chip in and help.

“If there is anything I want to know, I just ask them.”

Black is keen to get Diggity to Thangool later this month to run in a Country Stampede qualifier, which would give the galloper a direct ticket to the rich Final at Doomben in late November.

Diggity competed in the Battle Of The Bush Final back in 2023 – where he finished seventh – and the Country Stampede decider back in 2020.

Diggity is raced by the same connection as Igbo.