Latest news with #ElSoleado
7NEWS
a day ago
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Racing world mourns sudden death of ‘legendary' trainer Robbie Laing
The racing community is mourning the sudden death of Group 1-winning trainer Robbie Laing, just hours after he celebrated a second-place finish at Flemington. Tributes poured in on Sunday after it emerged Laing had died in his sleep overnight. The veteran, aged in his 60s, had fought back from bankruptcy and a ban to return to top competition in recent years. 'Thoughts to the extensive family and many friends of legendary horseman Robbie Laing on hearing his sudden passing,' journalist Bruce Clarke wrote. Laing's El Soleado, ridden by Sheridan Clarke and carrying 64.5kg, finished second in the last race at Flemington on Saturday. The horse was a winner at Bendigo in April last year — a spirit-boosting win for Laing, who watched from hospital with a leg injury — and has recently bounced back from throat surgery. Laing famously trained Roman Arch, ridden by Craig Newitt, to an upset win in the 2006 Australian Cup at Flemington. Seven years later Hugh Bowman rode Laing's $4000 yearlings purchase Polanski to victory in the 2013 Victoria Derby. 'My life in racing's been fantastic,' Laing said in a Channel 7 feature in early 2024. 'It's had its highs and lows. I don't like failure. Generally whatever I set myself to do, I've done it. 'As a kid I wanted to win the league's best and fairest and I did that. I wanted to be captain of the footy team and I did that. 'I became apprentice in 1974 at the age of 15. I think I rode OK but I got heavy very quick. At the age of 23 I trained my first Group 1 winner Perfect Bliss. 'The Group 1s for me are extra special.' Former jockey turned trainer Gavin Bedggood described Laing as 'far from conventional but a man who was very good to me'. 'Gave me my first horse as a trainer, many winners as a rider and plenty of advice over the years. Was never given the credit he deserved as a trainer — always had a good two-year-old, handicapper and jumper. Rest easy,' he wrote. Samuel Hyland said: 'Very sorry to hear of the passing of Robbie Laing, always loved riding for Laing. His horses were always tough and fit, he was a great character, an outstanding horseman as well as trainer, thoughts are with Eddie and Sylvia Laing and the Laing Family.' Bryan Martin said: 'The saddest news with the passing overnight of Robbie Laing. Outstanding horseman and always good fun to be around. Amazing mind on pedigrees. Rob could train, young ones, top liners and the jumpers. Very sadly missed Robbie Laing. Prayers with his extended family.'
7NEWS
4 days ago
- Sport
- 7NEWS
El Soleado facing rare task in comeback from throat surgery
It is rare these days to find a horse being asked to carry 64.5kg in a race at Flemington. But that is what the Robbie Laing-trained El Soleado has in the VRC Country Race Sprint (1200m) on Saturday, although that weight is being offset by the 3kg claim of Sheridan Clarke. Laing is old-school and remembers growing up when horses like Alcatraz and Samson were carrying huge weights in races at his favourite tracks like Sandown and Caulfield. El Soleado is returning to racing having undergone tieback surgery on a throat condition but has pleased Laing in his three jump-outs, his most recent when successful at Cranbourne on May 26. 'He's got a run somewhere,' Laing said. 'It's a beautiful track and Sheridan Clarke is going to claim 3 kilos off him, so he comes in with 61-½ kilos and it's not like the bottom weights have 48 kilos like they used to years ago when there were massive differences from the top to the bottom weight.' A search through the Racing And Sports database, the most recent horse to have been asked to carry more than 64.5kg in a flat race at Flemington was Paris Lane in a Welter in February 1996, when he was allotted 68.5kg and was ridden by a then 2.5kg claiming apprentice Craig Williams. El Soleado hasn't raced since finishing ninth at Sandown last September after which it was discovered the gelding had a throat ailment. The rising six-year-old had a consistent summer – autumn campaign in 2024 and Laing was looking forward to last year's spring with El Soleado. 'His throat went all of a sudden,' Laing said. 'He had two runs on soft ground in Listed grade, and we were happy with him and then we took him to Sandown and backed him. 'Patrick Moloney rode him and said he didn't run on and made a hell of a noise. 'They scoped him, he was perfect, so we galloped him, he made a noise, then next time we galloped we put a dynamic scope on him. 'Halfway through the gallop, he couldn't breathe, so that's when we decided to send him off for surgery and give him a good break.' Having thought El Soleado would stretch out to 2400m, now Laing is thinking 1600m to 2000m might be more the gelding's trip. 'His galloping ability, his trials have been super, his action is good, he looks super,' Laing said. 'He might be a Toorak Handicap horse, or there may be a nice 1800-metre race or one over 2000 metres over the Carnival that may be his goal. 'But we'll keep him rolling along slowly after he runs on Saturday.'
