Inglis proudly bring you:
Peter Robl – One Of Racing’s Loyal Servants
By John Curtis
PETER Robl, to use his own words, was flying.
He had ridden the last three winners at the midweek Kensington meeting on January 8, 2014, and then the first winner Anymore at $31 in the opening race on the Magic Millions card at the Gold Coast three days later.
Five days later his magnificent 26-year career of “close to 2000 winners” – which included four Group 1 triumphs – was over as a result of a freakish accident.
Ironically, at a meeting he didn’t intend to take part in.
“I was going to take a week off at the Gold Coast after the Magic Millions meeting, but David Van Dyke (then training in Sydney) rang me to ride a horse at Scone on the Thursday,” Robl explained.
“The mare (Third Degree) was having her first start for David after racing once in Brisbane, and I thought she was a moral.
“I flew back to Sydney on the morning of the meeting, and drove to Scone.
“Third Degree was in the second race and won of course, but I wasn’t on her after what happened in the first race.”
Robl rode stablemate In My Image, who bucked soon after the start and dislodged her rider.
“I hit the ground hard and kinked my spinal chord,” Robl said.
“I knew it was serious when at first I couldn’t feel my arms and legs.”
Subsequently, Robl was told by Sydney neurosurgeon Dr Richard Parkinson that he risked becoming a quadriplegic if he rode again.
“I always thought I would ride until I was 60,” Robl said. “I was flying at the time, and never even considered training.”
That changed when multiple Group 1 Sydney trainer Guy Walter died suddenly four months later.
“Being great mates with Blake Shinn (now domiciled in Hong Kong), we both went and helped out Guy’s widow Wendy for a couple of months to help her sort out their Warwick Farm stable,” Robl said.
“Not long after, an opportunity came up to join David (Van Dyke) as foreman at Randwick, where he was training for Segenhoe Stud.
“When David moved to the Sunshine Coast, I took out my licence and replaced him.”
Trainer Peter Robl. Photo: Getty Images
Eighteen months later, Robl was left high and dry when his stable of 20 was reduced to one after his major owner decided to “spread his horses around”.
“It’s been a huge grind since as I had to rebuild. But I’m still there hanging in, and have 20 in work.
“I retired a couple of older horses, and have mainly two and three-year-olds.
“It’s not easy, but I enjoy doing the horse side of things and you never know what might be around the corner.”
Robl didn’t have to think when asked about a favorite horse he has been associated with.ined.
“Has to be Ninth Legion,” he replied quickly. “I won four races on him, including the Group 2 Villiers Stakes at Randwick in 2013 (not long before that Scone accident)), then trained him to win two Listed races (Eye Liner Stakes at Ipswich and Civic Stakes at Rosehill Gardens) in 2016.”
Unashamedly of country origin, Echuca-born Robl never entertained a career as a jockey either.
“My family moved to Shepparton and then to Benalla, and it was there I met up with trainer Wayne Nichols,” Robl said.
“I started doing some morning and weekend work at the stables, and got an opportunity to become apprenticed to Wayne.
“To be honest, I couldn’t ride a horse when I was 16, but saw it as a way of getting out of school.
“I didn’t hate school, but didn’t concentrate.”
Robl probably holds a record few Australian jockeys could match. He brought up his first winner at “about my 12th ride” in a marathon race of 3600m no less at Tatura.
He outrode his claim in the bush, and spent three months on loan to the late trainer Rick Hore-Lacey in Melbourne.
An approach from legendary Sydney trainer Clarry Conners to move to Sydney was rebuffed time after time.
“I had been going to Sydney at the midweeks and riding winners for Peter Moody when he sent horses up from Melbourne,” Robl said.
“I was cruising at the time, riding up to 150 winners a season, and having a lot of success for trainers such as Greg McDermott and Matt Dale.
“Going to Sydney permanently didn’t appeal to me, but Clarry wanted a jockey who was both strong and could ride light.
“He rang me many times and after 12 months I relented to get him off my back.
“I planned to give it a three months’ trial in 2007, and equine influenza stopped NSW racing soon after my arrival.
“I was stuck in Sydney and never left.”
It didn’t take long for Robl to claim a Group 1 breakthrough, on Dealer Principal in the 2008 Rosehill Guineas – and this time a slice of fortune was on his side.
“Larry Cassidy had won two races on Dealer Principal, and Anthony Cummings threw the three-year-old in the deep end in the Guineas at only his fifth start,” Robl said.
“Larry had also been riding Steel Giant for the late Rick Worthington, and won the Canberra Guineas on him and chose to stay with him at Rosehill. I got the Dealer Principal mount and won the race (Steel Giant ran a close fifth).”
Robl’s other Group 1 victories came on Onemorenomore (Champagne Stakes at Randwick) and Linky Dink (TJ Smith now JJ Atkins Stakes at Eagle Farm), both for Jason Coyle in 2009 when training for Nathan Tinkler’s Patinack Farm, and 2013 BTC Cup at Eagle Farm on Anthony Cummings’ Your Song.
“Of the four, pre-race I thought Onemorenomore could win,” Robl said.
“He ran a great race when fourth in the 1400m Sires Produce Stakes at Randwick a week before the Champagne, and I knew the 1600m would really suit him.
“Linky Dink was at big odds and I didn’t give her a chance, and Your Song always had the ability and it was satisfying to win a Group 1 on him.
“I doubted beforehand he could beat the renowned wet tracker Rain Affair, but my horse certainly did. He revelled in the heavy ground and bolted in (by five lengths).”
Robl visits his specialist yearly and got a clearance two and a half years ago to resume riding trackwork.
“I ride some of my own, and Les Bridge asked me last year to help out working his brilliant grey Classique Legend (2020 The Everest winner) when he got him back from Hong Kong last year.
“It was a bloody pleasure. He is a beautiful animal.
“I don’t mind helping out visitors either, and have been working the recent Flemington winner Kissonallforcheeks. Perth trainer Dan Morton sent her to Sydney for the Doncaster Mile.”
Having now made the half century in years and initially intent on riding until he was 60, Robl hasn’t entirely scuppered the idea of competing in races again – not just riding trackwork.
“It’s seven years since the accident, and I’m feeling pretty good,” he said.
“But I’ll have to decide in the next year what I’m going to do. I’ll probably mull over it in the next six months before coming to that decision whether I saddle up again.”
