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Scott Singleton – Nearly Lost To NSW Racing
By John Curtis
NEW South Wales can thank its lucky stars SCOTT SINGLETON wasn’t lost to the racing industry in his home State!
The former Hawkesbury trainer, now based at Scone and loving it, says a planned move to set up shop in Victoria very nearly happened.
Singleton and his wife Lucy for some time had been contemplating relocating with their children Jack and Zoey (now 12 and 9 respectively) from their base at Hawkesbury, which had been so successful for him.
“There was nothing against Hawkesbury whatsoever, but we were looking for a change of lifestyle,” he explained.
“We were living close to the track where the stables were, and the area had become too busy.
“We’re not city people. Lucy grew up on a farm in a small English village, and I was doing a lot of travelling to the country anyway as the majority of my horses weren’t city standard.
Singleton revealed he and his wife were ready to settle at Ballarat, having made an offer on a property, but the sale fell through.
“When that happened, we also looked at Bendigo but nothing eventuated there either.”
Ironically, it was a conversation with Victorian expat, former Hawkesbury trainer Bernie Kelly (who won the 2019 Provincial Championships with Bobbing), which led to the family’s transfer to Scone.
“Bernie and his wife Anne had not long moved to Scone, and suggested we should have a look around there.”
They did – and quickly found a suitable property adjoining the Hunter River, only 10 minutes from the Scone racetrack.
“I secured 27 boxes on course, so with that and the property, the move for a better lifestyle for all of us really appealed,” Singleton said.
“It all made sense. Country prizemoney kept increasing, and the Highways and Championships had been introduced by RacingNSW.
“We moved in November 2019, but all the same it wasn’t without some trepidation as I thought we might be lucky to bring five or six horses with us.
“As it turned out, our owners stayed solid and we brought 30 horses to Scone.
“It’s been a great decision. Those owners have been loyal and remained with us, we have picked up some new clients as well and, of course, winning our share of races has been a bonus.”
Penrith-born Singleton, 38, held an ambition to train because his late grandfather Trevor Kain prepared a small team at Hawkesbury.
“I used to go to the track with him and started riding at the picnics when I was 15 and early 16,” he said.
Trainer Scott Singleton Photo: Bradley Photographers
“I had only about 25 rides and rode a couple of winners. There was no hope of becoming a professional jockey as I was too heavy, but it was a great experience which I’m sure helped when I began training.”
Singleton was 20 when he took out his licence and his first starter, an unraced young horse called Captain Ridley which he got from the late great Bart Cummings after four trials, remains firmly etched in his memory.
That was at Bathurst on November 6, 2005. With Grant Buckley aboard, Captain Ridley ran last in a field of five in a 1010m 2& 3YO Maiden Plate (Malcolm Johston trained the second placegetter and Tim Clark, then a young apprentice, rode the fourth horse home).
Captain Ridley had bolted in with a Rosehill trial after entering Singleton’s stable, and started a $1.50 hotpot.
“It was going to be an uphill battle after that,” Singleton joked.
Undaunted though, he pressed on – and that elusive first winner arrived in the shape of Reginald – also at Bathurst – in May the following year, with Christian Reith in the saddle.
Singleton did manage to win a race with Captain Ridley two months later, and a further 277 have followed, including a stakes success with Shazee Lee in the 2017 Group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas at $51 and Provincial Championships Qualifier at $21 in the space of two months on his home track.
There was a specific reason for that. “Shazee Lee was a hard mare to train, because she played up in the float if you took her away to race and also had a problem with the barrier stalls,” he explained.
“There was history in the family as her mother Shazee was placed in both her starts on the Kensington track in 2001, but hurt herself in the truck on the way home after her second run and never raced again.
“We sold Shazee Lee to Spendthrift Farm when her racing career finished. Her first foal unfortunately died after birth (and she has since foaled a colt by Vino Rosso).”
Singleton underlined his training skills with a memorable weekend in February 2013, winning a 3000m marathon at Moonee Valley on the Friday night with a gelding (Platinum Jack) and a 1300m race at Warwick Farm the following day with a mare (Dark Brown Sugar).
“That was pretty special,” he said. “Platinum Jack also won races at Wyong, Warwick Farm, Grafton, Eagle Farm and Hawkesbury.
“I really enjoy training stayers when I get the opportunity.”
Singleton is pretty handy with sprinters too, as evidenced by winning nine races from 18 starts with speedball Remlaps Gem, including a 1000m Randwick Highway in December 2020.
Remlaps Gem, having won a 900m Gold Coast Quality in January and then again over that distance at Newcastle on March 4 under 61kg, clinched a 900m hat-trick by going back across the border and outpacing his rivals once more at the Gold Coast last Saturday.
“I cantered him once when he came to me, and told the owners straight away he needed a wind operation,” Singleton said.
“He has since also had a tie-back operation, and that’s why he is best at around 900m-1000m.
Remlaps Gem is a tricky horse to train because you want to keep him fresh but also pretty fit when he goes to the races.
“It’s a delicate balance. But for his problems, I’m sure he would handle 1200m. All going well, he’ll be back at the Gold Coast in May for the Bat Out Of Hell (also 900m).”
Singleton for many years was Hawkesbury’s leading trainer; his 35 winners in 2014-15 being a personal best.
The winners haven’t stopped either since his shift to Scone; 28 coming last season and 24 are already in the bag in just over the first seven months of the current season, so a new benchmark from a new base is certainly on the cards.
Not quite two decades into his career – and with plenty more ahead no doubt – Singleton was asked if he had a specific goal he wanted to achieve.
The answer was nothing more than you would expect from such a hard-working and totally unassuming man, who goes about his business without any fuss – and does a terrific job in the process.
“I just want to keep doing the best I can for all my owners,” he said. “Even if you have a moderate horse which you put just as much time in to as with a good horse, you get a great deal of satisfaction when you win a race with it.”
