Master at work: Max Crockett works a horse at Randwick
© Fairfax Media
By Max Presnell
Max Crockett is a legend throughout the Sport Of Kings
An eye for conformation and the knowledge that it brings
He’s trusted as a saviour when a horse needs extra care
“here were none considered equal and few we might compare.’’
– Kevin Pye (Lawson Country).
A North Randwick cowboy, Max Crockett, who died on Sunday, educated more horses in Australia than any other breaker. Well, that’s a record I’m claiming on his behalf.
Even in his younger days Crockett looked like he had weathered many a Kidman trail drive, with 10-gallon Stetsons lathered in dust and riding boots that had more in common with mud than polish.
We went back to 1964, when Crockett was serving his apprenticeship with the great horseman Harry Meyer and I watched them work their methods on Jupiter, a record-priced yearling.
Tagged by Cummings as ‘‘the colt breaker’’, Crockett moved to Mudgee around 30 years ago where he linked as equine educator with what was to become the Gooree Stud of Filipino squillionaire Eduardo Cojuangco, following a stint with Lloyd Foyster who developed this horse heaven.
Over the decades, the Crocketts – Max and more recently his son Cameron, now a trainer – have tuned over a thousand Gooree Stud thoroughbreds from green youngsters to racehorses ready for Australia’s top trainers.
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Source: The Sydney Morning Herald
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