FORMER FARRIER ROB POTTER SCORES HIS FIRST RANDWICK TRAINING WIN

Laurel Hill (Siena Grima) on the outside overpowers Slush Fund to win a BM64 on the Kensington track 05/12/2025 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.

“Even though the race was run on the Kensington track I’m claiming it as my first Randwick win,” said Canberra trainer Rob Potter after Laurel Hill’s barnstorming win at the Friday meeting last week. “I’ve won races at Canterbury and Warwick Farm but never at headquarters and I can tell you it was pretty special.”

Laurel Hill had won two races for Tumut trainer Kerry Weir before joining the Potter stable in July of last year. She quickly won races at Narrandera and Moruya and continued to race consistently over a long period with many placings coming her way. The mare stands 16’2” hands, tips the scales at 580 kgs and rarely leaves a flake of feed. For these reasons Rob has always worked her accordingly but decided to change the format following two unplaced runs at Hawkesbury in October and Warren on Melbourne Cup day. “She didn’t have much luck in either race but looked a bit flat footed on both occasions. I decided on a change of routine with less galloping and more swimming in the first class pool we have at Canberra.”

The new technique has given the six year old mare a lease of life.

Her Newcastle win in a 1400m BM 68 on November 20th was an absolute cracker. As per instructions Dylan Gibbons took Laurel Hill back to near last from a wide gate before starting to creep into the race from the 850m mark. Despite being carted five deep on the hometurn the mare moved stylishly to strike the front at the 200m. She Swings got fairly close in the closing stages, but all honours were with the winner who’d made a 1000m run to win the race. Dylan Gibbons was effusive in his praise after the race.

Laurel Hill (inside) overcame a tough run to win at Newcastle in November. Dylan Gibbons was the jockey - courtesy Bradley Photographers.

A fifteen day gap into the BM 64 on the Kensington track and a reduced workload saw Laurel Hill right on her game. In form apprentice Siena Grima followed the usual practice of allowing the big mare to find her feet before sending her forward. “I was pretty worried in the middle stages when she was a long way off them and not getting a lot of room,” said Rob. “A few jockeys have told me she’s not happy between horses, and that’s the reason we always give her plenty of space when she starts to wind up. It was good to see her finish right over the top of Slush Fund and Heuristic at the end of the 1250m. It was a super win.”

In form apprentice Siena Grima drives Laurel Hill to the lead close to home in a BM64 on the Kenso track - courtesy Bradley Photographers.

Rob Potter is one of very few thoroughbred trainers in Australia with the necessary experience to shoe every horse in his Canberra stable. The sixty year old was born in Cooma but lived much of his early life at nearby Adaminaby in the shadows of the fabled Snowy Mountains. His father Bert had little to do with racing but was an accomplished rider and spent many hours in the saddle mustering sheep and cattle. Rob took a liking to the showjumping pursuit and owned a small team of horses at one stage. Rob’s maternal grandfather Vin Gerathy had left his mark as a bush jockey, later transitioning into training on a modest scale. Between his showjumpers and local saddle horses, young Potter quickly developed his skills as a farrier.

He was only eighteen years old when he made his first foray into the training ranks in the early 80’s. At the time he was the youngest person ever granted a licence by the South East Racing Association. His involvement would be brief. Rob was spending most of his time shoeing horses, and it wasn’t long before he had a full scale business on his hands. He travelled all over the region shoeing gallopers for a wide range of trainers, and he cherishes memories of a handful of high profile racehorses he got to look after.

“I reckon I should have shod two Golden Slipper winners,” said Rob. “I looked after the 1999 winner Catbird who could be a bit of a handful to shoe on occasions, and seven years earlier I was Clan O”Sullivan’s farrier when he started favourite in the Golden Slipper after some amazing lead up form. Most of us remember the hammering Clan O’Sullivan got from other runners in the middle stages, setting it up for Burst to swamp him in the last few strides. I also got to shoe Paint when he was in Canberra for the 1996 Black Opal following his Blue Diamond win. I also shod him before he ran second to Merlene in the Slipper. Great memories.”

Rob’s not the first trainer to test the water away from racing in early life. He was around twenty three years of age when he went to work as a baggage handler for Qantas Airways. Like many inveterate horsemen before and since, he found himself missing the presence of horses in his life. He was soon back wearing a blacksmith’s apron and garnering a new clientele as a professional farrier. During this period, he also worked as manager of the barriers at all Canberra meetings. He never once lost sight of a possible return to the training ranks, and this dream came to fruition a decade ago when he bit the bullet and reapplied for his long relinquished licence. He regenerated his career from Ken Callaughan’s famous Capricorn Park training property near Yass.

Rob (left) was thrilled to notch his first Randwick training win, albeit on the inside track - courtesy Bradley Photographers.

Rob dabbled with a few moderate horses early days but his fortunes escalated when a horse called Murraguldrie joined his small team. “I actually bought the Zariz gelding from Mick Miladinovic and Andrew and Sue Groves,” Rob recalled. He’d won a couple of races for Mick before joining my team, and he went right on with the job. He won another five, two of which were at Canterbury and Warwick Farm and he also won the 2017 Bathurst Cup with Matthew Cahill on board. He was a lot of fun and the horse to get us on the way.”

Almost 160 wins later Rob is one of twenty trainers enjoying the facilities offered at the Thoroughbred Park training centre on the Canberra racecourse. He’s ably supported by his wife Jodie and thirty three year old son Jack. “Jodie and Jack are very attached to the horses and take a keen interest in their progress,” said Rob. “I’m also enjoying the role of master to our stable apprentice Erin Ellison who only recently began her trial rides and is showing plenty of promise. I’m very lucky to have the support of owners like Andrew and Sue Groves who sold Murraguldrie to me all those years ago and are now having a great ride with Laurel Hill.”

Rob Potter regularly doubles as strapper on race days. Here he is with Laurel Hill at Newcastle 20/11/2025 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.

“We have another two of their horses in work currently. One of them is four year old gelding Bosco who showed some ability in three runs last preparation and will be back at the races in the near future. The other is Bosco’s unnamed three year old half sister who’s showing some ability at home.”

Rob is quietly delighted with the progress of Action King, a recent acquisition for the stable. ‘We were very lucky to source him from Queensland for a big group of our owners following three Queensland wins under the guidance of Kelly Schweida,” said Rob. He’s only a little bloke by Harry Angel but he’s got a good motor. He was out of a place at his first two runs for us but then ran a cracking second in the Tuckerbox at Gundagai recently. He’s going well enough to think about next Saturday’s TAB Highway at Randwick. If the predicted rain turns up later in the week we might even give Laurel Hill a crack at a Saturday benchmark race. Rob was pretty chuffed to win his first Randwick race on the Kensington track last week. He’ll take some settling down when he cracks it for a win on the famous course proper.

Rob was pleased to provide former amateur jockey Anaelle Gangotena with her first professional riding win on Madison Point at Goulburn 27/02/2021 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.