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By Greg Prichard

Iconic Mid North Coast racing figure Margaret De Gonneville is looking forward to the next chapter of her life at 91 after finishing her training career with a winner from her very last runner at the Taree meeting on Thursday.

It didn’t begin like a day to remember when the first of her two runners, Gold Something, fell 500 metres from home in race five with Jeff Kehoe aboard.

But it ended superbly in the final event of the day when her other runner Golden Galaxy led all the way to win the Gloucester District Vets Country Boosted Benchmark 58 Handicap over 1262 metres.

Margaret had intended having a bet on Golden Galaxy, which had run a good second at triple-figure odds at Taree at its previous start, but, as she explained, things got hectic.

Margaret De Gonneville celebrates with connections of Golden Galaxy after he handed the 91-year-old trainer a win with her final runner at Taree on July 9. (Pic: Trackside).

“Jeff was unfortunately injured riding our other one and we had to quickly look around for a replacement for him,” she said.

“Kacie Adams was there and she’s ridden the horse before and was available, so that was lucky.

“I was busy doing that and I was worried about Jeff. We didn’t know if he was going to hospital in the ambulance or a car.

“Jeff’s got three broken ribs, a pierced lung and a very sore shoulder and we feel so sorry for him. It’s so disappointing because he would’ve been on the last winner.

“He’s been our trackwork rider for years and we’ve been very happy with him and it would’ve been lovely for him to have gone out with a winner for us instead of sitting up in hospital.

“But Kacie did a great job. I was going to have a little bet on Golden Galaxy, but with everything that was happening I forgot.

“But I was thrilled to go out with a winner. You never get tired of having a winner and the race club at Taree was very kind to me on the day.

“And Gold Something came home OK after his fall and ate up last night, so that’s good."

All three of Margaret's the horses are being retired and will be joining a riding school, and she's pleased they'll live happy lives post racing.

“We decided a couple of years ago that when our current group of horses were winding down we’d finish up and that time has come,'' she said.

“I actually had a couple of offers from people wanting to buy Golden Galaxy after he won, but he’s done enough. He deserves a lazy life in retirement.”

Margaret has been heavily involved in racing since the 1950s - as a trackwork rider, then a pioneer among the first of the female jockeys in the 1970s and finally as a trainer since the early 1980s.

Her training career began in Sydney and she eventually moved her base to Port Macquarie, a place she quickly grew to love.

“Old age has caught up with me,” she laughed. “I’ve been training for over 50 years so I thought I’d have a try at not getting out of bed so early.

“I haven’t used an alarm for years. I wake up automatically at 4am and have my cup of tea and piece of toast before working. I love that routine.”

The priority now for Margaret is travel, one of her favourite things.

“We were all set to go to Portugal and Morocco for a holiday and then Covid hit and ruined those plans,” she said.

“We’re going to catch up with that now. I love travelling. I’ve seen a lot of Europe, but there’s still more to see.

“My friend Bob and I will do that together, we’ll do some travelling and also visit some relatives who live far away.

Margaret says she wants to do some travelling now she's retired from training. (Pic: Trackside)

“So I’m beginning a new chapter in the book of life.”

Margaret turns 92 in December and is still as sharp as a tack as well as in good condition physically.

“I’ve been lucky with my health and everything,” she said. “I can still get around without my walking stick.

“I’ll stay at Port Macquarie. We’ve got our house here and it’s close to all the facilities you need when you’re older.”

Asked if she had her eye on reaching the century, Margaret laughed and said that was too far ahead to worry about.

“I’m just taking it one day at a time and see where life takes me from here,” she said.

“I’ve had an unbelievable career with horses and what they’ve done for me. I wouldn’t change any of it. You meet so many wonderful people in the racing fraternity and I’d do it all again.

“And what a wonderful way to go out, with a winner. I’ve had lots of calls and messages from people so happy for me, including many I haven’t heard from for years.

“We’ll still go to the races and still follow it all. It’s in my DNA.”

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