by Trots Media – Michael Howard
Doug Gretgrix reflected on his 20 years of being there from the beginning from his Ararat hotel room, having docked in ahead of that night’s 10-race card.
He had travelled from his Charlton home and would stay over so he could get up crisply to head to Maryborough for the following day’s nine-race card, and then be back on the road for Friday’s seven-race meeting at Mildura. Such is the life of a Harness Racing Victoria starter.
He wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I like getting around, meeting people,” Mr Gretgix said. “Each club has got their mobile drivers, I can’t say there’s been a bad one and I enjoy chatting to drivers.”
Mr Gretgrix took over as starter at his home track of Charlton in 1980 and worked into the ‘90s until HRV employed travelling starters. In 1997 Mr Gretgrix become part of that small full-time team that enabled the trots world to go round.
“I’ve done about 3160 starts,” he said. “My wife (Gillian) keeps count. When I took over my ambition was to start at the 26 registered tracks and do a Hunter Cup, so I’m very happy to have done both things.”
His first race as a starter was Charlton’s Easter Monday race day, he was full-time since a Geelong raceday on June 11, 1997, has overseen 14 Mildura cups and two A. G. Hunter Cups. And at age 73 there are no plans to slow.
“I give myself little things to go to and 20 years was one of my milestones,” he said. “I got to 10 years and thought if I’m still fit I’ll see if I can’t go to 20. Now I take it six months at a time.”
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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