Terry Fahey is credited with a massive list of sporting achievements as long as your arm, but there is a vacant picture frame in his trophy room - for his first TAB winner as a horse trainer.
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That opportunity comes on Monday at the $64,000 Narromine Diggers Cup race meeting when he saddles-up four horses on the eight race card.
It’s been a wonderful 30-plus years for Fahey who in rugby league represented Australia in three Test matches, played for New South Wales eight times and had a great club record with South Sydney (90 games), Eastern Suburbs (47) and Canberra (53) and also played in the famous Amco Cup win by Western Division in 1974.
Breeding and training greyhounds was another success story for Fahey and he’s also been around more footy fields in recent years coaching club and representative teams.
Then he got the horse bug and wanted to do something different, so took out a trainer’s licence.
“It’s taken a while for it all to happen but I’ve had 14 runners now at the races and won three, with a handful of minor placings - so I’m getting there,” Fahey said this week after being part of the Centenary of Rugby League celebrations held in Dubbo.
“I’m now really keen to break through for my first TAB win and I would like to think that will happen on Monday at Narromine.”
While he currently has six horses in work, there’s little doubt that Mr Music is the stable star having won three of his past four starts - at Warren on March 29, then came successes in the Tomingley and Nyngan cups during April.
The barrier draw has not been kind to Mr Music which will start from the outside in gate 10 for the feature race, the $10,000 Narromine United Services Memorial Club Diggers Cup over 1600m.
“It’s marvellous how well he is travelling after we picked him up from Bob Caton,” Fahey said of Mr Music.
“He’s a versatile horse and has been in work since the end of virus and just keeps getting stronger and keener. In fact I think if I turned him out he’d die.
“But when you go to the TAB races you have to expect tough opposition and Monday will be his biggest test in strong company.
“ You have to be in there and I’m hoping he will run a good race.”
Fahey was quick to point out however that the top four horses - On My Honour (Kacie Chater), Fuji Girl (Greg Ryan), Schickendanz (Adrian Robinson) and Govic’s Pick (Kody Nestor) would be the popular picks, each having won quality races during their careers.
Gilgandra apprentice Jeremy Hammond has the ride on Mr Music after doing a good job on the six-year-old gelding to win the Nyngan Cup on Anzac Day.
Fahey has engaged a varied list of jockeys for his other three starters at Narromine with Jeff Kehoe to ride Final Decree in the 800m Maiden Plate, Adrian Robinson on Grand Nearctic in the Maiden Plate (1600m) and Newcastle based Morgan Butler for Gangster In A Suit in the 1300m Maiden.
The three-year-old colt Gangster In A Suit is a newcomer to western racing having been picked up by Fahey after failing to win in three Victorian country starts.
