Since it’s Melbourne Cup time, here’s a news item about our director Russell Maddock’s illustrious grandfather.
From the Courier-Mail – June 2014
HAROLD RUSSELL(RUSS) MADOOCK Jockey Born: March 11, 1918, Brisbane Died: June 8, 2014, Gold Coast
QUEENSLAND’S most successful premiership-winning jockey, Russell Maddock, will be remembered as not only a great rider but a gentleman.
Maddock won nine Brisbane premierships before becoming a successful jockey in the United Kingdom until an injury in Brighton in 1969 ended his career. He returned to Australia in the 1980s, where he became a respected clocker on the Gold Coast.
Top trainer Helen Page got to know Maddock during this time and said he hardly ever missed a morning. “He had this ability to make you feel special. He made you feel so important and acted as if he’d never achieved all of the things he had,” Page said “He was a fine man and a gentleman.”
Page’s husband John, a former top trainer himself, rated Maddock as good as any jockey to come out of Queensland. “No doubt he was one of Queensland’s best. He was the equivalent of George Moore and Neville Sellwood at his best,” Page said.
Maddock rode his first winner, Camogean, at Toowoomba in 1936 and went on to ride more than 1800 winners. His feature race wins included the Stradbroke Handicap (High Rank), Doomben 10,000 (High Rank, Port Raider) Doomben Cup (Earlwood, twice) Queensland Derby (Sefiona) and Queensland Oaks (Golden Stockade) and was also known as a brilliant “Creek” rider at Albion Park.
He was a trailblazing Australian jockey, alongside the likes of Scobie Breasley, Sellwood and Moore, who all made their marks in the UK.
After a short stint in Malaysia in 1960, Maddock moved to the UK where he rode at times for the Queen and the Queen Mother. His first ride in England was a winner, Mix ‘n’ Match at Aintree in 1961,which proved a forerunner to a successful decade of UK riding.
In 1959 he was named Jockey of the Century during the Queensland Centennial.
In 1969 he was injured in a race fall and, after recovery, broke the same leg in a training accident before his return to racing. It was the end of his career.
Maddock had maintained strong interest in racing until ill health weakened him in the past 12 months.
He is survived by two children, two grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
His wife Brenda and daughter Desi predeceased him.
