Amost 20 years ago, the mighty Northerly took out the 2002 Caulfield Cup, carrying the highest weight to victory for 35 years.
That breathtaking win came in between two other magnificent victories by Northerly who scored back-to-back wins in the 2001 and 2002 Cox Plates.
The superstar galloper was trained by champion trainer Fred Kersley.
Kersely describes himself as an ‘ordinary bloke who has been very lucky in life’, and it was great to chat with him in this week’s This Is Your Journey – thanks to Tobin Brothers.
“Still very clear in your mind, some of the intricacy of the get loss but the horse himself, the races he won are indelibly planted in your memory bank,” Kersley said.
“He’ll never be forgotten.
“Thanks to the Perth Racing for remembering the old horses the way they have is really wonderful.”
Winning nine group 1s and amassing over $9 million in prize money, it’s fair to say the impact Northerly had on Kersley was massive.
“He did (change my life) it’s really a dream to think you’re going to get a horse as good as that and it’s not something I really dreamt of to be honest,” he added.
“When he arrived, he changed our (family) life forever.”
Kersley was the first West Australian to obtain a dual license to train pacers and gallopers in the complementary worlds of harness racing and horse racing, and he admits it did play a big part in his life early on.
“There are a few of us walking around the planet that remember the early days of Gloucester Park,” he laughed.
“I had a good run in harness racing which was very rewarding for me mentally, there was a lot of people of the view that I would never reach that mark.
“They were good times and I look back fondly and thank the lord that I was lucky enough to get that job done.”
So what now for Fred Kersley? NNow 82, he is still training in Western Australia and still has a great interest and passion in the great game.
Catch up below on Kersley's chat on This Is Your Journey – thanks to Tobin Brothers:
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