Goodbye to Gauci day

I thought he was already dead - with his brothers Chico, Harpo, Gummo, and Zeppo

It would be disrespectful for any jockey to go past him today.

Remember watching him way back to my Rocklea trots days

Gauci is one of Australia's most successful and durable jockeys. He won the Senior Victorian Jockeys Premiership in 1983-84, 1985–86, and 1990–91.[1] He has come close to winning Australian racing's greatest prize on three occasions, with seconds in the Melbourne Cup on Chagemar (1984), Super Impose (1989), and On A Jeune (2005).[2]

Gauci has been successful in a vast number of Group 1 races. For several years, Gauci also rode with great success in Hong Kong. Gauci won five races on trainer Lee Freedman's champion Super Impose, including an Epsom Handicap (1990), and rode Lonhro to victory in the Caulfield Guineas (2001) and the St George Stakes (2004) in his two rides on the "black flash". In an extensive association with trainer John Hawkes, he also won the Thousand Guineas on Shame (1995), a Doncaster Handicap on Over (2000) and a Stradbroke Handicap on Crawl (2001), but the partnership was terminated in 2005.[3]

At the 2005 and 2006 Spring Carnivals, in Melbourne, Gauci won a feature race on El Segundo, and was narrowly beaten in the Cox Plate.

Over the years Gauci has had a number of bad riding injuries. For example, when he was in his early twenties, Gauci fell at Yarra Glen races and slipped in and out of a coma for eight days.[4] In June 2011, at Mornington race course, the horse he was riding had a heart attack under him, crashed through the running rail, collapsed and died. Darren suffered very severe injuries and he did not recommence riding for ten months.[5]

Despite his experience and skill, Gauci does not get rides on prominent horses as much anymore. However Darren says he understands that this is the reality and still enjoys his riding. Gauci said "As you get older it's a little bit harder, people put you on the back-burner a bit, they say you've been there, done that, probably had enough" .."I still love riding — I just do a lot more of it now, it's every day, and night."[2]

A glimpse of the 'glory days' occurred at Wodonga, Australia on 2 June 2013, when Gauci rode a 'treble'.[6]

As at 14 December 2013, Gauci has ridden in 7048 races and been placed in 1904 races including 669 wins. Total prize money won by horses ridden by Gauci is almost $36 million.[7] Gauci retired from riding in January 2017 to take up a role as apprentice jockey coach with Racing Victoria.[8]

Laying 5 Shalmaneser at Randwick

..... knew it.... another boaty for the maltese falcon ... and verrryyy impressive odds on betty

Goodwill

Darren Gauci--the nation rises to respect the elder statesman's win at BSP 20.00

Ben Melham is a crook.

The one I laid so was fixed on it---couldnt see anything untoward with the ride--might have been a tad wide but just the circumstances imo

...... never ceases to amaze me how WIDE they can get in a seven horse field

1.3.2.8 for me in the next at Randwick

I mean 1.4.2.8 at Randy

After watching replay

1. Gauci outside leader and all others with handbrakes on

2. Spare a thought for P. Moloney on second placegetter--shall i use the whip --shall I --shan't I --shall I --shan't I --2 smacks top of straight and 2  latter smacks

3. Well done to Lloyd for giving him the mount

4. No problems here with the other jocks allowing that result

WIDE they can get in a seven horse field

Old Southport trots--Lindys Boy D Alexander- 1-5 tomato sauce odds---5 horse field---sat 5 wide entire journey---beaten of course--

True

Joel I sent you a pvt msg b4

OK I shall read it when I get back

where are you going?

I just read it, keep me updated.

okay

...... andddd...... the atonement comes in the very next race..... as usual ....... a lovely rider from benny boy didn't have to   slau... err go wide at any stage.

im always cynical..... keeps me in the winners stall and getting 20$ sp's

You been watching the SBS series on Hitler on Sat nights? Very good - last one tonight I think