Country racing has lost a great friend with the passing of Blackall racehorse owner, Ralph Russell.
Ralph, 58, passed away late last week after a long illness.
He was well-known for enjoying watching his horses race and having a good punt, and over the years raced many horses in the central west.
Currently his horses are trained by Queensland’s leading country trainer Todd Austin from his training base in Barcaldine.
Todd has trained for Ralph for the past eight years, and their most notable success was the Group 1 and 2 placed Playtime.
However, their friendship and connection has spanned three generations.
Over the years, Ralph had horses trained by Todd’s grandfather Tommy, as well as his father, Ken.
Before Todd took up training, he too rode many winners for Ralph.
However, it was the $36,000 filly bought at the March MM QTIS 600 Yearling sales and named Playtime, that put the Austin-Russell combination into the spotlight.
“We had Group 1 and Group 2 placings with Playtime, including a third in the TJ Smith Stakes, which is a pretty big effort for us based from Barcaldine,” Todd said.
"I have trained horses for Ralph for about eight years, and he was a very loyal and a generous client.
"Ralph had pressure applied that he should transfer Playtime to a metropolitan trainer to realise her full potential, but he was adamant she stay here.”
In her first metropolitan win, Playtime upstaged a quality line up of Brisbane juveniles, in a $110,000 QTIS 600 2yo Handicap at Eagle Farm.
Todd travelled the mare over 1100 kilometres from Barcaldine, to show she was worthy of a campaign toward the $2 million BMW Magic Millions 2yo Classic, and she beat out Crazy Mamma in a driving finish.
The win by Playtime was the first at metropolitan level for Todd - who on the same day prepared three winners at a non-TAB meeting on his home track.
In all, Playtime had 48 starts for six wins, six seconds, and seven thirds, to win $545,900 in prizemoney.
Another winner in the Austin stable owned by Ralph was Lucky Us who had 25 starts for five wins eight seconds, and seven thirds. Lucky Us won on debut in the Breeders Plate in Rockhampton.