One of Victoria\u2019s most innovative and influential trainers, Peter Tonkin, passed away on 8 April, on his 70th birthday.<\/p>\n
Tonkin, the father of master horseman Clayton Tonkin, was a star in his own right, firstly training on the beach at Portland before setting-up a hugely successful property at Smythesdale, near Ballarat.<\/p>\n
His breakthrough win came with Paris Affair in the 1999 A G Hunter Cup, but Tonkin also won the 2007 Victoria Cup with Robin Hood and the 2009 Chariots Of Fire with Maffioso.<\/p>\n
Tonkin trained 1408 winners at a superb strike rate of over 20 per cent, including 13 at Group 1 level and earnings of over $8.4 million.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wouldn\u2019t be in the game if it wasn\u2019t for him,\u201d Clayton said. \u201cHe believed in me more than I believed in myself. He was our biggest and most loyal supporter.\u201d<\/p>\n
Clayton recalls taking injury-plagued horses to the Portland beach with his father as an early teenager.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe grew up in a commission home and Dad was a meat worker, like his family before him,\u201d he said. \u201cHe drove trucks at night as well, anything to try to give us a better life.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe loved the horses, mainly training broken down ones and trying to get them back to the races in those Portland days.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then along came Paris Affair.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe changed everything. Dad trained him on half-stakes, which meant he got half the prize money from the Hunter Cup win and it really did change our lives,\u201d Clayton said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt gave him the money to buy the property at Ballarat and that\u2019s when he said let\u2019s try and buy some young horses, rather than just resurrect old ones.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe had success straight away. Robin Hood was one of the early ones. Maffioso not long after. Even Safari was only a $15,000 yearling.\u201d<\/p>\n
Champion driver Chris Alford, who drove Paris Affair and Maffioso to their biggest wins, recalled the fantastic job Tonkin did resurrecting Paris Affair.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was before his time a bit in that regard,\u201d he said. \u201cParis Affair had all sorts of issues and he got him right using that beach at Portland and then came out and won our (Victoria\u2019s) biggest race. It was an amazing achievement.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was basically my introduction to Pete. My first two drives for him were running a lead-up race on Paris Affair to get him into the Hunter Cup and then the Cup itself. His regular driver, Rod Barker, was suspended and I got the call-up out of the blue.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve got Pete to thank for one of my most special moments in the game, my first Hunter Cup. It was that win and the early success I had with Golden Reign that really put me on the map. I remember Pete telling me it changed his life, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tonkin also enjoyed a great friendship and huge success with the late champion driver Gavin Lang, who teamed with him to win the Victoria Cup aboard Robin Hood.<\/p>\n
Robin Hood was Tonkin\u2019s best performed pacer with 24 wins and almost $800,000 in prize money. Along with his 2007 Victoria Cup win, Robin Hood also won the 2008 Treuer Memorial, 2006 Ballarat Cup and 2005 Kilmore Cup, all at Group 1 level. He ran third in the 2005 Miracle Mile and third in the 2006 Victoria Cup.<\/p>\n
Lang, one of Australasia\u2019s greatest drivers, passed away in late 2020. Almost a year later, leviathan harness punter and bookmaker Tom \u201cTara\u201d Hogan passed away – Hogan, Tonkin and Lang were the closest of friends.<\/p>\n
Tonkin\u2019s success was the foundation of the now powerhouse Tonkin-Stewart Racing operation, which Clayton runs with Emma Stewart.<\/p>\n
Tonkin is survived by his ex-wife Mary, daughters Nicole and Kelly and son, Clayton.<\/p>\n
Harness Racing Victoria extends its condolences to Tonkin’s family and many friends.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
One of Victoria\u2019s most innovative and influential trainers, Peter Tonkin, passed away on 8 April, on his 70th birthday. Tonkin, the father of master horseman Clayton Tonkin, was a star in his own right, firstly training on the beach at Portland before setting-up a hugely successful property at Smythesdale, near Ballarat. His breakthrough win came […]<\/p>\n