Bert Wolfe Award

CONGRATULATIONS to Tony Kneebone, Winning Post editor, on his VRC Bert Wolfe Media award for 2015-16 announced at Thursday August 25th 2016 Scobie Breasley Medal and thoroughbred awards night at Flemington racecourse.

Kneebone received a trophy and a cheque for $3000 kindly donated by the Victoria Racing Club.

We also salute Dwayne Dunn on his thoroughly deserved first Scobie Breasley Medal and all other award winners.

Judges,  retired journalists Rhett Kirkwood and Ray Huxley who succeed Judge John Nixon and former VRC secretary Rod Johnson, said Kneebone had been a most consistent contributor for many years through Winning Post as both a writer and tipster and is also author of several racing books including the story of the famous Payne family.

“In his early days at Winning Post he was recognised as the ‘face’ of the paper and a considerable factor in its prominence in the racing community.  His contribution to the racing industry over 25 years made him a fitting winner,” the judges concluded.

The Bert Wolfe Award is named in honour of the legendary Racing Editor of The Herald for 22 years from 1933-1955.

Inducted into racing’s Hall Of Fame in 2005, Wolfe  wrote under the nom de plume ‘Cardigan’ named after the 1903 Melbourne Cup winner Lord Cardigan which was bred by his grandfather.

Wolfe worked as racing editor of The Referee and was sports editor of  the Argus, before becoming chairman of stewards of the Queensland Turf Club.

In 1933 Sir Keith Murdoch recruited Wolfe as racing editor of The Herald.

Among his most famous stories he was in Mexico to witness the death of  the immortal Phar Lap in 1932 and in 1934 exposed the infamous Erbie/Redlock ring-in.

Racing historians believe Erbie claimed at least a dozen wins under false names.

Erbie has won several races in Sydney which Wolfe had seen and after seeing a photograph of a horse named Redlock who had landed a betting plunge to win at Murray Bridge in South Australia he became suspicious.

Wolfe then made the trip to South Australia to see Redlock win by 12 lengths at Kadina. He asked to examine the horse and found dye was used to conceal Erbie’s distinctive white blaze, confirming his suspicions.

 

Recent Award Winners

2016 – Tony Kneebone

2015 – Greg Miles

 

 

YEAR
WINNER
2014Deane Lester
2013Patrick Bartley
2012Adrian Dunn
2011Rod Nicholson
2010Tim Habel
2009Bruce Clark
2008Adrian Dunn
2007Patrick Bartley
2006Brendan Cormick
2005Adrian Dunn
2004Andrew Garvey
2003Andrew Bensley
2002Andrew Eddy
2001Bryan Martin
2000Shane Templeton
1999Rod Nicholson
1998Brian Meldrum
1997John Russell
1996Les Carlyon
1995Greg Miles
1994Bryan Martin
1993Ron Taylor
1992Roy Aspinall
1991Stephen Moran
1990Stephen Moran
1989Cathy Walker
1988Bernie OÕBrien
1987Glenn Lester
1986Mark Harding
1985Tony Bourke
1984Mark Harding
1983Bill Collins
1982Jack Elliott
1981Roy Aspinall
1980Glenn Lester
1979Shane Templeton
1978Rollo Roylance
1977Tony Bourke
1976Ross du Bourg
1975Jack Elliott
1974Jack Elliott
1973Tony Meany
1972Rollo Roylance
1971Brian Meldrum
1970Keith McClure