Mick Mair tribute: Tears flow for Sunshine Coast horse racing stalwart

The Sunshine Coast and Queensland racing community is mourning the loss of life member and group one winning trainer Mick Mair. Read the emotional tribute.

Trainer Mick Mair with Rezone at his Caloundra stables.

Tributes are flowing for Sunshine Coast, Queensland and Sydney racing trainer Mick Mair after his long battle with bowel cancer.

Known as ‘the Mair of the Sunshine Coast’, the Group 1 and multiple premiership winning Sunshine Coast trainer, life member and former board member sadly passed away on October 20, 2022, aged 74.

Mair, who was the husband to Belinda and father of daughter Danielle, was a member of the Sunshine Coast training ranks after relocating from Warwick Farm in New South Wales almost 40 years ago.

Long time owner and good mate Bernie McGovern said he would be remembered for his racing knack and witty humour.

“He was a very, very, very good trainer, a great horseman that trained group winners from Caloundra to Sydney with winners on every track in Brisbane and every track in Sydney,” he said.

“He had a Group 1 winner in Swiss Ace in Melbourne but the biggest thrill Mick got out of racing, whether it was in Gympie, Caloundra, Kilcoy, or the city, wherever he took them it was the excitement that he saw on his owners’ faces.

“The jokes and the one liners are just legendary too, everyone who knew Mick would have a one liner that he has told them as he was a salt of the earth sort of person and just loved to see a smile on people’s faces.”

Mick Mair pictured at Corbould Park in 2015. Picture: Greg Miller

Swiss Ace, who won 12 of his 20 career starts including the 2009 Group 1 Oakleigh Plate, has had a race - the $125,000 Swiss Ace Plate – named in the galloper’s honour which will be run at the Mooloolaba Cup Race Day on November 19.

McGovern said Mair’s favourite ever horse was Burglar Of Banff who had 36 wins and 33 placings from 102 starts with his favourite jockey being Ayn Butler.

Mair also helped drive the direction of racing in Queensland, serving for 10 years on the Sunshine Coast Turf Club committee.

“He has been an integral part of the Turf Club here since nearly its inception,” Sunshine Coast Turf Club chief executive John Miller said.

“He won many training premierships at the Sunshine Coast as well as being on the board of the club.

“He was awarded as a life member and was still at the races as recently as last Sunday, the 16th.

“He will be sadly missed by a lot of people at the Turf Club.”