Love of racing: How a big plunge got owner Noel Greenhalgh hooked on racing

Noel Greenhalgh came out to Australia with no idea about racing after growing up in betting shops, but now loves the sport that has delivered him a Melbourne Cup and other big races.

Maria and Noel Greenhalgh have become some of the most prominent owners in Queensland. Picture: Michael Klein

A huge betting plunge got Noel Greenhalgh hooked on racing.

Greenhalgh arrived in Australia from a Dublin pub three decades ago wanting to play professional soccer with no idea about racing, but along with his wife Maria have increased their ownership interests after his father-in-law introduced him to the sport he now loves.

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“Maria’s dad was huge into racing, so it has been a joint thing all along for us, we both love going,” Noel said.

“I liked a bet, but I knew nothing about racing really.

“We were brought up in bookie shops as teenagers and you’d run into your teachers there, they’d ask why you weren’t home doing your homework.

“My interest was generated from Maria’s dad, we became really good mates so he would go to the races on a Saturday and I would come along.

“Early on we took a horse up to Caloundra and backed it from 40s into 5-2 and got the money, it was a horse called Picnic Box.

“We got a bundle out of that and I thought I need to start taking more interest in this.

“It’s not a money-making exercise, it is the journey you go on, the good people you meet and the places you go to.

“We have been around the world because of racing.”

Noel Greenhalgh working his Brisbane fruit market. Picture: Ben Dorries.

The couple missed a run in the Magic Millions with first emergency Space Rider, but Maria was in the all-female-owned Icarian Dream for Ciaron Maher.

She said the penchant for buying horses comes from her father, who enjoyed ownership himself.

“Many years ago when dad passed away, he said he had an interest in just a few horses, it turned out to be 40-odd,” she laughed.

“We had to sort all that out at the time, but we have ended up doing the same thing now.”

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Maria jokes she is able to get one up on her husband with the all-female horses, with Madame Pommery delivering her an extra Group 1 in 2022.

“Whether you have half a per cent of ownership or 25 per cent, everyone owns a part and gets to feel the excitement of it all,” she said.

“It makes it very fun and social and almost sets up the girls against the boys thing in our house.

“When Madame Pommery won the Group 1, Noel was saying that I had one more Group 1 race than he has, there is some competition.”

Originally published as Love of racing: How a big plunge got owner Noel Greenhalgh hooked on racing