Peter Moody reconnects with bush and the lamb-licking, sleeping rough trimmings that come with it

ROYAL Ascot is a world away from sleeping rough on the Darling Downs... so just how has life changed for colourful Queensland horse trainer Peter Moody?

Flemington Races

DARLING Downs stud owners often find random creatures sleeping on their dew-dampened properties — but they don’t expect to find Peter Moody.

So you could understand the caution displayed by Basil Nolan at Raheen Stud outside Warwick just after daybreak on Friday when he found a curious package in his front yard.

On a whim, Moody had driven 14 hours through the afternoon and night to reconnect with some of his old mates at Toowoomba’s time-honoured Weetwood meeting.

There he was, hidden away, unannounced and anonymous, nestled deeply in his own trusty swag.

“The Nolans shit themselves when they found me asleep on the front lawn,’’ Moody said on Monday.

For the past year Moody has had his ear chewed by stewards so it almost made a pleasant change to have it nibbled at by a local lamb.

“At 5.30m I could sense something was licking my ear. They have a pet black and white lamb and the bloody thing took a liking to me. I hunted it away then at 6.30am I heard this “oi’’ “oi.’

Peter Moody and family after Flamberge took out the Group 1 William Reid Stakes on his final night as a licenced trainer. Picture: Mark Stewart

“Basil Nolan was standing 10 foot away from my swag but was not game to come and poke me because he did not know who it was because I pulled the flaps up.’’

Welcome to the new blissfully unchained life of Australia’s most colourful trainer.

Lamb-licking incident and all, Moody can almost feel the steam subsided inside him as he starts a six-month suspension for cobalt related drug charges.

Queen Elizabeth II talks to trainer Peter Moody and jockey Luke Nolan after victory by Black Caviar in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in England in 2012.

In time he will recommit himself to the industry in some form but after decades of gruelling toil, he is relishing having the flight path of a butterfly and nourishing the bush connections the western Queenslander has always loved.

“I was in Melbourne on Thursday and around 1pm I said to the old woman I am going for a drive for a week or 10 days or a fortnight.

“I got to the stud at 3am and thought ‘I can’t wake any bastard up.’ I actually set the car alarm off by mistake.’’

Peter Moody attends Memsie Stakes Day at Caulfield last year, something that must have felt like a world away on Saturday. Picture: Colleen Petch

After years of going to the races where he had to forensically analyse the performances of his horses Moody relished going to the Weetwood yet not actually seeing a race.

It was the first time I have paid to go to a race meeting in my bloody life — $25 if you don’t mind and I did not see a horse.

Peter Moody

“It was the first time I have paid to go to a race meeting in my bloody life — $25 if you don’t mind and I did not see a horse.

“I rocked up to the Toowoomba races where there was a gathering of folk from western Queensland for one of my mates daughter’s 20th birthday. There was heap of Charleville people there so we sat up the back on the grass at Toowoomba and drank 48 cans.

“By the time we got in front of the grandstand the lights were on but every bastard had gone home.’’

Moody is as cavalier as they come but he admits he was nervous about attending the Easter yearling sales in Sydney wondering how he would be received after previously announcing he was taking a break from the industry.

Peter Moody after copping a six-month suspension for cobalt-related drug charges. Picture: Jay Town

“I feared going there because I was wondering how I would be viewed. But everyone was tremendous. I was welcomed with open arms and got 100 job offers while I was there,” he said.

“I helped a few young trainers out and it was nice not to know I was not putting my farm at risk by spending four or five million like I have over the past 10 years or so then I have to go home and sell them.’’

Moody is open to offers but committed to none.

“There are quite a few irons in the fire. I just don’t want to rush in. I am not going to retire by any means — we are not travelling that well but we are in a fortunate situation where my wife has run a fantastic business.

“I just have to keep the wolf from the door. I have spoken to a few different crews and media outlets and other people about bloodstock work.’’

Peter Moody and the lady who made him a household name, Black Caviar. Picture: Nicole Garmston