TAB Everest Ladies Breakfast: Christine Cook lifts lid on growth in racing
Don’t be fooled by the spectacle of fascinators and florals on show at the events leading up to the Everest. Australian women aren’t merely on the sidelines, they’re very much in the race.
Confidential
Don't miss out on the headlines from Confidential. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Don’t be fooled by the spectacle of fascinators and florals on show at the events leading up to the richest race on turf.
Australian women aren’t merely on the sidelines, they’re very much in the race.
Speaking to 80 women gathered in the Ivy Sunroom for the TAB Everest Ladies Breakfast on Monday morning, Christine Cook was almost brought to tears.
Cook and her husband Frank are among the top 10 owners of race horses in Australia. The number of horses they own is “undisclosed”, but lands somewhere in the triple-digits.
The handful of women involved in racing when Cook started — almost 30 years ago — were referred to as “the handbags”, she said.
“I’m getting upset, but it’s just lovely to see so many women involved in this race industry,” Cook said.
Guests of the celebratory breakfast included Jenni Barnett, Tabcorp chief customer officer; Edwina McCann, editor in chief of Vogue Australia; Emma Freedman, media personality and daughter of horse trainer Lee Freedman; Philippa V’landys, wife of Racing NSW CEO; and Julia Ritchie and Angela Belle McSweeney from the ATC Board.
“When I started out, I was in a brown cardigan and if they were commentating, the guys had their slippers on. Because they were never seen,” Cook continued.
“To see a woman who owned a horse in the book was rare. We went to the social. It was just that.”
Cook joked that half of the attendees weren’t even born when she started out in racing.
“I feel like a grandma. It’s wonderful though, genuinely,” she said with tears in her eyes.
She and Mr. Cook are owners of Lost and Running, TAB’s entrant in the 2022 Everest on Saturday.
The lesson the couple learned early on was this: “It’s better to own 10 per cent of 10 horses, and get 10 chances to get to the races, than it is to own all of one horse and hope that it gets to the races”.
Robbie and Trent swallow our Oscars on the Gold Coast
The TV adaptation of a Queensland-inspired book and a Robbie Williams biopic cleaned up at the Australian version of the Oscars. FULL WINNER’S LIST
Disgraced ex-Nine boss spotted for the first time
Disgraced former Nine news boss Darren Wick has been spotted for the first time since allegations were levelled against him tipped the broadcaster into a scandal and led to a management overhaul.