Comeback jockey Montana Philpot is constantly reminded of the infamous Fine Cotton affair through her father, Gus Philpot
It’s been 41 years since the infamous Fine Cotton affair and while the daughter of the jockey who rode the ring-in horse is often reminded of the racing industry’s most notorious scandal, she wouldn’t have it any other way.
Horse Racing
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News.
It’s been 41 years since the infamous Fine Cotton affair and the daughter of the jockey who rode the ring-in horse is often reminded of the racing industry’s most notorious scandal.
Not that she minds.
Sunshine Coast apprentice Montana Philpot was not even close to being born when her dad Gus rode the late Hayden Haitana-trained Fine Cotton to victory at a Saturday race at Eagle Farm in August 1984.
The only problem was the horse wasn’t actually Fine Cotton – it was the much better credentialed Bold Personality, who had been spray-painted in the backyard of a Brisbane home in a farcical attempt to pull off the biggest betting scandal in Australian racing history.
• PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet’s team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW!
Fine Cotton was sensationally backed from 33-1 into 7-2 but minutes after crossing the winning post, stewards questioned then 18-year-old Gus Philpot – who was innocent and had no knowledge of the scandal – about how he had been given the ride.
He later spent weeks in the Supreme Court as a Crown witness and while chief stewards and investigators cleared Philpot, mud sticks. It ruined his racing career in Queensland and he was forced to move to Sydney.
• RICHARD CALLANDER: Cop a tip, punters are allowed to have an opinion!
Philpot later became a horsebreaker and trainer, working in Japan, Cairns and Bendigo before eventually settling on the Sunshine Coast.
“It gets brought up a fair bit actually,” Montana said of the Fine Cotton scandal.
“I still run into people at the races that I’ve never met but they know who I am or as soon as they hear the name they’re like ‘on my god Gus Philpot’ or ‘I was there on the day’. You hear some amazing stories.”
The injury-plagued Montana, who made a successful comeback to racing this month after giving birth to a baby boy, Noah, said her family – in particular her late mum Donna – had done an incredible job to turn the scandal that rocked Australian racing into a positive.
• Harley wants to savour same dream as Melbourne Cup champ
“It was an amazing part of history,” said Montana, who rides mainly for Sunshine Coast trainer Stuart Kendrick.
“It was a rough time for Dad as an 18-year-old apprentice.
“It definitely had an impact on his career and his training career later on in life but Mum did a really good job of turning it into a positive thing.
“She used to make all these really gorgeous memorial photo frames with old newspaper clippings, the racebook and photos.
“Dad would sign them and they would donate them to charities to auction off.”
Donna died tragically in a racing accident during a trial at Bendigo in 2017 at age 48.
Thankfully Gus, who recently had elbow surgery, still lives close by and will babysit nine-month-old Noah when Montana is out riding trackwork or on racedays.
• Gold Coast track ‘performing its socks off’: Lines
Kendrick said Montana had a “great attitude and good work ethic”, traits that she had drawn upon in the face of adversity.
She suffered a horrific fall at the Sunshine Coast in April 2022 when the horse she was riding “had a brain fart, tried to go through the outside fence and slipped on top of me”.
“I had four breaks in my pelvis, broke both collarbones, broke a rib and my neck and had a collapsed lung,” she recalled.
When she returned to racing six months later, Philpot lasted just two weeks before breaking a collarbone in a trackwork tumble.
She was meant to graduate from her apprenticeship on February 12 this year but was granted a 35-month extension.
In six rides since her return on the Sunshine Coast this month, she has been runner-up three times and won on Kendrick’s King Spirit last Saturday at the Gold Coast.
“I’ve never had a chip on my shoulder,” Philpot said of the obstacles she’d had to overcome.
“I’ve always had a lot of support and great people around me.
“Regardless of what’s happened to me throughout my career, I’ve just always had a strong love and passion for the horses.
“Dad has always kept my head on straight and made sure I was clear in thought.”
Originally published as Comeback jockey Montana Philpot is constantly reminded of the infamous Fine Cotton affair through her father, Gus Philpot
EXCLUSIVE: Endresz ban reversed as Blood owners seek injunction
Victorian stewards have allowed colourful owner Allan Endresz to race horses again, as a separate court injunction bid kicked off in Queensland over star racehorse Alligator Blood.
Currie has faith Ndola can shine in Guineas
Jockey Luke Currie was eager to stick with Ndola after his debut win and that faith could be rewarded with success in the Group 1 Australian Guineas on Saturday.