Chris Munce not afraid of mixing it with the best in the majors one day

NEWLY minted Queensland Hall Of Famer Chris Munce won’t rule out one day moving to Melbourne to have a crack at some of the races he conquered as a jockey.

Brisbane horse trainer and former jockey Chris Munce hasn’t ruled out heading south again. Picture: Peter Wallis

NEWLY minted Queensland Hall Of Famer Chris Munce won’t rule out one day moving to Melbourne to have a crack at some of the races he conquered as a jockey.

While trainer Munce is happy in the Sunshine State for the foreseeable future, he dreams of one day having a team of horses to take on spring majors.

Munce is a proud Queenslander but is arguably even more recognisable in Melbourne where as a jockey he won Melbourne and Caulfield Cups and the Cox Plate.

Sydney, where Munce won plenty of majors as a jockey including the Doncaster and two Golden Slippers, could be another option.

“I am a big believer in the saying you have to learn to crawl before you can walk, and I am happy learning my trade as a trainer in Queensland,” Munce said.

“But I would never say never if there was an opportunity to perhaps move to Melbourne one day. As a trainer you want to have horses who are competitive in Group 1 races, and Melbourne is where the biggest Group 1 races are.

Chris Munce says he is “learning something about training every day”. Picture: Peter Wallis

“It (a potential interstate move) is not something that is going to happen in the next 12 months, but it is certainly something that could happen in the future.”

Munce was delighted last weekend when he received the fitting honour of being inducted into the Queensland Hall Of Fame.

New to the training ranks, Munce met his own expectations last season when he trained 31 winners.

He has about 40 horses in work and has now set his sights set on improving the quality of his stable.

A newcomer to the training ranks, Chris Munce met his own expectations last season when he trained 31 winners. Picture: Peter Wallis

“The next thing I want to do is to buy better quality yearlings, so I will be a bit more selective at the Sales,” Munce said.

“I may not buy as many yearlings at the Sales but the ones I will buy will hopefully be better ones.

“I currently have pretty close to the number of horses I need to fill my boxes when we move into the new Eagle Farm training complex at the end of the year.

“I am sure things will improve next year for me too, because at the moment I have had a few logistical hassles from maintaining two separate stables (Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast).

“When all of my horses move under the one roof at Eagle Farm later in the year, things should be able to tick along even better.”

In terms of the future make-up of his stable, Munce doesn’t want to be a one-trick pony.

“I want a wide variety of horses, I don’t just want sprinters or stayers, I want a good mix,” Munce said.

“I am learning something about training every day and really looking forward to the future.”

Originally published as Chris Munce not afraid of mixing it with the best in the majors one day