Pat Farrel R I P

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   Racing in NSW today has lost one of its truly iconic characters with the passing of the legendary Muswellbrook based trainer Pat Farrell.
Pat started training career when he was 21 and along with his late  brother Frank conducted one of the most successful country based training operations ever in the history of country NSW racing. 
At its height the stable boasted around 100 horses in work with almost every major owner, administrator and stud in the Hunter Valley listed as stable supporters. 
Pat had his final runner as a trainer  in September 2024. His final winner as a trainer was Pee Dee at Taree in April 2024. Whilst not actively training Pat has continued in the game as an owner having runners as recently as this weeks Muswellbrook meeting.
During his peak times, Farrell won eight-straight Newcastle premierships and saddled up Food For Love to finish second in the 1981 Golden Slipper.
He also trained many good horses like Victory Yacht and Proud Knight which won a San Domenico Stakes and a Challenge Stakes.
Current records indicate that Pat prepared 920 winners but in reality it it would be many more because in all honesty the records in the early part of his career are pretty sketchy.
His record on the racetrack speaks for itself but Pat's ability to educate and prepare a racehorse finished a very poor second to his ability to educate and prepare a man.
Whilst the exploits of the late Theo Green as a trainer of jockeys and men are well documented, Pat Farrell had an enviable record of producing fine jockeys from his Muswellbrook stable.
We all know Wayne Harris, Darryl McLellan, Neil Rae, Paul Sylvester, and Danny Duggan all premiership winners to name just a few. However that was not where his skill set stopped there were many many others who essentially found their way to Pat Farrell once they had been well and truly positioned on the racing scrap heap. 
In my time in charge of licensing in the Hunter Valley I lost count of the number of kids I sent to Pat as their last chance saloon. 
Was it a tough school... bloody oath it was, but not one of those kids left there worse for the life experience. Even more importantly many became very valuable contributors to the racing industry whilst under his care and after they left.
Pat was a wonderful judge of a horse  I remember watching him position himself at the end of the sale ring entrance at the old White Park Scone Sale ring. 
Pat would inspect every yearling as it walked directly towards him , than scan them closely as they stood waiting to enter the salering. Always with a keen eye for a bargain he would buy as many as he thought were value and on plenty of days that might mean a truck load.
Records show Pat has owned almost 400 horses a pretty fair contribution to our game but those records start around 1990 the true number would in my view be well in excess of 1000. 
Do not get me wrong Pat was a tough hard man, he once said of me that I was a c**t but at least I was a c**t to everyone. I guess is everyone is wrong once. 
If as an official you made a call Pat did not like he did not hide or go into his shell he told you like a man. 
If he intended to take his complaint further again there was no hiding he told you in advance he would be making a complaint.
He made few about me in my time I guess he won some and I won some but in the end it did not matter because by the next meeting you attended nothing had changed no petty problems the issue was over... forgotten.... lets move on.
There will never be another Pat Farrell for a multitude of reasons. As Pat would often say when we spoke "we have seen the best of it"
I am honoured to call Pat Farrell a friend. The things he did for Racing people quietly in the background to help when they were in need would count well into the hundreds chances are you might have been one to benefit and you would never even know.
It is fair to say Pat has had a few health issues over the years every time we spoke I urged him to look after himself.. he always said he was, but we both knew that was fib. 
In the end it did not matter .... it was never going to matter ...Pat was going to do it his way.
RIP Pat Farrell a legend as a trainer but a much bigger legend of a man ... you will be missed and missed badly but you will never be forgotten and neither you should be.  

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acacia alba Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Champion Joined: 31 Oct 2010 Location: Hunter Valley Status: Offline Points: 46758	Post Options Post Reply Quote acacia alba Report Post Thanks(1) Quote Reply Topic: Pat Farrel R I P Posted: 09 Nov 2025 at 6:10pm
	Racing in NSW today has lost one of its truly iconic characters with the passing of the legendary Muswellbrook based trainer Pat Farrell. Pat started training career when he was 21 and along with his late brother Frank conducted one of the most successful country based training operations ever in the history of country NSW racing. At its height the stable boasted around 100 horses in work with almost every major owner, administrator and stud in the Hunter Valley listed as stable supporters. Pat had his final runner as a trainer in September 2024. His final winner as a trainer was Pee Dee at Taree in April 2024. Whilst not actively training Pat has continued in the game as an owner having runners as recently as this weeks Muswellbrook meeting. During his peak times, Farrell won eight-straight Newcastle premierships and saddled up Food For Love to finish second in the 1981 Golden Slipper. He also trained many good horses like Victory Yacht and Proud Knight which won a San Domenico Stakes and a Challenge Stakes. Current records indicate that Pat prepared 920 winners but in reality it it would be many more because in all honesty the records in the early part of his career are pretty sketchy. His record on the racetrack speaks for itself but Pat's ability to educate and prepare a racehorse finished a very poor second to his ability to educate and prepare a man. Whilst the exploits of the late Theo Green as a trainer of jockeys and men are well documented, Pat Farrell had an enviable record of producing fine jockeys from his Muswellbrook stable. We all know Wayne Harris, Darryl McLellan, Neil Rae, Paul Sylvester, and Danny Duggan all premiership winners to name just a few. However that was not where his skill set stopped there were many many others who essentially found their way to Pat Farrell once they had been well and truly positioned on the racing scrap heap. In my time in charge of licensing in the Hunter Valley I lost count of the number of kids I sent to Pat as their last chance saloon. Was it a tough school... bloody oath it was, but not one of those kids left there worse for the life experience. Even more importantly many became very valuable contributors to the racing industry whilst under his care and after they left. Pat was a wonderful judge of a horse I remember watching him position himself at the end of the sale ring entrance at the old White Park Scone Sale ring. Pat would inspect every yearling as it walked directly towards him , than scan them closely as they stood waiting to enter the salering. Always with a keen eye for a bargain he would buy as many as he thought were value and on plenty of days that might mean a truck load. Records show Pat has owned almost 400 horses a pretty fair contribution to our game but those records start around 1990 the true number would in my view be well in excess of 1000. Do not get me wrong Pat was a tough hard man, he once said of me that I was a ct but at least I was a ct to everyone. I guess is everyone is wrong once. If as an official you made a call Pat did not like he did not hide or go into his shell he told you like a man. If he intended to take his complaint further again there was no hiding he told you in advance he would be making a complaint. He made few about me in my time I guess he won some and I won some but in the end it did not matter because by the next meeting you attended nothing had changed no petty problems the issue was over... forgotten.... lets move on. There will never be another Pat Farrell for a multitude of reasons. As Pat would often say when we spoke "we have seen the best of it" I am honoured to call Pat Farrell a friend. The things he did for Racing people quietly in the background to help when they were in need would count well into the hundreds chances are you might have been one to benefit and you would never even know. It is fair to say Pat has had a few health issues over the years every time we spoke I urged him to look after himself.. he always said he was, but we both knew that was fib. In the end it did not matter .... it was never going to matter ...Pat was going to do it his way. RIP Pat Farrell a legend as a trainer but a much bigger legend of a man ... you will be missed and missed badly but you will never be forgotten and neither you should be.
	animals before people.

acacia alba Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Champion Joined: 31 Oct 2010 Location: Hunter Valley Status: Offline Points: 46758	Post Options Post Reply Quote acacia alba Report Post Thanks(1) Quote Reply Posted: 09 Nov 2025 at 6:14pm
	This above from Michael Beattie
	animals before people.

acacia alba Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Champion Joined: 31 Oct 2010 Location: Hunter Valley Status: Offline Points: 46758	Post Options Post Reply Quote acacia alba Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 12 Nov 2025 at 6:46pm
	Pat Farrell – racehorse trainer and raconteur, always insightful, often irreverent. Farrell was all those things and more. At once a complex character but also remarkably candid and sincere. A jockey told me the story of when she was an apprentice and having her first ride for Farrell on a 50/1 shot at his home track of Muswellbrook. "If you don't win on this horse you will never ride for me again,'' Farrell said to the startled teenage jockey. The horse ran closer to last than first and the inexperienced young rider feared what the trainer would say when she came back in after the race. "You rode a good race, well done,'' Farrell said. The young apprentice soon realised this was Farrell's way. She rode many more times for the trainer and they combined for a few winners, too. You see, if you didn't know Pat Farrell, you wouldn't know how to take him. But if you knew Pat Farrell, then it was a laugh a minute. He didn't take life too seriously and was always quick with the one-liners but he was an outstanding horseman. Pat Farrell passed away over the weekend. He was 83. Farrell was a champion trainer, an eight-time Newcastle premiership winner, and prepared among others Food For Love who ran second in the 1981 Golden Slipper behind Full On Aces, and Proud Knight, winner of the San Domenico Stakes and Challenge Stakes. During the peak of his training career, Farrell had around 100 horses in work and was arguably the biggest and most successful country-based trainer in NSW. Farrell scaled back his training business over the past decade or so and had his final runner in September last year. But he was more than just a racehorse trainer. He was an outstanding mentor to apprentice riders including the great jockey Wayne Harris, winner of the 1979 Golden Slipper on Century Miss and the 1994 Melbourne Cup on Jeune. This writer was on the selection panel that inducted Farrell into the Newcastle and Hunter Racing Hall of Fame in 2021. When I went to congratulate him, the champion trainer said: "Why did it take you so long to put me in?" We both laughed then tears began to well in Farrell's eyes. "This is such a great honour, I honestly don't know what to say but thank you,'' he said. Thank you for the memories Pat Farrell. Champion trainer and champion bloke.
	animals before people.