Born on the Mornington peninsula Gavins career started off through pony club from the age of 10 before gaining a job working weekends and school holidays for Robbie Griffiths. after 12 months he left school and moved in with Robbie and his family to become an apprentice jockey this was short lived through his love of food. He stayed on with Robbie for another 2 years taking in as much as he could and learning as much as possible. At the age of 17 Gavin went back to school and completed his VCE whilst riding work at Mornington racecourse for the likes of Peter Healy, David Briadoke, Ken Newman and David Racovolis. At the completion of school Gavin rode on the picnic circuit for 2 seasons riding 35 winners, winning the majority of the picnic cups and gaining invaluable experience.
In 2005 Gavin took out his jumps jockey license where he rode successfully for 12 years winning many feature races including the Warrnambool grand annual and briefly steeplechase at the famed may carnival, the von doussa steeplechase at the Oakbank Easter carnival, 3 Australian steeplechase’s and a host of others. He also represented his country here and in Ireland on a number of occasions where he was lucky enough to ride a winner in Ireland in 2007.
During his career Gavin struck up a good relationship with Robbie Laing who he rode the bulk of his winners for and worked closely with for over 10 years riding trackwork, travelling horses interstate, and representing the stable on Raceday. With a desire to always train Gavin obtained his license in October 2017 and was granted permission to train from Cranbourne training complex. His stables are a 5 minute walk from the course where we are lucky enough to have access to Paddock’s and day yards where all horses especially older tried horses that may have lost their way in the metropolitan environment seem to thrive.
Gavin’s philosophy is happy and sound horses when placed right will win races and our aim is to travel far and wide if need be to give your horse every chance to win races and get a return for
