(1907 - 1990) - Inducted in 2007
Fred Best began his racing career as an amateur rider, and then trainer, in the Townsville area. He and jockey Neville Sellwood proved a formidable local team. Shortly after the war Best moved to Brisbane and was granted a trainer's licence in 1953. His first really good horse was Fort William which won two races in Sydney in the early 1950s and gave his training career a taste of successes to come. In 1956 he trained Book Link, owned by his wife, to win the Queensland Guineas and Derby, and then the Doomben Cup two years later. Other outstanding horses trained by Best were Bengalla Lad (Doomben 10,000 and two Doomben Newmarkets), Prince Medes (Stradbroke Handicap and AJC Cumberland Stakes) and Urgona (QTC Oaks). Best retired in the 1980s, having been in the top 10 of Brisbane trainers on 29 occasions and having won the premiership 17 times. Best was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007.
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Induction into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame is the industry's highest accolade.
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