(b. 1938) | Inducted in 2021
Image: Vince Caligiuri/The Age
About
Les Bridge has trained horses from his Sydney stables for more than 60 years, registering many major victories including the 2020 edition of Australia’s richest race, The Everest. Other notable wins came courtesy of Sir Dapper in the 1983 Golden Slipper Stakes, Kensei in the 1987 Melbourne Cup and Hot Danish in both the All-Aged Stakes and the 2010 Doomben 10,000. Purchased by Bridge – at the urgings of wife Peggy – for just $32,000, popular mare Hot Danish went on to amass career prizemoney of $2,333,630. Apprenticed as a jockey in 1953, Bridge took over the stables of his master J.W. “Clyde” Cook and trained his first winner in 1961. Throughout his long career, he has earned the respect of colleagues as a horseman and mentor of apprentice jockeys.
Major Wins