Racing world rocked by sudden death of ‘legendary' trainer
Tributes poured in on Sunday after it emerged Laing had died in his sleep overnight.
The veteran, aged in his 60s, had fought back from bankruptcy and a ban to return to top competition in recent years.
Laing's El Soleado, ridden by apprentice Sheridan Clarke and carrying 64.5kg, finished second in the last race at Flemington on Saturday.
The horse was a winner at Bendigo in April last year — a spirit-boosting win for Laing, who watched from hospital with a leg injury — and has recently bounced back from throat surgery.
Laing famously trained Roman Arch, ridden by Craig Newitt, to an upset win in the 2006 Australian Cup at Flemington.
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Seven years later Hugh Bowman rode Laing's $4000 yearlings purchase Polanski to victory in the 2013 Victoria Derby.
'My life in racing's been fantastic, really,' Laing said in a Channel 7 feature in early 2024.
'It's had its highs and lows, but if you're not prepared to suffer the lows, you're in the wrong caper.
'I don't like failure. Generally whatever I set myself to do, I've done it.
'As a kid I wanted to win the league's best and fairest and I did that. I wanted to be captain of the footy team and I did that.
'I became apprentice in 1974 at the age of 15. I think I rode OK but I got heavy very quick. At the age of 23 I trained my first Group 1 winner Perfect Bliss.
'The Group 1s for me are extra special.'
Away from the racetrack, his daughter Grace finished third on The Voice Kids in 2014 while his children were enrolled at Haileybury College in Melbourne.
But it all went downhill in 2017 with some of his stable stalwarts leaving his yard, including the loss of fan favourite So Si Bon after he was banned from racing for grabbing The Taj Mahal by the leg in a race.
'The owners decided to give him to someone else, meaning he left the stable. Miss Rock was close to retirement, and she'd won $1.3 million,' Laing recalled.
'Lord Of The Sky won The Standish in early 2018, but he was coming up to an eight-year-old, so the team looked like it was going to be fairly light on.
'The girls were still going to Haileybury. We had a farm to pay off, and there was just so much.
'The stables on course were costing $4000 a week, the rental on our property was $1500 a week and then feed and staff and next thing, we ran out of money. So, the wife and the three kids, they took off.
'I had all the motor vehicles repossessed, lost the farm, smashed my hip in, had to have a brand new hip operation and was declared bankrupt. November 30th, 2019, I had to hand my licence in due to bankruptcy.'
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Laing's appeal to regain his licence, scheduled for early 2020, was delayed for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, he was forced to stay on the sidelines during that time.
'Luckily, my parents are still fit and healthy. I've got a little bedroom at their place. Rick Smith from PFD Foods gifted me a Holden ute, and that's all I've got at the moment,' he said
'I think it was going to be horses or the dole.'
On Sunday, former jockey turned trainer Gavin Bedggood remembered Laing as 'far from conventional but a man who was very good to me'.
'Gave me my first horse as a trainer, many winners as a rider and plenty of advice over the years. Was never given the credit he deserved as a trainer — always had a good two-year-old, handicapper and jumper. Rest easy,' he wrote.
Samuel Hyland said: 'Very sorry to hear of the passing of Robbie Laing, always loved riding for Laing. His horses were always tough and fit, he was a great character, an outstanding horseman as well as trainer, thoughts are with Eddie and Sylvia Laing and the Laing Family.'
Bryan Martin said: 'The saddest news with the passing overnight of Robbie Laing. Outstanding horseman and always good fun to be around. Amazing mind on pedigrees. Rob could train, young ones, top liners and the jumpers. Very sadly missed Robbie Laing. Prayers with his extended family.'
Journalist Bruce Clark wrote: 'Thoughts to the extensive family and many friends of legendary horseman Robbie Laing on hearing his sudden passing.'
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