DOUG Bougoure, the Queensland trainer who developed Strawberry Road from an immature colt into an international star, has died at the age of 88.
Born in Warwick in 1922, Bougoure moved to Toowoomba as a 15-year-old to become a jockey. He enjoyed considerable success in the saddle, saw overseas service during the War and became one of the best trainers in Queensland.
Bougoure, who died in his sleep on Tuesday night, retired as a trainer in 1998 at age 75. He is survived by wife June, son Danny and daughter Liz Worth and three grandchildren.
One of 10 children, Doug became a leading trainer in Brisbane and was always able to produce a top horse from only a small team.
His best galloper was champion Strawberry Road before he was sold and transferred to Sydney trainer John Nicholls who sent the colt to France to take on the world's best in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Strawberry Road finished a gallant fifth in the Longchamp feature.
He was named the Queensland Horse of the Year for 1982/83, Australian Horse of the Year in 1983, Champion Older Horse in Germany in 1984, represented the United States in the 1984 Japan Cup and later went on to become a successful sire.
Bougoure wasn't just a one-horse trainer and also prepared top galloper Tingo Tango, winner of the 1985 Group One Flight Stakes at Randwick.
He also trained Earlmark, who won the BTC Labour Day Cup, Moreton Handicap and Exhibition Handicaps, Smart Alex (Queensland Cup), Gypsy Rogue (Tourist Minister's Cup) and Full Scope (Meynink Stakes).
Born and raised on a property outside Warwick, Bougoure was apprenticed to his uncle, Bill, in Toowoomba, riding in the era of such greats as Moore, Sellwood and McGrowdie.
When the War arrived, Bougoure joined the 25th Battalion and fought the Japanese at Milne Bay. He subsequently returned to riding but was beaten by weight and in the lat 1950s made a successful transition to trainer.
Despite setbacks severe enough to end the career of most trainers, Bougoure triumphed over adversity. He lived with the legacy of a near fatal kick in the face from an unruly mare in the sixties.
Bougoure suffered horrendous head injuries, but his character, spirit and love for racing remained unchanged. “How I came out of that alive after seven weeks in hospital I’llnever know,” he said.
The recovery might have been slow but the after-effects didn’t handicap his ability to prepare a seemingly endless list of good gallopers.
The highlight of his career came in the early 1980s when he developed an immature colt into an international star.
It all started when Bougoure took over the preparation of a youngster by Whiskey Road from Giftisa. “He was a good-looker but small – 14.2 hands ast most. But he had everything and walked proud. I always give my horses plenty of time and race him only twice as a two-year-old,” Bougoure recalled.
After an amazing win in the rich Queensland Maiden, 1400m, at Eagle Farm in August, 1982, Strawberry Road’s career became a procession. He won the Queensland and AJC Derbies and the Channel 7 Stakes at Doomben in sensational style.
In late 1983 Bougoure headed to Moonee Valley confident that Strawberry Road could join some of the country’s all-time greats as a winner of the prestigious Cox Plate.
“With the race only weeks away he contracted a virus. A fortnight before the race he almost died and the vets said I had no chance of getting him to the post,” Bougoure said.
“But he started to improve dramatically and I decided to gallop him at Moonee “Valley on the Tuesday before the big race. He worked sensationally. That enabled him to pass a vweterinary examination.”
Strawberry Road came out and won the Cox Plate and Mick Dittman told Bougoure the champ had six lengths up his sleeve.
“When they asked me to take him overseas for the Arc (the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe in Paris) I considered going but didn’t want to get involved in all the hype,” Bourgoure said.
A winner of almost $2.3 million ins takes, Strawberry Road ended up at stud in Kentucky and oen os his sons, Fraise, won the Breeders’ Cup at Gulfstream Park from a wold class field comprising two English Derby winners and an Arc winner.
Back home at Hendra a son of the champ, Strawberry Spirit, kept the flag flying for Bougoure. “He was the living image of his father but was never going to be anywhere near as good,” the veteran trainer once said.
Over the years he had some smart horses apart from Strawberry Road. These included AJC Flight Stakes winner Tingo Tango, Gypsy Rogue, Sunset Affair, Earlmark, Get Smart and Swift Fox.
When his training days were nearing an end he passed the reins to son Danny, who proved just as efficient in his own right, preparing the sprint superstar Falvelon, to win successive Doomben 10,000 and raced with international success in Hong Kong.
BEST HORSES TRAINED BY DOUG BOUGOURE
Strawberry Road (Cox Plate, AJC Derby, Rosehill Guineas, QTC Derby, Freeway Stakes, Centennial Stakes, Channel 7 Quality)
Tingo Tango (Flight Stakes, Reginald Allen Stakes, Furious Stakes)
Earlmark (BTC Labour Day Cup, Moreton Handicap, Exhibition Handicap)
Smart Alex (Queensland Cup)
Gypsy Rogue (Tourist Minister's Cup, Williams Quality, Goldmarket)
Full Scope (Meynink Stakes)
Magres (Moreton Handicap)
Morning Joy (QLD Oaks lost on protest)
