Phillips' contribution to racing in central Southland is immense

"I reckon I was 25 when I went onto the committee and I'm coming 67 . . . it's been a while."

John Phillips has been awarded a life membership by the Winton Jockey Club. Photo: JAMIE SEARLE

• Jamie Searle is a long-time Southland racing writer. For more of his work head to the Southland Thoroughbreds Facebook page.

The Winton Jockey Club celebrates 150 years of racing next month and in the build up to the big occasion, one of its committeemen, John Phillips, has been awarded life membership for nearly 42 years' service.

"It's nice to be recognised for the work you do," he said.

Two terms as president is another part of his contribution to the WJC, which is Southland's oldest racing club.

"I reckon I was 25 when I went onto the committee and I'm coming 67 . . . it's been a while," Phillips said.

"We had some strong committees in those early days with Henry Ruddenklau, Blair Vickery, John Kincaid, Doug McCrostie, Bill Brown and others  [being on them] . . . they were top guys and got listened to."

Henry Ruddenklau, left, and Blair Vickery were on the Winton Jockey Club's committee with John Phillips.

Phillips remembers former top North Island jockey Dave Peake riding at WJC's May meetings at Ascot Park in the late 1970s and early 1980s. On those trips to Southland Peake used to go duck shooting with Ruddenklau...  

Race fields were drawn up by clubs when Phillips started on the committee. Now it is done by the sport's governing body, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing.

Phillips clearly remembers the days of being in the office of club secretary Bert Lilico, in the main street of Winton, with other WJC officials organising fields.

John Phillips, left, who recently became a life member of the Winton Jockey Club, and son Shane with Midnight Runner at a Christchurch race meeting in June.Phillips has trained at Winton for four decades and won the Winton Cup twice with King Prawn (2013) and Jack Daniels (1997). Photo: AJAY BERRY (RACE IMAGES).

Other winners from his stable include Madam De Soir (Dunedin Cup), First Look (Winter Cup), Ocean Guard, Shorty Bijou (nine wins), Cooper's Creek, Channel Road (seven flat wins. four hurdle wins) and Law Cadet (six jumping wins).

Midnight Runner and Tiger Fire are among his winners in recent years.

Phillips and wife Kerry trained in partnership when they won four races at the WJC's meeting at Winton on May 1, 1995. The winners and their riders in brackets were: Channel Road (Leda Beck), Twinkle Toes (Raymond Bruce), Gunther (Terry Kennedy) and Cenitate (Debbie Kennedy).