Thoroughbred Associate Nominee: Max Simmonds
11 November, 2016
Hall of Fame
In a contemporary world where people often complain of being time-poor, Max Simmonds is something of an enigma.
Simmonds lived a busy life but he had time and loved a joke or a quick hello and conversation. He was generous with his time for people and would make them feel at ease.
Simmonds was endeared – not only by the racing fraternity – but by all of those he met.
Click here to vote for Max Simmonds in the WA Racing Hall of Fame People’s Choice Competition!
It was essentially his quintessential nature and strong appetite for work that endowed Simmonds above others and saw him bestowed with life memberships not only in racing but in other sporting arenas.
Simmonds was made a life member of the Broome Turf Club, Port Hedland Turf Club and Nor-West Jockey Club. He also was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the WA Racehorse Owners Association in 2008 for his record breaking 42 consecutive Perth Cup calls.
He was recognised in 1985 by the WA Turf Club for his achievements as Racing’s Personality of the year.
He called 43 consecutive Broome Cups, 33 Port Hedland Cups, 23 Wittenoon Cups, 22 Roebourne Cups, 10 Newman Cups, eight Derby Cups, four Kunnunarra Cups, four Landor Cups and Cups at Exmouth and Wyndham.
He was made a lifetime member of the Midland-Guildford Cricket Club and Midland Football Club for his administrative roles.
Simmonds was known as the accurate one in WA for his uncanny ability to pick the winners before the winning post and to select the winner in blanket finishes.
The ever-modest Simmonds, put down this ability to select the winner in a tight finish to a wire, which stretched from his broadcast box window to the winning post.
Simmonds’ dulcet tone and his accuracy for the horses’ positions, during his calling of a race, were admired by punters.
He never missed a race meeting in 50 years of calling through illness.
During the 1960s, 70s and 80s Simmonds gave his review of the Saturday races at Belmont Park and Ascot in prime time on the ABC’s Today’s Racing at 7.15pm.
Upon his retirement after calling his 42nd Perth Cup in 2003, Simmonds continued his involvement in racing as the caller of trials at Lark Hill and outer-country tracks like Broome and as assistance judge at provincial meetings to Daryl Dall. A task he had done for several years before his retirement.
Simmonds called his first race in 1954 after being the understudy to Keith Gollan and his first Perth Cup in 1961.
Through the ABC radio, his accurate race descriptions, were heard by punters in the city and in regional WA.
When the ABC dropped its race day broadcasts in the 1990’s, Simmonds stayed as the principle oncourse broadcaster.
Simmonds tireless voluntary work for outer country clubs is unlikely ever to be equalled.
For 35 years Simmonds took WA racing tours to overseas destinations such to Singapore, Japan, Malaysia and New Zealand, and he worked hard to promote racing, both domestically and internationally.
He worked in the editorial media as a sub-editor for general news and racing writer for the now defunct Sunday Independent
His work to record the margins of unplaced gallopers in Sports Action’s form guide was picked up by racing publications around the world. Before then the margins back to unplaced horses were not recorded.
He owned racehorses and was a punter, but gave up the punt because it was costing him more than he was earning to go to the races.
He raced 11 horses in partnership and bought his first horse Lucretia’s Lad in 1983. Another purchase Rindless won 16 races.
Simmonds was prevented from calling the Broome round last year because of illness. He died later that year.
WA Racing Hall of Fame – People’s Choice
You and four friends could win a night at the 2017 WA Racing Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony!
Simply vote for who you think deserves to be inducted into the WA Racing Hall of Fame!
Make your vote count, as the Nominee with the most votes from the public will win the 2017 WA Racing Hall of Fame People’s Choice Award!
Vote here