Racing is today mourning the sudden passing of an industry doyen in Rob Gaylard at age 70.
Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) Chairman Dale Monteith paid tribute to “a close friend”.
“I’ve known Rob for the best part of 30 years and have had the pleasure of working with him at Flemington and in harness racing. Before that I knew him at Caulfield as well. I enjoyed his company. We enjoyed talking about horses and racing and life in general,” Monteith said.
“He’s just a wonderful person to be involved with and we’re so blessed to have had him in harness racing with Channel 31 and the promotion of the sport he provided.”
Gaylard’s genuine love of horses shone through in his various media work. His intimate equine knowledge and passion transcended racing.
“He loved all horse breeds. He and his wife Karen had carriage horses and he’d help prepare them and look after them. In more recent times of course he looked after Chautauqua at his property. He was very passionate about life after racing. He was extremely proud of his daughter (Casey) being involved too and her work in the media,” Monteith said.
CEO Dayle Brown also had a long association with Gaylard dating back to 1996 and his first stint at HRV.
Brown would go on to work closely with Gaylard at Racing Victoria and witnessed firsthand the esteem in which Gaylard was held with young participants.
“Rob and I go back to 1996 when I first started at Harness Racing Victoria. I remember fondly him anchoring the Channel 31 coverage alongside Rob Auber, Bill Hutchison and others. Those are great memories of Rob’s media work.
“I worked more closely with him at RVL when he was there performing media training for the apprentice jockeys,” Brown said.
“He was extremely passionate about that role and the apprentices would hang off every word. For young participants making their way through the industry, Rob was their go-to man.
“He will be very, very sorely missed.”
Gaylard has also conducted media training for HRV participants.
Both Monteith and Brown highlighted Gaylard’s “unassuming” personality.
“He knew everyone in racing by name and always greeted them with a big smile and a handshake. He knew both codes and the people within the codes so well. He didn’t use people. He gave as good as he got in terms of interaction and it was always a pleasure to have a chat with him,” Monteith said.
“We’d often talk in the mounting yard at Flemington. We always had time for one another.”
Just last year Gaylard hosted the Victorian Harness Racing Hall of Fame night and this year’s TAB Summer of Glory at Tabcorp Park Melton.
Tabcorp Park General Manager Gayle Harvey also paid tribute to Gaylard.
“Rob was a lovely man. He often hosted major events here for us and was just a wonderful person to deal with. This is a very sad day and my thoughts are with his family,” Harvey said.
HRV and Tabcorp Park extend deepest sympathies to Gaylard’s wife, Karen, his daughter, Casey, and their family.