The Queensland racing industry is in mourning following the death of one of its former great trainers, Doug Bougoure.
Bougoure, 88, died in his sleep on Tuesday.
He was born on October 24, 1922 in Warwick in southeast Queensland and moved to Toowoomba as a 15-year-old to become a jockey.
As a rider, Bougoure enjoyed great success in the late 1940s with star galloper Sefiona.
During the war years, Doug joined his brother’s regiment in the Australian Army and served in New Guinea in 1941.
He married local girl June Wildermuth in 1952 and had two children, Danny and Elizabeth.
Danny Bougoure also became a successful trainer, winning successive Group One Doomben 10,000s with star sprinter Falvelon in 2001/02.
One of 10 children, Doug Bougoure 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).
Bougoure, who retired as a trainer in 1998 at age 75, is survived by June, son Danny and daughter Liz Worth and three grandchildren.
Funeral arrangements are yet to be finalised.
AAP TURF
