ASK anyone in the local horse racing fraternity about Ray “Nugget” Wheatley and they will have a yarn to tell about the man.
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For the past 45 years, Wheatley has dedicated his life to training horses in the Bega Valley Shire and across the state.
The results have justified his dedication to the sport, with various Bega Cup wins and other major victories.
It’s obvious when you meet Wheatley that horse racing is in his blood.
Step into his home and you will most likely find the 66-year-old watching one of the racing channels on television.
Born into a family obsessed with the horse culture, Wheatley said he rode up until he gained a training licence at the age of 21 in 1964.
“I guess I’ve always been interested in horses,” he said.
“I’ve grown up in a racing world and it all started because I love the sport.”
Wheatley’s wife Shirley said that her husband’s nickname stems from his early days as a jockey.
“He was small and nuggetty when he was jockey but funnily enough, he eventually had to quit because he got too tall,” she said.
“Everyone knows him as Nugget, even Johnny Tapp (the famous race caller) referred to him as Nugget when he was broadcasting.”
Wheatley’s father, George, was also a prominent horse trainer in the local area.
In his early days, George secured a win at the Bega Cup, a feat that his son has been able to repeat on four occasions.
Nugget’s first win came in 1986 and he repeated it the following year.
The trainer also had success at the cup in 1998 and in 2000, his horse Angry Jat created history by winning the first Bega Cup held at the Sapphire Coast Turf Club after the relocation from the old Bega Racecourse.
On a number of occasions, Wheatley’s horses finished second or third which highlights his consistency in the Cup.
Wheatley said his best win was in 1987 with Bungarby, who was born and bred in the local area.
Other major wins include the Bombala Cup, Nowra Cup, Moruya Cup, Queanbeyan Cup and Narooma Cup.
Wheatley said his inspiration for horse training for more than 40 years has been the horse owners.
“I guess I get inspired by good, loyal owners,” he said.
“I’ve been a bit selective in who I choose to train for.”
Shirley said she married into horse racing.
“I never really followed it but I couldn’t fight against it when I married Nugget,” she said.
“But now I love it and love our horses.”
Shirley said that when her husband suffered a stroke recently, the support from well-wishers was unbelievable.
“When he had a stroke recently, he received calls of sympathy from everywhere,” she said.
“And it wasn’t just people from the local area, but across NSW.
“I didn’t even know a lot of the people who called so it shows how popular he is.”
Wheatley is still heavily involved with the Sapphire Coast Turf Club, despite not being a member.
He will again have a horse competing in the Bega Cup meeting on Sunday, with Duel Academy running in the 1400m event.
“I would say that he rates a chance to win on Sunday,” he said.
Wheatley said that he has never gambled on an event because he just loves horses and racing.
“It’s just a part of my life, always has been,” he said.
“Horse racing is my main interest in life.”
