South Australian racing was saddened last week with the passing of highly respected Strathalbyn horseman Brian Mueller, 87.
Mueller (pictured winning the 2016 Balaklava Cup with jockey Jason Holder) enjoyed plenty of success through his lengthy training career which started in SA before he spent time in Western Australia winning a Karrakatta Plate at Ascot, before returning to SA and calling Strathalbyn home.
Mueller enjoyed success with the likes of Little Akie who won the 2016 Balaklava Cup, his best horse of the modern era was arguably Just Sybil who won a Wylie Stakes in 2011, was runner-up in a Durbridge Stakes and City Of Marion Stakes winning more than $415,000 from her 49 starts.
Leading local jockey Justin Potter had a long successful association with Mueller, who trained more than 500 winners, which started when he was his apprentice.
“He was a great man,’’ Potter said.
“He took me on as a mature age apprentice and I did the whole four years with Brian.
“We had a lot of success together, he was a very good trainer,’’ he said.
Potter said Mueller had the unique ability to turn his horse out ready to win no matter how they looked which often caught punters, form experts and bookmakers off guard.
“Sometimes you’d look at his horses and think that thing can’t win, it’s fat as mud,’’ Potter said.
“But he was so good at getting horses right to win at 1000m on so many occasions.
“I remember one day we had a horse win at Gawler and ‘Boss’ said we’ll take her to town next start.
“In the parade ring that day one of the mounting yard experts described her as the worst looking horse in the yard, she was hairy, carrying plenty of condition but ended up winning by four lengths, he just knew his horses and what they could do better than most,’’ he said.
Mueller’s funeral will be held at 2pm on Monday 25 July 2022 at the Strathalbyn Racing Club. For further enquiries, please contact the Strathalbyn Racing Club.
IMAGE: ATKINS PHOTOGRAPHY
