Peter Hinds remembered as a man of many talents

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Peter Arthur Hinds

Born: Goondiwindi 25.1.1934

Died: Brisbane 7.7.2021

By Paul Dolan

WE have all heard of someone being described as a ‘jack of all trades’. It is sometimes added that the person is also a ‘master of none’.

The ‘jack of all trades’ certainly applied to Peter Hinds, who passed away last month, aged 87. But he was also the master of plenty of things.

How about greyhound owner, breeder and trainer, cane cutter, wool shearer and classer, fleet of foot A grade rugby league winger in the Wide Bay competition, and boxer. The list goes on.

Hinds was born in Goondiwindi on January 25, 1934. He lived in that area and nearby Moree before moving to Queensland around 1972. Winners were plentiful, even with a small team.

An early star was Select Prince, who raced particularly well on a quick backup. On May 10, 1973, the son of Mister Moss and Select Lady won at the Gabba in 33.94 for the 558m course. Four nights later Select Prince won over the same course by 14 lengths in 33.47.  Wanarena was another good winner for Hinds in the late 1970s, being particularly suited in races around 600 metres.

Hinds lived in the north Brisbane suburb of Kallangur, not far from the former Lawnton track. It was there that he met trainer Jeff Ahern and it became a friendship of nearly 50 years.

“Peter was a big influence to me when I started training and was like having a second father,” Ahern said.

In the early 1990s, Hinds asked Ahern to train a bitch named Don’t Cry. The success was amazing.

“She was a dyed-in-the-wool stayer and there was a 750 metres race at Moree. Peter asked me if we could start the bitch there, which we did. She romped home, they put up a margin of 11 lengths but it looked more like 50 lengths to me. The time of 45.23 was a track record,’’ Ahern recalled.

Don’t Cry won the 1992 Queensland Staying Championship over 802 metres at the famous Beenleigh June carnival in record time. And she won the prestigious Gabba Marathon over 895 metres, lowering the record of 53.48 which top NSW stayer Little Vogue held for 14 years. Don’t Cry ran 53.42 or one length quicker.

“Each of those three track records of Don’t Cry will stand forever. They don’t run races over 750 metres at Moree any more and the Gabba and Beenleigh are closed,’’ Ahern said.

Hinds assisted with the operation of the Lawnton straight track. And he gave of his time to help run the Friday night barbecue at the Albion Park trials which was put on by the GBOTA for the benefit of licencees. He served on the GBOTA as vice president.

Hinds was father to William, Peter, Kerry and Robyn. His partner Phyllis pre-deceased him.

You could describe the thorough gentleman as ‘an unsung hero’. But please, Don’t Cry!

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