MARGARET Quinton, the wife of trainer and former jockey Ron Quinton, died suddenly on Monday from a heart attack. The Quintons were highly regarded for taking apprentices into their home and starting them off in the racing industry.

“Ron was a champion jockey and is now one of New South Wales’s best trainers, but Margaret was his strength being a business partner and constant companion,” said Racing NSW CEO Peter V’landys.

As a jockey, Quinton won the 1989 Irish St Leger for John Oxx aboard Petite Ile.

Valmae Cummings

VALMAE Cummings, the wife of the late Bart Cummings passed away on Thursday. She and Bart had been married for 61 years when he passed away in 2015, and recently she had struggled with poor health. Funeral arrangements are yet to be announced.

Black Caviar’s dam

dies aged 15

THE unraced dam of Black Caviar, the Octagonal mare Helsinge, has died aged 15. Purchased as an unnamed three-year-old and named after the Scandinavian town Helsinge (her dam was Scandinavia) she went onto become an Australian Broodmare of the Year, producing the unbeaten winner of 15 Group 1s, Black Caviar, as her first foal, as well as the four-time Group 1 winner All Too Hard who now stands at Vinery Stud in the Hunter Valley.

Bought by Peter Ford on behalf of Rick Jamison, Helsinge resided at his Jamison’s Gilgai Farm in North-Eastern Victoria.