Episode 404: Geoff Allendorf

After more than three years under lockdown in Macau, Geoff Allendorf was delighted to finally make it back to Australia over Xmas/New Year to catch up with family and friends. I tracked him down during that stay to line up the podcast you’re about to hear. 

Geoff talks of his return to Macau after a wonderful few weeks in his homeland. Now in his 17th year as a trainer at the Taipa racecourse, he talks of his own current team and the reduced equine population in the colony.

The former Sydney jockey talks of a nostalgic visit to his hometown of Cairns and a long overdue catch up with his parents and siblings.

Geoff looks back on his approach to Theo Green in the late 1960’s in the hope an apprenticeship might be available. Theo didn’t have a vacancy but helped organise the young Queenslander’s indentureship to Bede Horan.

He pays tribute to his original master who trained for many years in the western districts before securing stables at Rosehill. Bede supplied Geoff’s very first winner.

Geoff recalls his first metropolitan win and a successful association he enjoyed with Rosehill trainer Terry Ramsey.

He forged a great association with trainer Dr. Geoff Chapman in the mid 1980’s. He rode numerous winners for the medico turned horse trainer including a Canterbury 2YO event, and a Brambles Classic on the budding topliner Myocard.

Geoff talks of the day he almost caused a massive boilover at Rosehill. His mount More Mink at long odds went close to upsetting champion Kingston Town in the Premiere Stakes.

He remembers his association with Brian Mayfield-Smith who was rapidly making a name for himself in Sydney racing.

The former jockey looks back on 3 seasons in Hong Kong which brought him a couple of significant wins.

Macau racing was on the way up when Geoff arrived in 1991. He would go on to win three local premierships and finish second in another. He said the opposition was strong with jockeys coming from all over the world.

During the early 90’s he would return to Australia from time to time and immediately establish a presence at trackwork. On one of those visits his work ethic brought him in touch with a visiting NZ trainer who was campaigning a 3YO in Sydney. Geoff landed the winning ride on Western Red in the Gr 1 Canterbury Guineas.

Allendorf sustained several injuries during his riding career but regards himself as one of the lucky ones.

On his retirement from the saddle, Geoff returned to Sydney and virtually earned a livelihood riding trackwork at Rosehill. He says the thought of a training stint in Macau was always at the back of his mind.  He couldn’t get back there quickly enough when he learned that the late Russell Cameron was looking for an assistant trainer.

Geoff says he was elated to receive his own trainer’s licence in 2005.  He talks of the better horses he’s had the good fortune to train in the last 17 years, and his most prestigious wins.

He looks back on some of the brilliant jockeys who’ve had short term stints in Macau in the last thirty years. 

Geoff says he was still riding trackwork as recently as three years ago. 

Not surprisingly he pays tribute to Harry Troy, another expat Aussie who continues to fly the flag in Macau- jockey, mounting yard analyst, race caller, journalist and Master Of Apprentices. Geoff says Harry’s back behind the microphone at Taipa after a very short retirement.

Sixty five year old Geoff Allendorf pays tribute to his Australian family which includes a total of four grandchildren.

He talks of his vision for the long term future, and his obsession with the game of golf.

It’s a laid back chat with the kid from Cairns who came through a tough school in the Sydney racing industry in the 70’s and 80’s. It was the perfect preparation for a future which has seen him excel as a jockey and trainer in the fiercely competitive Asian racing arena.