NO GRAY-TER TIME OF THE YEAR

New Zealand trainer gears up October for upcoming 3YO feature races in April, May

- Michael Lee

Perhaps the only trainer who gets a buzz about October is Stephen Gray.

It is, however, not the 10th month of the Roman calendar he is looking forward to certainly not since finding out his livelihood would be taken away when racing ends on Oct 5.

If anything, of the eight foreign trainers left at Kranji, if not all 18, Gray was probably the most knocked for six when the bombshell was dropped last June.

The 59-year-old New Zealander became the longest-serving expatriate trainer at Kranji after Zimbabwean-born Michael Clements ended his 25-year-old tenure in September.

After 24 years calling Singapore home, raising two Singaporeanborn children (including James who served National Service) with wife Bridget, Gray has always been vocal about his love for Singapore and its racing.

The 182-year-old industry may have gone through its ups and downs, but not once did he think he would outlive it.

Unfortunately, he does now, even if he did not take it lying down.

He did spearhead the trainers' fight to overturn the decision, but it has done little to stop the countdown towards that Oct 5 doomsday.

Ironically, it just so happens October is also the name of a three year-old that still makes him get out of bed at 5am.