Newcastle racing pays tribute to late trainer Jim Johnstone

Johnstone, who trained at the track for about 40 years, died on Tuesday night at the age of 91. His family have received an invitation from the NJC to scatter his ashes on Newcastle Racecourse.

Johnstone retired from training in 2005 and is best known for the feats of his champion 1980s sprinter Razor Sharp, which had 15 victories, including two VRC Newmarket Handicaps, three AJC Challenge Stakes, the Missile Stakes and the Ramornie Handicap.

Johnstone had a long and successful association with breeder John Cobcroft.

Salaam won the AJC Galaxy, Missile Stakes and Premiere Stakes for the combination, while Hot As Hell claimed The Shorts and the June Stakes twice at Randwick, and Flaming Hot took out the Carrington Stakes.

Top Newcastle trainer Kris Lees knew Johnstone well.

"He was a trainer my father [champion trainer Max Lees] was a good mate of and held in high regard," Lees said.

"He was a prolific trainer, and to win two Newmarkets in a row from a small Newcastle stable, it was a huge achievement, but he also had a lot of other good sprinters.

"When I was leaving school, he was always one of the most respected people in Newcastle racing. I always enjoyed conversing with him. He could tell a good old story, but he was a very good trainer."

Johnstone's grandson, Phil Johnstone, said: "He only ever had 10 or 12 in work, but there was a stage where he'd have 12 horses in work and 10 of them were last-start metro winners or had won two starts ago.

"He was a boutique trainer but just had a lot of good horses, good sprinters."

He said Johnstone was born in Cessnock but grew up in Hamilton before working at BHP and as a taxi driver while starting as a trainer. He later moved into training fulltime.

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