Quote Originally Posted by PremiumEdition View Post
Good Onya Noel no probs, you may be able to settle a "friendly debate" between a couple of mates and I, I followed Brian Gath as a young man and I have been told I am wrong that Brians first Melb winner was a trotter named Corop McElwin, and further back to that one of his first drives if not the first was a trotter named Our Noble at Healesville on Cup Day 1959, in a race won by the great trotting mate Jenny, driven by Wally Townsend. If you can get some info from Brian on that it would be greatly appreciated. Regards Bob
Better late than never
Noel found out the answer from John Peck

Brian's first competitive winner was Tobacco Smoke at the 1960 Royal Melbourne Show (defeating Opal Chief) in the "McGrath Trailers" Handicap

His first official winner was the trotter Minyip Wheat at Stawell on August 5th 1961. Minyip Wheat was owned by Pearl Kelly's brother Chris O'Brien and trained by Ivo Baldwin

His first metropolitan winner was also a trotter - Lockgorum at the Showgrounds on 20-01-1962