Tommy Woodcock, a renowned trainer and horseman, had a special bond with his stallion Reckless, the top contender for the Melbourne Cup that year. Captured by former Age photographer Bruce Postle, the photo beautifully showcases the deep connection between man and horse.
As Postle described, “He looked at Reckless and Reckless looked at him and without a word his big stallion dropped down and put his head on Tommy’s chest. He reached up and tickled him under the neck and the horse closed his eyes and that was it.
I took two pictures, that was it.” Woodcock’s skill and dedication were evident, as recalled by Ros Neave, who was impressed by his ability to lead multiple two-year-olds around the track with calm focus.
