George Hanlon, a three-time Melbourne Cup winner and one of Australia's greatest trainers of staying horses, died yesterday at the age of 92 after a long illness.Hanlon, who had spent 18 months at a nursing home at Leopold, near Geelong, was recognised for his immense contribution to racing in 2002 when he was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall Of Fame.Only the ''Cups King'', Bart Cummings, has saddled more Melbourne Cup runners, with Hanlon having 49 runners in the great race.Hanlon, who
George Hanlon, a three-time Melbourne Cup winner and one of Australia's greatest trainers of staying horses, died yesterday at the age of 92 after a long illness.
Hanlon, who had spent 18 months at a nursing home at Leopold, near Geelong, was recognised for his immense contribution to racing in 2002 when he was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall Of Fame.
Only the ''Cups King'', Bart Cummings, has saddled more Melbourne Cup runners, with Hanlon having 49 runners in the great race.
Hanlon, who won the Melbourne Cup with Piping Lane (1972), Arwon (1978) and Black Knight (1984), was one of a family of 12 children from Willunga Beach, south of Adelaide.
He declared his wish to become involved in horse racing as a 12-year-old when he saw Phar Lap win two races in Adelaide in 1930.
He didn't get an owner-trainer licence until 1946 and had to supplement his earnings by driving a baker's cart. He moved to Victoria in 1949.
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