Our Journey
1941
- 1949
The crowd on Melbourne Cup Day 1948 when my Dad's Uncle Bob was working as a Bookmaker in one of the Outer Rings.
1950
- 1959
My Dad Allen's first day as a bookmaker at Balnarring in early 1956 with his Dad, my Grandfather Allen Senior on the bag. I believe he won nearly fifty pounds on the day.
1960
- 1969
Myself Rod Cleary as a one year old in 1967 with my Grandmother at Sandown Racecourse.
1970
- 1979
My Dad taking a bet off a female patron on Melbourne Cup Day in 1975 when Think Big won the Cup for the second year in a row at odds of 33/1. This was the days of Bookies tickets and crayons with betting books, no computers here.
1980
- 1989
Working Sandown Cup day in 1984 with Hayden on the Bag, this was the first day we used a computer board at the Track, we were the second Victorian Bookie after the Late Brian Nagle to use one.
1990
- 1999
My first day on the Rails at Flemington in 1999 on Craiglee Stakes day. Big Phil Cooper operating and my brother Brendan (now a Bookie) on the bag and phone...
2000
- 2009
Working on the Rails Caulfield Cup Day 2004 (2nd Bookie from the left). This Caulfield Betting Ring had an amazing atmosphere on the big Race Days.
2010
- 2019
The team on Caulfield Cup Day 2019 - From left Phil (Chocs), Kev, myself, Barney, Jack and Andy.
2020
- ONWARDS
Rod Cleary with his son's Tim and Luke.