Racing in the bush won’t be same without Nyngan’s Rodney Robb as he calls time on his 50 years as a thoroughbred trainer.

"I have no regrets but Racing NSW is making it difficult with all these cancelled meetings out here," he told the Western Plains App.

"I have had health problems and talked with my wife Wendy and it is was time to call an end on my career.

"I am 70 and have a beautiful family who are doing great things.’’

Mr Robb was on his Nyngan property with his 13-year-old grandson enjoying his retirement when the Western Plains App caught up with him.

"I am marking some calves on the block here and its great fun with him, life is good.’’

Robb has been one of the sport’s great journeymen, travelling from Nyngan to Birdsville and the Betoota Picnics in Queensland and even to Kunnunurra, Wyndham in Western Australia and Alice Springs and Darwin.

‘’I will go and catch up but with old mates in Queensland and Western Australia in my retirement and talk about the great days we in racing have had.’’

The knockabout Nyngan horse trainer has won 1,238 races, and placed 2,189 for 8,654 starters.

Robb has some big wins to his credit Lord Dalavon, was a son of Dalavon was one of the best horse he ever trained winning in Sydney.

He was meant to retire at the Enngonia Cup meeting.

“The plan was to make Enngonia the last meeting before retirement, but there was good rain out there,” Robb said.

Rodney Robb has lived most of his life at Nyngan enjoying his early life with his father Clive droving.

"Dad said there was no future in droving so I got a job on the railways at Cobar.

‘’I worked in the sheds and loaded wool into trains but in 1975 got my trainers license and went full time in 1979.’’

‘’Racing is those days was good for bush trainers Cobar, Walgett, Bourke raced four times a year and of course here at Nyngan and Louth.

"The further west you went better the people," he said.

Racing has taken Rodney Robb everywhere.

The son of a droving father loved the smell of bush tracks and the atmosphere .

He bought a Isuzu truck and was intending to go to the famous Birdsville Picnics but his mum was very sick so his mates loaded up the truck and went without him. 

“They ended up taking three horses – Amirreb, Nazeem and Golden Promise – and Amirreb won the Birdsville Cup.”

His horse Amirreb won by three lengths on the first day of carnival, and backed up 24 hours later to win the Birdsville cup.

“I was at Enngonia when Amirreb won at Birdsville on the Friday, and Jim called and wanted to know whether to start the horse in another class 6 the next day or the cup,” Robb said.

“I told him to start in the cup – you only get one throw of the dice.”

One week later, Nazeem beat Amirreb in the Bedourie Cup.

Three starts later, Nazeem won the Cobar Cup.

Rodney loved the outback taking horses everywhere and he thought the Queensland circuit would suit – tough horses that like the dirt and could handle long road trips.

“I never, ever had one bit of trouble with owners. If I thought their horses were worth taking, they all gave me their blessing – and some came along on the trips.

“My owners were always the first obligation, and I always tried to get the horses to pay their way for them. That’s very important,” he said.

Country jockey Clinton Gallagher jumped on Supreme Attraction to win the 1300m handicap at Bedourie by seven lengths in race and track record time.

“Supreme Attraction was the best horse I ever took to Birdsville,” Mr Robb added.

Two years later, Robb took Supreme Attraction to Alice Springs for a hat-trick of wins, including the Cummins Cup. In all the gelding won 14 races, including five in a row at Alice Springs in 2023, when trained on the track by Terry Gillett.

“He was a bloody good horse,” Robb said.

Punters loved the horse too.

Horses like Dalavon and arguably his best son, Lord Dalavon, Drought Breaker, Red Yacht, Cabrone, Cover of Darkness, Hussar’s Wish, Dipalm and full brothers Letza Star and Let Me star won more than 140 races between them.

 Robb said winning the Forbes Cup was enjoyable. Drought Breaker scored with top mate champion Sydney jockey Malcolm Johnston.

“I was born in Forbes and I’m great mates with Malcolm, who was raised in Forbes. Malcolm rode Drought Breaker and Dalavon to win races in Sydney for me and I got him up to ride Drought Breaker in the Forbes Cup one year – winning that was a great thrill,” Robb said.

“Drought Breaker was only 15.3 hands and had a heart of gold.

"I reckon out of all the cups, I’ve probably won the Louth Cup more than any other. I think I’ve won it seven or eight times,” Robb said.

“The people at Louth are good people.”

Robb said the move by Racing NSW to focus on big money on the Country Highway racing for country gallopers and not smaller bush race clubs has hurt Western Plains race meetings.

''They're good for our trainers to win but I think we are forgotten out here and the stewards don't understand our racing.

"Look at what happened at Louth - 2mm fell and it could have been dry by 8am.''

He does think it's good for his son though.

''Brett is flying and won Saturday with Posen Point at Rosehill.

"The move to Dubbo was good, I'm very proud of him.

''It's been a great life, and no regrets but time to give back and enjoy the family.''