Obituary: Warrnambool Cup-winning jockey Terry Boswell remembered as 'humble' and 'a fierce competitor'

Boswell, who was 74, holds a significant place in local racing history as he's the only Warrnambool born-and-raised jockey to have ridden a Warrnambool Cup winner.

It was a feat he achieved on Princess Camillo in the 1970 Warrnambool Cup.

He also won the other feature flat races at the Warrnambool May Racing Carnival including the Wangoom Handicap in 1964 aboard Chottry.

Long-time friend and rival on the racetrack Neville Wilson - also a former top jockey - said Boswell's riding achievements often went unnoticed.

"Terry was a very good light-weight jockey who was a fierce competitor on the track," he said.

"Terry was a very underrated jockey. He was a humble person - he never spoke much about his achievements in the saddle but he did love reminding people he is the only Warrnambool born-and- raised jockey to have ridden a Warrnambool Cup winner.

"It was a special thrill to him being a home-grown Warrnambool Cup-winning jockey."

Boswell was educated at Dennington Primary School and left school at 14.

He started his apprenticeship, which went for seven years in that era, with Jim Cerchi at Flemington before moving back home to finish his apprenticeship with Teddy O'Sullivan.

"He rode countless winners around the Western District for trainers like George Rantall, Kevin Lafferty, Peter Homann and Teddy O'Sullivan and was successful on Melbourne metropolitan tracks on numerous occasions plus he won the Ballarat and Moe cups," he said.

He rode at racecourses which are now closed including Woodend, Bacchus Marsh and Newstead.

He won the leading apprentices' jockey award in his first year back in the Western District when he was 18 and also won the leading jockey award in that same year and again the following year.

In his 20-year riding career he had six falls, one of those was in a trackwork accident in Warrnambool on Christmas Day.

Boswell's wife of 51 years Sharon said her husband passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family.

"Terry was very brave to the end," she said. "He received wonderful medical assistance from the staff at Warrnambool's St John Of God Hospital for many years.

"He never complained about the hand he was dealt with regarding his health which was not good for many years."

He is survived by his wife Sharon and daughters Melissa and Sarah while Tanya has passed away. His funeral will be in the Warrnambool Racecourse Matilda Room on Monday at 2pm.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content: