'The queen of racing': Canberra Racing Club's Barbara Joseph Medal adds to a legacy like no other

But when you ask a pioneer for women in racing how she sees herself around these tracks?

"I suppose I am the grandmother of them all, aren't I? I treat them all like my sons anyhow, I don't mind telling them what to do. I don't hold back," trainer Joseph grinned.

"It means a bloody lot, I didn't know what the trainers would say about me. A few of the workers call me ... ooh, I can't tell you.

"[Race caller] Tony Campbell christened me the Duchess of Darwin, the Countess of Canberra, the Baroness of Bombala. To hear the other trainers saying that about me, well that's great."

MORE RACING

Those same trainers are now vying for the Barbara Joseph Medal, which will be awarded to the leading trainer at the Canberra racing carnival, headlined by Sunday's Black Opal Stakes and Monday's Canberra Cup.

Jockeys and trainers will be awarded points in each race of the two-day carnival at Thoroughbred Park. Winning trainers and riders receive three points, runners-up are given two and third-place finishers get one.

The jockey with the most points earns the Darren Beadman Medal while the winning trainer receives the Barbara Joseph Medal.

The two are intrinsically linked. Joseph began training horses in 1975 in Bombala and became the first female to win the Group 1 Doncaster Handicap in 1989 with Merimbula Bay. It was Beadman who rode Joseph's first ever winner in Sydney, a horse called Lyndon Love.

In 1994 she relocated to Thoroughbred Park and has been one of the region's leading trainers ever since.

So many served their apprenticeship under Joseph. Think Nick Olive, Luke Pepper and Scott Collings, monitoring a horse's health, recording eating habits, and of course, shovelling shit.

"A bit of that, can't get away from that," Olive laughed.

"Before I started training in my own right I was foreman for Barb for eight years so I'm pretty close to Barb. She's definitely left a legacy on Canberra racing.

"Just being a female pioneering it when she did too, there wasn't many females in the game and she has pioneered that which is great. Obviously she's had a group one winner. She's supported not just racing but she's brought a lot of people into racing.

"She played a big part in the landscape of Canberra racing."

Joseph is still overwhelmed at the prospect of a medal being named in her honour during the biggest two-day period on Canberra's racing calendar.

After all, she came to Canberra almost 28 years ago from humble beginnings with eight horses in tow. She ended up with 40-odd and she has been here ever since.

And now? "It's probably the happiest I've ever been in racing," Joseph said. "It means a lot to me, this medal and being able to present it to the leading trainer on Monday."

"In Canberra or around the districts, she's obviously the queen of racing down this way," trainer Todd Smart said.

"She's always up for a chat, full of advice and things like that. It's fantastic. She's a lovely lady and it's so good they've got the trophy in honour of her. I could not be happier for her.

"That's what you'd call her, a pioneer."

Veteran trainer Gratz Vella echoes the sentiment. He was already on the scene, working at the stables before and after school, when Joseph made her way into the racing industry.

And he has seen very few quite like Joseph.

"She's been our godmother, she's always looked after us," Vella said.

"She'll leave a nice legacy, for sure. She's been a good pioneer, a good friend. I think she was the second lady to have got their trainers licence. She's a good friend of mine.

"She's done a lot in that time and done it good."

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