Valerie Smith passes away

Wednesday, 3 December 2008


The matriarch of Australia’s greatest racing family, Valerie Smith, wife of the late Tommy Smith and mother of Gai Waterhouse passed away early this morning.

She was 92.

Waterhouse is currently holidaying in Cuba with her husband Rob and is urgently arranging a flight home.

In a statement on her website, Waterhouse paid the following tribute to her mum.

“I don't really know how to describe life without one of my parents being around,” Waterhouse said.

“As an only child, Mum was a huge influence in my life; we were always together, she'd take me to school, pick me up, we'd visit her sister Heather and I'd play with my cousins, Douglas and Phillip, every day.

“At dinner, Dad would sit on one side of the dining room table and Mum and I would be opposite, a very tight unit we were.

“Mum didn't want me to go to the races till I was in my mid teens, choosing instead for us to be with Heather and the boys, or browsing around art galleries or antique shops or taking me to pony club.

“Mum had an enormous influence on my early dress style and still does.

“Only when I moved to England was I able to loosen the umbilical cord, which tied me so strongly to them.

“Unlike some children wanting to cut off their parents, I just wanted a bit of space to grow up.

“All my married life, Mum has been there. At first, not that involved, but every overseas trip, Mum and Dad were with us.

“Rob and Mum have become very close over the time of our marriage.

“A standing joke between them was, if there were an occasion when Rob and I decided not live together and a decision had to be made as to where Mum was to live: with Robbie or Gai.

“With a smile, Mum would look in Rob's direction.

“If Mum and I were having a disagreement, Rob would say, "Be nice to your Mum."

“Mum left our home today, never to return.

“Darling, we'll miss you hugely, rest well, I promise to train lots of winners.

“Mum always asked how the stable was going, did we have any winners (if she wasn't at the races), and had I "sold the yearlings".

“It was because she cared and only wanted me to be safe.

“Thanks Mum for all your time showing me the ropes and just loving me.”

Since being interested in the gallops since the late 1950s, I always had the firm impression that Val Smith was in many ways the antithesis of Tommy Smith, the "real lady", whereas Tommy was a bit "rough around the edges". I think Gai and I are two very different people (for example but not only, she's successful and I'm not) but I admire very much her in many ways. Her success in life has to be traced back very much to her mother and father and the respective influences that they had on her. This is a very sad time for Gai but I think that she will have the comfort of having had a great relationship with Val Smith and furthermore, that her mother was immensely proud of her. Many of us would like or have liked, such comfort in similar circumstances.

Sad news to hear, I'm sure she'll be at peace joining T.J Thoughts go out to Gai, Robbie, Tom, Kate and the family!
Regards
Rod