The former racing columnist, Phil Percival, whose Racing Round The Ridges column fascinated punters for 40 years or more, passed away in his home town, Goondiwindi, on 26 June.
A funeral service for the one-time Telecom linesman, whose interest in racing blossomed into print every week in the Goondiwindi Argus, will be held at St Mary’s Catholic Church, Goondiwindi on 12 July.
Phil’s racing column found a home in several Today Group newspapers in recent years, including in Warwick, Stanthorpe, Ipswich, Springfield, Beaudesert and Jimboomba.
A feature of Phil’s life in print was his enthusiasm for the Goondiwindi Grey, Gunsynd, which he made the subject of a book.
Former Argus editor, Joe Hoffman wrote: “He came to The Argus with a suggestion for a racing column. The exact date is lost in the mists of time and faulty memories, but I have a distinct recollection of coming up with the name – Racing Round Rhe Ridges by The Coat Tugger, that furtive character found lurking round the bookies’ ring with suggestions for naive punters.“
“’Ridges’ soon acquired fame further afield – a very good friend of mine in Moree whose hobby was buying slow horses and praying for miracles was among its greatest admirers. It was, he declared, the best racing column in the country, bar none.“
According to Phil’s daughter, Sharon Lee, who helped with the column from time to time, Phil’s early life was tough. His father was killed on the Sandakan death march when Phil was four years old. “He equates his had work ethic and strong disposition to being raised by strong women,“ Sharon wrote recently.
’You knock a Percival down and they just get back up stronger’ was Phil’s motto.
Phil was the loving husband of Rita, father to Sharon and Cherie and Pop to Amanda, Daniel, Cole, Ebonee and Symantha.
The management and staff at the Star and Today newspaper groups offer our condolences and thank Phil once again for the delight he provided to so many through his writing over the years.
