Neil Campton, one of the genuine good blokes of Australian racing, is the feature of today’s question of the day.

Following a 40-year-career in racing Campton walked away from the game eight-years ago and John Tones has asked about his whereabouts.

As a jockey, Neil Campton won many feature races including the 1968 Golden Slipper aboard Royal Parma, an AJC Australian Derby in 1966 on El Gordo and rode Late Show to a Sydney Cup victory in 1985.

Towards the end of his riding career he combined with the highly-talented sprinter Straussbrook, who he regards as the best horse he rode, to win the George Ryder Stakes, Todman Stakes and Canterbury Stakes.

After retiring from the saddle in 1990, Campton took up training at Rosehill but left the game in 2002.

“It just got too hard and I’d had enough,” Campton said.

“You think you are going to go from jockey and be a genius trainer straight away and it would be easy but it is a hard transition.

“I hated having to walk away but I was just banging my head against a brick wall, you would go to the sales and not be able to compete and end up coming home with rubbish.

“It was very hard to maintain the spark.”

So after being an industry stalwart, Campton decided to change his vocation and start a landscape gardening business, a successful move according to his long-time friend Malcolm Johnston.

“He is one of the best landscape gardener’s you have ever seen,” Johnston said.

Campton was renowned for his perfect garden that led him to pursue his new career.

“After 40-years I thought, 'oh my god, what do you do',” he said.

“I was always a good gardener and learnt the trade as I went along and pretty much started my own business up straight away.

“Initially, I went into heavy landscaping but now specialise in full home garden maintenance care, and happy to say that we are flat out.”

Surprisingly, Campton has only been out to the track once since his retirement but “gets down to the local on a Saturday”, especially to watch his former apprentice and arguably Australia’s best jockey, Corey Brown.

“What Corey did over the spring carnival was unbelievable and I’m very proud of what he has achieved, his success speaks for itself,” Campton said.

Campton’s business, Neil’s Mowing and Garden Care, covers the Hills district of Sydney and if you would like to cop Malcolm Johnston’s tip you can contact Neil on 0419 422 700.