Legendary NSW Trainer Don McMillan Passes Away
LEGENDARY NSW trainer Don McMillan, who dominated the Wentworth Park Training Premiership for many years, has passed away. The Greyhound Recorder paid the following tribute.
LEGENDARY trainer Don McMillan died on Wednesday March 4th 2026, aged 80.
His superstar race dog was Major Gossip, the National Derby winner, but he had huge success with the progeny of County Gossip, through her daughter the great race bitch Short County and on to stars like Benny’s Alarm, Token Sally etc.
A bricklayer by trade who developed a business that employed 30 tradesmen, McMillan was close to the Northfield family on the Northern Rivers and trained many great dogs for them like Bralyn Maisie, Leon Mal etc.
“He was a genius as a dog trainer,” said Brad Northfield.
“But, he was a very caring man.
“His training methods were simple, meat and kibble, no vitamins or additives.
“He had three rules, don’t let a dog get fat, get them fit, but keep them fresh.
“Don always said Elle’s Commando was the fastest dog he trained. He also had Toll Security and Benny’s Toll.”
Don went to school with Donny Sutherland, the famed radio and TV presenter, and it was Sutherland who raced many fine Wentworth Park dogs with McMillan.
After relinquishing his training career, Don and wife Mary embraced travel around the world.
But, he kept in close contact with his close friends in greyhound racing.
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JEFF Collerson, who covered Don McMillan’s wonderful training career closely, penned this tribute.
DON McMillan, who won five successive NSW trainers’ premierships in the 1990s, died on Wednesday aged 80.
McMillan and his wife Mary were long-time proprietors of D & M McMillan Bricklaying, a highly successful building operation based at Llandilo, but he could hardly be called a hobby trainer.
Among the big race winners he trained were Major Gossip, who took out the 1993 National Derby, 1994 Toowoomba Cup, 1993 Wyong Straight Track Championship and 1994 National Straight Track Championship, Leon Mal (winner of the 1993 St Leger, 1993 Vic Peters Classic and 1992 National Derby Consolation), Toll Security (2001 Vic Peters Classic in race record time), Elle’s Commando (1997 St Leger and Christmas Gift finals), Short County (1992 Ladies Bracelet, 1992 Frank Kennedy Memorial, 1993 Penrith Oaks and 1992 Golden Easter Egg Consolation), Pretty Walk (1973 Grafton Cup), Sally’s Title (1997 Golden Easter Egg Consolation and NSW Distance Championship), and Nella Lucy (1999 Ladies Bracelet).
Benny’s Alarm and Sally’s Title each won 20 races at Wentworth Park for McMillan, while Elle’s Commando was a NSW Greyhound of the Year finalist.
Despite all those Group race wins, McMillan always insisted the biggest thrill he got during his time in the sport was when Major Gossip, his National Derby winner, defeated the Tasmanian champion Iceni Princess in a match race over 520m at WP.
“Iceni Princess was a red hot favourite and nobody gave Major Gossip a chance,” McMillan said at the time.
McMillan’s joy at winning that match race was also due to the dog being owned by his great friend Donnie Sutherland, a former leading television and radio personality.
McMillan and Sutherland attended primary and high school together, although Don McMillan quit school at 13 to become an apprentice boilermaker.
When he became accredited at 18, McMillan switched to bricklaying, saying later: “I discovered there was more money in that trade.”
Don and Mary McMillan’s thriving building business, along with their success with greyhounds, enabled them to construct kennels, a straight track and a magnificent home with plush gardens on five acres at Llandilo.
Don McMillan’s pedigree was full of greyhound racing personalities, and he once proudly pointed out: “In 1978 there was a race meeting celebrating 50 years of the sport in Australia and my uncle, Ernie Howard, was pictured on the cover of the racebook with one of his dogs.”
Another uncle, Cec Butterworth, raced a bitch called Neritagoya, who once held the WP 700 yards record, while Don’s parents, Nellie and Ron McMillan, were rarely without a greyhound or two in the backyard of their Bossley Park home.
Don McMillan is survived by his wife Mary, and daughters Nicole and Joanne.
The Greyhound Recorder extends sincere condolences to the family and friends of the late Don McMillan.
Majella Ferguson-Two terrific people
Majella Ferguson– Neil Brown I was lucky enough to share one of those harbour cruises with the 2 donnies was a blast
Linda Britton– The two Donnies, had some great dogs.
