On Track Summer 2012 - Moonee Valley Racing Club

30
Is sHE THE BEsT
AUsTRALIAN
sPRINTER
oF ALL TIME?
As the Black Caviar phenomenon rolls on, much has been
talked about where she would rank amongst the great
Australian and Australian bred sprinters to have graced the turf.
Our undefeated World Champion Sprinter continues to create
history each time she steps onto a racetrack, and with each win
comes further admiration for our latest thoroughbred superstar.
History will show us Australia has produced some truly
exceptional sprinting horses.
in 1957 a two year old named Todman won the inaugural
Golden Slipper Stakes by a staggering eight lengths. He was to
go on and win ten times in only twelve starts, and capture races
such as the AJC Champagne Stakes, the Hobartville Stakes,
Canterbury Guineas and Lightning Stakes in his short but stellar
career. in 2005, he was inducted into the Australian Racing
Hall of Fame.
The explosive Vain who was crowned Australian Racehorse
of the year (1969 - 1970) has captured racing enthusiasts
for many generations. In a short racing career he only tasted
defeat twice from fourteen starts. unbeaten as a two year old,
he demoralised his opposition in the Golden Slipper and was
simply breathtaking when running away to record an astonishing
ten lengths victory in the AJC Champagne Stakes. in the spring
of 1969 over the Flemington Carnival he won three times for a
combined winning margin of nineteen lengths. The ease of his
victories in the Craven A Stakes (now known as the Salinger
Stakes) and the Linlithgow Stakes (now known as The Age
Classic) have many astute judges rating him the best sprinter of
all time. His win in the George Adams Handicap (now known
as the emirates Stakes) on the final day, also happened to be his
last race, before retiring to stud.
By Neil Jennings
Sprints Handicapper Racing Victoria
We didn’t have to wait long following the retirement of Vain,
for the emergence of another outstanding sprinter to stamp
himself on Australian racing. Baguette won fifteen races in total,
including the 1970 Golden Slipper Stakes, AJC Champagne
Stakes, AJC Sires Produce Stakes, before winning the 1971
Newmarket Handicap and Doomben 10,000.
luskin Star became the first horse to win the two year old
“triple crown” by winning the Golden Slipper Stakes, AJC Sires
Produce and AJC Champagne Stakes in 1977. He would end his
racing career winning thirteen races, that included the Galaxy
Handicap and the Caulfield Guineas, and through his deeds on
the racetrack etched himself as a genuine superstar.
History will show us
Australia has produced
some truly exceptional
sprinting horses.
The mighty Bernborough in 1946 won fifteen consecutive races
and carried 63kg to victory in the Newmarket Handicap. His
versatility shone through in the Doomben Cup when with the
weight impost of 68kg he was able to claim victory. A winner of
twenty six races, he delighted a racing generation.
‘‘
,,
Our undefeated World
Champion Sprinter
continues to create history