October
JanuaryBernborough best
The contributed letters about the status of Tulloch versus Phar Lap have been quite interesting, but what about the mighty Bernborough?
In just 15 consecutive winning starts commencing with the 1945 Villiers at Randwick, he became the byword in the racing world throughout all of the eastern states in a continuing saga over just 14 months.
Yes, Tulloch was a marvellous galloper and it is safe to say that except for his layoff and consequent operation, he could have been the real superstar.
But nobody can take away the reality of the performances by the Toowoomba Terror.
Imagine how another galloper could in present times win a Newmarket with 9st 12lb (62.5kg) and run the last 200 metres in a flat 10 seconds.
Connections then took him back to Queensland where, with 10st 3lb (65kg) he mowed the field down with a brilliant finish in the Ten Thousand. And if that wasn’t enough, he captured the Doomben Cup over 11 furlongs the following week carrying 10st 10lb (68kg). I saw both feature events as a 12 year-old when the paddock, ledger and flat were packed with some 20,000 fans and there were up to 35 bookmakers in operation.
Of course, everyone watching the 1946 Caulfied Cup questioned (Athol) Mulley’s ride after Bernborough suffered four checks in running. That resulted in Mulley’s immediate dismissal by connections from further rides.
We older folk, of course, recall how the horse broke down in his next weight-for-age event.
It is interesting to note that on that Caulfied Cup day, pre-post betting on the Melbourne Cup had him quoted at 6/4, even with the shattering weight of 10st 10lb (68kg).
I have followed racing from as early as a 10-year-old schoolboy and I would rate our post wars champions in this order: Bernborough 1, Tulloch 2, Kingston Town 3, Makybe Diva 4.
Members of the young brigade will say what about the mare Black Caviar with 25 unbeaten runs?
I would respond that the mare started mainly in weight-for-age events with the same weight while she never ran past 1400 metres.
If Black Caviar had started in the Stradbroke Handicap instead of an easy wfa event, then that would have been the real test as she would have had to be weighted at least with 9st 4lb (59kg).
However, trainer Peter Moody could not be blamed for putting the mare into events where she really had a mortgage.
Tingoora (Qld)