October
AugustSteady on, Scobie
Like Brian “Scobie” Wood (29/7) I am anticipating another great season from Winx. However, I must take issue with his belief that Winx is the best racehorse ever seen in Australia.
Acknowledging that it is an exercise in futility to compare champions from different eras, among other great performers I would particularly draw his attention to two horses who have extraordinary records.
Firstly, Phar Lap. His record includes two Cox Plates, a Melbourne Cup, an AJC Derby and another 19 weight-for-age wins. What must stand out though is a week in November 1930 at Flemington: Saturday the Melbourne Stakes (10 furlongs/2000m, weight-for-age), Tuesday the Melbourne Cup (two miles/3200m), Thursday Linlithgow Stakes (eight furlongs/1600m, weight-for-age), Saturday C.B. Fisher Stakes (12 furlongs/2400m, weight-for-age). This was the week after he won the first of two Cox Plates.
Of course, he also won the Agua Caliente Handicap (10 furlongs) in Mexico, just before his untimely demise. This truly magnificent record must place him very much among the contenders for the best race horse seen in Australia.
Secondly, again from a distant era, for versatility consider Malua. Among his many major wins in 1884 was the Oakleigh Plate, the Newmarket, the Melbourne Stakes, the Melbourne Cup, the Fly Stakes (six furlongs/1200m on VRC Oaks day) and the Adelaide Cup.
Just to show it didn’t end in 1884, he went on to win the Australian Cup in 1886 and the Grand National Hurdle in 1889.
Perhaps not quite in the Phar Lap category but surely another contender for one of the best of any era.
Mentone (Vic)