Desirable (Without Fear* – High Desire by Le Filou*)
John Stocker allows champion mare Desirable to quietly ‘check the scene’ before yet another blistering performance. Desirable was one of the many outstanding individuals produced by Colin Hayes at Lindsay Park Stud, Angaston SA. Her sire broke all records with 30 individual 2yo winners with his first crop racing.
Champion Australian & NZ Racehorses – ‘Egalitarian Extras’
Featured Image: Luskin Star & Leica Show
Acknowledge: ‘The Australian & New Zealand Thoroughbred’ by Ross du Bourg
Luskin Star (Kaoru Star – Promising by Idomeneo*)
Keeper of the Stud Book Mr Jim McFadyen rated Luskin Star the best 2 year old in the world in his first season on the track. His win by 7 lengths in the Golden Slipper Stakes of 1977 was one of the truly great performances in this race. (The others were Todman in 1957 and Vain in 1969). Bred by Jim O’Neill of Lochinvar NSW Luskin Star retired to Newhaven Park Stud, Boorowa, NSW and covered his first book of mares in 1978. (Racetrack)
Leica Show (Showdown* – Miss Valeica by Valognes*)
Conceived at Stockwell Stud, Victoria Leica Show was reared at Nelson Bunker Hunt’s Waikato Stud, matamata, NZ. Leica Show is photographed scoring an easy win in the STC wfa Canterbury Stakes (120m) at Rosehill in September 1975. (Racetrack)
Champion Australian & NZ Racehorses – ‘Egalitarian Extras’
Featured Image: Dayana & Grand Cidium
Acknowledge: ‘The Australian & New Zealand Thoroughbred’ by Ross du Bourg
Dayana (Oncidium* – Dicidiana by Agricola*)
Shown at Randwick prior to the running of the 1974 AJC Sydney Cup, Dayana was ridden by Roy Higgins and finished a gallant third behind in heavy going behind Battle Heights and Grand Scale in a time of 3 minutes 37.1 seconds. (Racetrack)
Grand Cidium (Oncidium* – Dicidiana by Agricola*)
Grand Cidium returns to scale with Mick Mallyon up after blitzing Imagele, Prince Shifnal, Taj Rossi and Purple Patch in the classic $60,000 VATC Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on 13 October 1973. Les thn 3 years old when this picture was taken Grand Cidium died tragically 5 months later (Simon Studios)
Champion Australian & NZ Racehorses – ‘Egalitarian Extras’
Featured Image: Dual Choice & Snowtop
Acknowledge: ‘The Australian & New Zealand Thoroughbred’ by Ross du Bourg
Dual Choice (Showdown* – Unit by Power House*)
Dual Choice (‘Big Julie’) performing a preliminary. Ross Du Bourg rates Dual Choice was the best sprinting three-year-old filly in the world in 1970. (Melbourne Truth)
Snowtop (Small Time – Snowline by Arctic Explorer*)
Pictured with her 1970 colt foal by Showdown*, Snowtop won the 1968 VRC Edward Manifold Stakes. ‘Snowtop’ subsequently produced the !976 AJC Epsom Handicap winner (100 to 1) ‘La Neige’ by ‘Better Boy’. (Melbourne Truth)
Champion Australian & NZ Racehorses – ‘Egalitarian Extras’
Featured Image: Showdown & Leilani
Acknowledge: ‘The Australian & New Zealand Thoroughbred’ by Ross du Bourg
Showdown (Infatuation* – Zanzara by Fairey Fulmar*)
Shown at home, Stockwell Stud, Diggers Rest, Victoria ‘Showdown’ was one of the greatest all-purpose sires brought to Australia in the 20th century. (Melbourne Truth)
Leilani (Oncidium* – Lei by Summertime*)
Champion NZ mare pre-race with Roy Higgins in the saddle. (Racetrack)
Champion Australian & NZ Racehorses – ‘Egalitarian Extras’
Featured Image: Divide and Rule & Magnifique
Acknowledge: ‘The Australian & New Zealand Thoroughbred’ by Ross du Bourg
Divide and Rule (Alcimedes* – Beehive by Pride of Kildare*)
Magnificent ‘almost-black’ NZ champion Divide and Rule made a huge impact on Californian racegoers when decisively beating Argentinian hero Figonero in the US$81,400 1971 Lakeside Handicap (1 mile) in near turf record time of 1 min. 34.6 seconds. (Melbourne Truth)
Magnifique (Alcimedes* – Rose Belle by Bois de Rose*)
Magnifique parades at Flemington prior to the running of the Melbourne Cup 1972. The great mare ran a gallant second to Piping Lane as 7/2 favourite. The lightly weighted winner posted a race record time of 3 mins 19.3 secs for the 3200 metres.
Champion Australian & NZ Racehorses – ‘Egalitarian Extras’
Featured Image: Tolerance & Reckless
Acknowledge: ‘The Australian & New Zealand Thoroughbred’ by Ross du Bourg
Tolerance (Better Boy* – Salma by Smokey Eyes*)
Tolerance won the inaugural VATC Blue Diamond Stakes (6 fur) in in 1971. Tolernace was full brother to Pterylaw, Cadet and Prujoy. The latter produced Definate, Prunella and Big Convoy. (Melbourne Truth)
Reckless (Better Boy* – Impulsive by Landau*)
Reckless returns to scale after an easy win in the VRC First Robertson Handicap (2000m; $6500:00) on 17 December 1977 carrying 60.5kg with apprentice Greg Cornish in the saddle. Reckless enjoyed enduring celebrity as the ‘people’s horse’ when trained by Tommy Woodcock of Phar Lap fame when running 2nd. in successive 2 miles Cup Handicaps. (Simon Studios)
Champion Australian & NZ Racehorses – ‘Egalitarian Extras’
Featured Image: Manikato & Century
Acknowledge: ‘The Australian & New Zealand Thoroughbred’ by Ross du Bourg
Manikato (Manihi – Markato by Natural Bid*)
With Gary Willetts up ‘Manikato’ streaks to the winning post in the classic $80,000 VATC Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on 14 October 1978 in a time of 1 min. 36.6 secs. (Racetrack)
Century (Better Boy* – Royal Suite by Rego*)
Century in playful mood at Mr & Mrs David Leighton’s Mornmoot Stud, Whittlesea, Victoria in May 1979. Century made modern turf history by taking out both the Australian General Sire’s and Two-Year-Old Premierships in 1978-79 with only his first two crops on the racetrack.
Champion Australian & NZ Racehorses – ‘Egalitarian Extras’
Featured Image: Bunratty Castle & Sobar
Acknowledge: ‘The Australian & New Zealand Thoroughbred’ by Ross du Bourg
Bunratty Castle (Henry the Seventh* – Winter Solstice by Djebe* by Djebel*)
Photo @ Glenn Stott’s Balbethan Stud, Oaklands Junction, Victoria. Mick Mallyon rode Bunratty Castle to an all-the-way win in the 1968 Caulfield Cup, defeating Future, Arctic Coast, Shorengro and Lowland. (Melbourne Truth)
Sobar (Sobig – Miss Filou by Le Filou*)
Harry White was aboard when Sobar blitzed a strong field in the1972 VATC Caulfield Cup. Sobar equalled Tulloch’s weight carrying record for a 3-year-old (7st 8lbs.) trouncing Stormy Seas, Gunsynd, Grand Scale and Gay Icarus in course record time of 2 mins 27.1 secs for 2400m.
Champion Australian & NZ Racehorses – ‘Egalitarian Extras’
Featured Image: Lord of the Dance & Sunhaven
Acknowledge: ‘The Australian & New Zealand Thoroughbred’ by Ross du Bourg
Lord of the Dance (Nijinsky* – Monarchy by Princequillo*)
Considered to be the ‘ideal’ thoroughbred in breeding and conformation (Ross du Bourg) Lord of the Dance was bred at Claiborne Stud, Lexington KY USA stood @ Caretta Park Stud, Woodend, South Australia in the spring of 1979. Lord of the Dance’s first progeny raced in 1980-81 season. (Helen Preiss)
Sunhaven (Summertime* – Eugenic by The Unicorn)
Photographed at Mr & Mrs John Casey’s Glenhope Stud Farm, Romsey, Victoria as a 9-year-old in November 1972, Sunhaven was a high class Melbourne galloper who finished 3rd. in the 1966 Victorian Derby behind Khalif & Pharaon. (Melbourne Truth)
