Tales Of The Past: Observations about October triumphs with Queensland links

Cover photo: Gunsynd (Kevin Langby) waltzing away with the 1971 Epsom Handicap (Courtesy: G.J. Buckley Photos)

By Ross Stanley

The 11 Group 1 events scheduled for the second month of this spring include the quintet at Randwick, namely the ATC Flight Stakes, Spring Championship Stakes, the Epsom and Metropolitan Handicaps and the King Charles III (formerly George Main) Stakes.

Melbourne hosts the MRC Caulfield Guineas, Toorak Handicap, Might and Power (formerly Caulfield) Stakes, One Thousand Guineas, VRC Turnbull Stakes and the MVRC Cox Plate. 

The following scan across the decades covers a diverse selection of interest to Queensland.

A HIGH TEA

Given that this year is the 80th anniversary of an extremely rare achievement, the opening case highlights Tea Rose, the filly that resided in Sydney because Brisbane’s grass tracks were used as a World War II defence base.

At two, the daughter of Mr Standfast (GB) and Tea Table shed her maiden tag before running second to Shannon twice at Randwick in November 1943.

In the rematch in the 1944 AJC Sires Produce Stakes, the favoured Midstream colt, with the Queenslander Fred Shean atop, won the encounter by a mere half-neck. Tea Rose (Harry Darke, 7/1) pulled up with a significant cut to her near hind leg.

Despite the interruption to her work, Tea Rose was then a valiant half neck second in Scaur Fel’s AJC Champagne Stakes. After a decent break, she took out a two-year-old event with 9.10 at Moorefield at the end of July. 

Subsequently, the chestnut prepared by George Anderson flopped in the 1944 AJC Hobartville Stakes behind Shannon but she redeemed herself by serving up four piping hot wins.

Firstly she put paid to a seasoned set in the Canterbury Stakes at 33/1 with the champion mare Flight in her wake at 2/1 on.

Shannon, at evens, missed a place behind Tea Rose (12/1) in the Rosehill Guineas. Although Magpie’s grandson was kicked in the abdomen before the despatch, there were always doubts about his getting over ground, particularly in the Derby for which Tea Rose was fast becoming the punter’s fancy.

Leading Brisbane rider Peter Morgan missed partnering Tea Rose in the 1944 Craven Plate and the AJC Derby because he couldn’t comply with the requirement that visiting hoops commit to sporting silk in Sydney for six months. The three-year-old’s respective pilots were Jimmy Duncan and Darke.

In the Plate at 5/1, she was too good for Mayfowl (6/4) and Flight (7/2). 

Anderson’s only Derby instruction was to ensure it was a staying test. Others put the pace on. The Queenslander by origin prevailed decisively.

Darke, who returned to his task of sewing buttons on military uniforms, was back aboard Tea Rose later. Sadly, she failed to blossom thereafter, went off the boil and didn’t score again. Anderson did not share the jockey’s public assertion that the mare that was retired with a 27: 6-5-3 career line was broken winded.

 Tea Rose was appreciated in the south. She is the only Queensland horse to have a black-type race bearing its name. Shannon had been a serious yardstick. The entire developed into an elite performer at home and in America where he ended up on the stallion roster with Bernborough at Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky.

Flight, a grand-daughter of Heroic, also set a telling benchmark,  courtesy of her 17 principal victories. In June 1946, the bay idol started twice in Brisbane, finishing 10th in Bernborough’s Doomben Ten Thousand and second to the Victorian Tea Cake (1941 Caulfield Guineas) in the El Alamein Stakes (WFA,10f).

Come October, the grand-dam of Sky High and Skyline was second in the AJC George Main Stakes and collected her second Cox Plate. On a fateful second day of November 1946, she easily beat Tea Cake in the Mackinnon Stakes. That was when the severe breakdown was suffered by the 1946 Doomben 10,000, Doomben Cup and Caulfield Stakes winner Bernborough.

Tea Table’s sire was Rivoli, the 1922 AJC Derby and 1923 Craven Plate winner that stood at J.H.S. Barnes’ Canning Downs Stud near Warwick.

She had been sold to Ernest White for 160 guineas at the 1938 dispersal sale at that nursery near Warwick.

Tom Jennings, the principal of  Alma Vale Stud on the Darling Downs, opted for the well-bred Mr Standfast (GB) to step into shoes of his ageing sire Spearfelt. The newcomer was by Buchan (GB), the hero in two Eclipse Stakes, a Champion Stakes and a Doncaster Cup. Mr Standfast’s dam Cinna (GB) is on the One Thousand Guineas and Coronation Stakes honour rolls.

White had opted not to race his horses during the war and so Tea Rose was leased to her trainer George Anderson for her juvenile days with Walter Devon joining in for the classic season.

To date, the only other fillies to down the males in a Sydney blue riband are Picture in 1898, Rose of Kingston (1982), Tristarc (1985), and Research (1989).

The Queensland-born colts Wheatear and Legrand saluted in the springtime AJC Derby in 1881 and 1883 respectively. The pair were bred by Joshua Peter Bell at The Grange, a property that has been subsumed into the Ipswich suburb of Raceview. 

MORE HIGH TIMES 

Tea Table’s maternal grand-sire was Highfield (GB). His progeny included the classy duo Highland and High Syce. They were both stars in Brisbane before being purchased by the wealthy Victorian enthusiast Rita Buxton. 

Highland’s flings at Eagle Farm secured the 1923  Hopeful Stakes and the 1925-26 Stradbrokes. Buxton’s 700 guineas investment was profitable with the trophies for the 1928 Cox Plate, October (now Turnbull) Stakes, Cantala Stakes,1929 Toorak, Memsie Stakes and two Underwood Stakes finding spots on her mantlepiece.

High Syce’s Eagle Farm scorecard of 28: 20-1-3 was par excellence. The son of the Syce mare Concise picked up the 1927  Sires, Guineas and Derby and a swathe of other important titles. Incidentally, Syce was a term for a groom for horses, especially in India.

Although Buxton had to go to a figure of 4,000 for High Syce, the chestnut stallion added the 1929 Caulfield Cup and the October, Caulfield and Melbourne (L.K.S. Mackinnon ) Stakes to his list of laurels.

MORE CUPFULS 

The Caulfield Cup thread has been repeated in a multi-faceted way with thanks to Ben Bolt in 1886, Buzalong (1938), Basha Felika (1951), Bore Head (1965), Cole Diesel (1989) and Incentivise (2021)

Ben Bolt (1886 Caulfield Cup, 1886 Carrington Stakes, 1888 Doncaster), bred by John Finnie, was a widely travelled galloper officially owned by William Strickland, a Bowen Alderman and mine host of the local Commercial Hotel. 

The bay was prepared in Melbourne by the wily Pat Kelly. Previously, Newbold’s son, at three, had won nine from 10 opportunities in the Queensland countryside. Despite running third in the 1885 AJC Summer Cup, Ben Bolt was given just 7.6 for the Cup at The Heath. 

The story goes that a disappointing track gallop when asked to carry 10 stone and the discovery of bogus “secret” telegrams advising recipients to lay off bets led to Ben Bolt drifting to 50/1.He won by the Cup  neck at 8/1.

Buzalong, the 1938 AJC Metropolitan runner up, had earlier taken out the Grafton Cup, was Doncaster placed and had scored twice in Brisbane before focussing on targets in New South Wales.

The gelding by The Buzzard from the Highfield mare Saccharine was owned and trained by the somewhat itinerant Alf Leftwich who hailed from the Kingaroy district.

After Thangool-born hoop Fred Shean had the Cup’s 11/2 favourite handy in the run, the pair prevailed comfortably with Marauder, another gelding by The Buzzard, third home. Subsequently, Buzalong scored in the 1940 Newcastle Cup and was third in the 1941 Doomben Cup.

Basha Felika was also by The Buzzard. Jack McDougall, the studmaster at Lyndhurst, gifted a service to his stallion to his friend and neighbour 

Charles Edward “Ceb” Barnes as a token of appreciation for his war efforts. The dam involved was Rivoli’s daughter Perfect Morn.

Under George Anderson’s guidance, Basha Felika earnt the 1950 Queensland Derby sash. The horseman died in June 1951 and it was Elwood Fisher who legged Neville Sellwood up for the Cup that was to have an unusual conclusion.

Barnes hoped for a dead heat with the eventual runner-up, The Buzzard gelding Blue Vest that McDougall bred and raced. The wish missed by a half-neck.

The 1965 Caulfield Cup-winner Bore Head was trained by Ron Dillon and ridden by Fred Clarke. Bill Chaplain, an elderly grazier from the north of Cloncurry, gave it to his son Robert and his daughter Carmel Burke.

The profound stayer was by Double Bore from the Brimstone mare Mauna Kea, the half-sister to the Midstream colts Delta (1951 Melbourne Cup,1949 Cox Plate,1949 Victoria Derby, 1951 Mackinnon Stakes) and Deep River (1952 AJC Derby).

Bore Head’s tally included the 1963 Queensland Cup, 1967 Doomben Cup and a dead heat in the 1964 Ipswich Cup. Des Judd put the polish on for his 1967 Australian Cup victory.

Cole Diesel, the Gold Coaster that ended up as a clerk-of-the course grey on his home turf, first showed his class in the 1989 

Queensland Guineas four-year-old Tramway Shannon Quality preceding Melbourne the Toorak-Caulfield Cup double for jockey Michael Kerr and trainer Greg Mance. A bitter footnote was that the grey was not deemed worthy of a spot in the Cox Plate by the MVRC Committee.

Incentivise was originally owned and trained by his Toowoomba breeder Steve Tregea and strapped by the journeyman jockey Joshua King. Before he graduated from restricted company at Ipswich, half the ownership was bought by Brae Sokolski and Ozzie Kheir. The Shamus Award gelding was on song in the 2021 Tattersall’s Cup, the Makybe Diva, the Turnbull and the Caulfield Cup before a plucky Melbourne Cup second at his fourth assignment for Peter Moody. When injury terminated Incentivise’s time on the turf, he went to Yarraman Park to be a “nanny” for the paddocked youngsters.

On the ownership side, North Queenslander Laurence Eales relished Whobegotyou’s success in the 2008 Caulfield Guineas and 2009 Caulfield Stakes. October was similarly generous to Sky Heights’ shareholder, the BRC Chairman Neville Bell. With the 1999 Rosehill Guineas-AJC Derby already in hand, the Zabeel gelding collected the 1999 Caulfield Cup, Turnbull Stakes and the 2000 Caulfield Stakes. Both star performers were Melbourne-based.

A series of other Caulfield Cup winners wintered in Queensland.

Arctic Scent did so in 1996 with Queensland Oaks glory as a lead in. Doriemus was second twice in Brisbane in 1995. Ahead lay a second in the Turnbull Stakes plus the Caulfield-Melbourne Cup double. His mentor Lee Freedman was renowned for wintering his team in the north.

Sometime, after splitting the 1963 Ipswich Cup with Conference, added the Turnbull Stakes, Caulfield Stakes and the Caulfield Cup 

Tulloch (1957 QTC Sires Produce Stakes) polished off the AJC Derby, Caulfield Guineas, Caulfield Cup and the Victoria Derby. In 1960 the Khorassan entire scooped up the QTC O’Shea Stakes, Cox Plate and the VRC Mackinnon Stakes.

Ming Dynasty was placed twice in Brisbane in 1977 at three. He promptly won that year’s Caulfield Cup. Bart Cummings sent him back north in 1978, only to see him register another six placings. The sojourn however was beneficial because he ruled in the AJC Metropolitan and earnt third money in the Caulfield Stakes.

Former Kiwi Redcraze won the 1956 QTC P.J. O’Shea Stakes and the Brisbane Cup at his first appearances for the T.J.Smith stable. The Red Mars gelding followed up with first placings in The Metropolitan at Randwick, and the Caulfield Stakes-Cup double. After repeating the O’Shea success in 1957, the Cox Plate became his 15th Australian victory.

In 1954, the New Zealander Rising Fast made his Australian debut in Brisbane with five tasks for place money at Doomben in a Flying and the Cup and for first in the J.H.S. Barnes Stakes.

Mr Standfast’s  grandson was a tsunami in Melbourne, winning eight out of 10 times. The highwater marks included the Turnbull and Caulfield Stakes, the Caulfield-Melbourne Cup double, the Cox Plate and the Mackinnon Stakes

After taking out the 1994 Queensland Guineas, Paris Lane won the Caulfield Cup and the Mackinnon Stakes, finished second in the Turnbull and Melbourne Cup and third in the Caulfield Stakes.

METROPOLITAN CIRCLES 

Canning Downs was again to the fore with Tails, a handsome chestnut by the 1954 Melbourne Cup winner Dalray ( NZ). The Queensland sires The Buzzard, Rivoli and Syce appear in the pedigree of his dam Dolled Up.

Toowoomba’s Hiram Philp produced the colt for the QTC Derby success. Afterwards, owner-breeder “Ceb” Barnes assigned him to Pat Murray in Sydney.

In the 1969 AJC Metropolitan, the four-year-old with 8.0 had less than a length on Cachondeo. The runner-up was bred and raced by Mim and Ian Hedley, the Beaudesert couple who were destined for fun with Tingo Tango.

In the 1970 Metropolitan, with 13 more pounds to carry, Tails’ closest attendant was Charlemagne (7.3). A hat trick in the event was denied by Oncidon, a Tommy Smith runner in receipt of the equivalent of 14kg. 

Macdougal, with the 1958 AJC Queen’s Cup in his locker, beat his fancied foes at 33/1 in the 1959 Metropolitan. Mackay born horseman Dick Roden had worked wonders with the Marco Polo (Fr) gelding that secured that year’s Brisbane and Melbourne Cups

Norman Harry Brown, the principal of Nonda Downs near Julia Creek, did before his purchase raced and so his son Reg was his stand-in.

In the 1953 edition, Carioca and rider Billy Cook continued on from  their 1953 Sydney Cup thrill with Felt Yet’s son. Toowoomba’s Jack Booshand was the original owner-trainer before P.C. Hoysted took on the lessee-mentor role in 1952. Carioca’s only northern outings produced Maiden and Bribie Handicap wins at Eagle Farm. 

Because he had a large team to tend to in Brisbane, Roy Dawson sent Bon Teint, the horse he part-owned, to Sydney’s T.J. Smith for a profitable tilt at the 1975 Metropolitan. With Kevin Langby aboard, the 15/1 shot by Wattle Brae Stud’s Pandour relished the ultra light weight.

Queensland carnival visitors that proceeded to claim an AJC Metropolitan include Piper’s Son in 1964, Striking Force (1965), Altai Khan (1972), Belmura Lad (1978) and Victory Smile (2002).

WORTH THEIR SALT

The 1963-1964  Epsom trophies went to Jack Parr, the Mundubbera orchardist who bought Toi Port from Athol Strong early in his juvenile program. The Port Vista gelding’s debut for Strong when he blew from 14s to 200/1 in the 1960 QTC Hopeful Stakes yielded a discouraging eighth.

Things quickly turned around for the Mundubbera citrus orchardist with the important J.F Lonergan Stakes at the Farm coming his way in the December .

Parr despatched a promising contingent of his bloodstock to Warwick Farm conditioner Bill Stripe. Toi Port flourished with key successes in the 1963-64 Epsoms, the 1963-64 Hill Stakes and placings in the 1963-64 George Main Stakes.

Gunsynd, the Goondiwindi-owned icon, triumphed in the 1971 Epsom and Toorak plus the 1972 Cox Plate and Caulfield Stake and was third in both the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.

The gutsy Kinjite (1992 Epsom,1991 AJC Spring Champion Stakes), from Noel Doyle’s Gold Coast establishment, was also second in the 1991 QTC Castlemaine Stakes, 1991-92 George Main Stakes,1992 Cox Plate and the Doomben Cup. Alan Cowie frequently partnered Wenona Girl’s grandson.

Brisbane owner Neville Morgan struck good fortune with his Chris Waller trained Kolding (2019 Queensland Guineas, Epsom and 2020 George Main) and Kermadec (2015 George Main).

Captain Sonador (2010 Epsom) clinched the inaugural Wayne Wilson Medal for Toowoomba trainer Roger Milne. On the jockey’s side, Brisbane’s Graham Cook was delighted to boot home Leonotis in the 1978 Epsom.

The following visitors secured the Stradbroke-Epsom double: Capris (1936), Knave (1956),Triton (1972), Imposing (1979).

These Epsom winners also had northern form: Davey Jones ( third 1951 Ten Thousand), Lord Nelson, also placed in the George Main ran third in the 1973 Stradbroke and won the Doomben Cup, Riverdale    third 1984 QTC Grand Prix), Dodge (1998 Queensland Derby), 2000 Shogun Lodge (2000 GCTC Hollindale Stakes), Boban (winless in the 2013 Brisbane mission) and Private Eye (2021 Queensland Guineas).

Charlie Newham’s Toowoomba stable was in the George Main headlines with Roman Artist in 1985 as was David Hayes in 1991 with Planet Ruler, the Kaoru Star chestnut that garnered the 1988 Toorak for Bruce McLachlan.

The bold, free flowing Vo Rogue put the sword to his combatants in the 1989 George Main Stakes and the 1987-88 Turnbull Stakes.

The 2012 version of the George Main went to the Waller entry Shoot Out. Lindy and Graham Huddy’s had been the ATC 2010 Derby conqueror for the John Wallace-Stathi Katsidis unit.

In 2012-13 Solzhenitsyn, saddled up by Robert Heathcote, registered an unusual double-double with the mile BRC Lord Mayor’s Cup and mile MRC Toorak combination.

The following visitors, with their Brisbane deeds shown, pocketed the prize for the George Main: Tarien (unplaced 1953 Stradbroke favourite), Second Earl (third 1960 10,000), Count Radiant (1964 O’Shea Stakes), Baguette (1971 Doomben 10,000), Imposing (1979 Stradbroke), Durbridge (1994 Doomben Cup), Turridu (1995 Queensland Guineas, Derby), Sincero (2011 Stradbroke), Juggler (1996 Doomben Cup), Dracula (1998 QTC Sires Produce Stakes), Streama (placed Stradbroke and Tatt’s Tiara).

The 2012 George Main was captured by Chris Waller's lodger Shoot Out. Lindy and Graham Huddy's High Chaparral (Ire)l gelding had landed Randwick’s autumn Derby, courtesy of the John Wallace-Stathi Katsidis team.

MORE ON THE  PLATE 

The 1983 Cox Plate was one of seven Group 1 hits across three countries recorded by the 1983 Queensland Derby winner Strawberry Road. The Whiskey Road colt’s foundation trainer was Brisbane’s Doug Bougoure.

The following visitors added the Cox Plate to the feats in parentheses: Winx (2015  SCTC Guineas, Queensland Oaks, ATC Epsom), Might and Power (1998 Doomben Cup, Caulfield Stakes), Red Anchor (1984 QTC Sires Produce, Caulfield Guineas), Dane Ripper (1997 Stradbroke),, Kingston Town (1980 Queensland Derby), Hydrogen (1953 QTC O’Shea Stakes, Brisbane Cup, Barnes Stakes), 1960 Tulloch (1960 QTC O’Shea  Stakes).

THE SOPHOMORES 

The 1989 AJC Spring Champion Stakes went to Stylish Century, the Victoria Derby winner owned and operated by Gold Coast builder Dick Monaghan. The Bruce McLachlan-trained St Jude was the Spring Champion titleholder in 1990 with David Vandyke’s Caloundra stable providing the 2016 heroine, the Cox Plate minor placegetter Yankee Rose.

McLachlan was also in the Caulfield Guineas celebrations in 1991 with Chortle (1991 QTC Sires Produce Stakes) as was Barry Miller, the Cutts family and the Glenlogan Park Syndicate  after Show A Heart’s effort in the 2000 rendition. The Brave Warrior colt also held sway in the 2000 T.J. Smith Stakes and the 2001 Toorak.

The Flight Stakes winners include Doug Bougoure’s charge Tingo Tango in 1985  for Shane Scriven, Ian Hocking’s hopeful Goleen in 1984 and Paul Jones’ filly Allez Show in 1981.

Tingo Tango also saluted in the Furious Stakes while Goleen succeeded in the One Thousand Guineas

The visitors Prince Morvi and Tulloch annexed the 1953 and 1957 QTC Sires Produce Stakes prior to their AJC Derby successes when the classic was run in the spring. The pair also took the honours in the Victoria Derby.

The J.J. Atkins-Caulfield Guineas double was achieved by The Autumn Sun (2018), Press Statement (2015) and Mahogany in 1993 when he also harvested the QTC Sire and the Victoria Derby.

For the fillies, Surround, after three Brisbane wins as a juvenile in 1976, chalked up six in a row back in springtime Melbourne including the October offerings of the Caulfield Guineas and Cox Plate.

Copperama, after winning the 1981 QTC Marlboro Stakes, added the One Thousand Guineas.

Slight Chance swept up the 1992 QTC Sires Produce Stakes and the Castlemaine (now J.J.Atkins) Stakes prior the her AJC Flight Stakes success while Shame completed the 1995 Sires-One Thousand Guineas double.

THE SPRINTERS 

Buffering, Falvelon, and Bruce McLachlan’s pair With Me and Virage De Fortune all harvested a Moir Stakes when the dash around the Valley was at Group Two level. Robert Heathcote managed to nab the 2014-15 editions after the contest had been upgraded.

Winfreux, supreme in the 1965 Stradbroke and Doomben 10,000, landed that year’s Caulfield Stakes, a race he won again for the next two years after scoring the 1966 Doomben Cup and 1967 Tattersall’s Cup. In 1965-66 the Victorian chestnut was runner-up in the Cox Plate.

TURNBULL AND TAMBO 

Another relationship to Queensland comes in the changing of the VRC October Stakes to the Turnbull Stakes in 1948. The contest’s title honours Richard Turnbull (1875–1951), the pastoral identity who joined the Victoria Racing Club committee in 1925 and was chairman from 1942 until his death. He bred and raced the 1944 Melbourne Cup victor Sirius.

Administering a major race club during World War II was challenging and it was infinitely  tougher when his sons John and William (Mack) were killed when serving in the RAF.

Turnbull had extensive interests in Victorian, New Zealand and Central Western Queensland, having taken over the operations of the family’s Landsdowne, Tambo, Evesham and Bayrick properties from his father John in 1916.

The civic minded clan had a long association with the race club at Tambo. Richard in his youth enjoyed rowing. He was educated at Geelong Grammar School and, in his twenties, cut his teeth as a jackeroo on Evesham near Longreach.

Megaphone, the Newbold-Sound stallion bred by John Finnie at Drayton, captured the 1890 VRC Royal Park (now Turnbull) Stakes and after his second in the AJC Epsom. 

The versatile Queenslander James Clark (1857-1933) with roles extending from pearler to pastoralist owned Tangalooma, first home in the 921-22 October (now Turnbull) Stakes and runner-up in the 1922 Caulfield Cup.

Other positive Turnbull stories link to Mac (1959 QTC Moreton Handicap), Sphenophyta (2006 Ipswich Cup), Lefroy (1978 QTC Grand Prix-Derby) and  Toowoomba’s Just Now (1986 AJC Oaks).

The influence of Queensland in the annals of October’s southern majors is quite astounding.The winter climate has always been recognised as being extremely beneficial to thoroughbreds. A host of gallopers with northern connections, as exemplified above, have also played very well away from home on a myriad occasions since the late 1800s.