Count Chivas, Australia's greatest ever racehorse* died on this day two years ago. On this anniversary we pay tribute to the horse who's legacy will never be forgotten.
(* Sez us)
The Count (from Lord Ballina and Inquest) was originally trained in New Zealand by Don Sellwood. He wasn't raced as a 2YO, instead being saved for a 3YO campaign.
He had nine starts in his home country for three wins before a first visit to these shores. He won two of three starts during this tour of duty, the most important of those being the Group One South Australian Derby.
Though bred to be a sprinter the Count surprised everyone involved by developing as a stayer. It was this that convinced connections to set him for a cups campaign in late 1995. In the Caulfield Cup he ran a neck second to the great Doreimus but failed on the wet Flemington track and ran 11th at 12-1 in the Melbourne Cup. He backed up two weeks later to win the slightly less prestigious Sandown Cup and was then spelled.
At this point the great Lee Freedman took over as trainer. In one of his first starts for the Freedman stable he almost beat Octagonal whilst running with 5kg more. Two weeks later the Count ran his most famous victory, the 3200m Sydney Cup.
He ran second to the rampant Saintly at the 1996 Melbourne Cup. At 33-1 and carrying 2.5kg more than the winner it was a gallant placing.
1997's "Great Race" was far from a triumph for the Count. Ridden by Danny Brereton and starting at 50-1 he ran last, and almost took out idiotic protestor Peter Hoare who strayed onto the course in the Flemington straight.
His fourth, and last, Melbourne Cup tilt was a brave 20th in 1998 carrying one of the top weights at 150-1. A great deal of the money invested on him came from my friends and I, and even though the old stager didn't get up we still got our money's worth seeing him run one more time.
Sadly the Count was gelded, which ruined the dream of little Count's running around in Melbourne Cups of the future.
On June 1st, 2001 during a spell at home in New Zealand he returned from morning trackwork and was stricken with a twisted bowel. The Count was immediately put down. It had been said that he was being set for one more campaign but unfortunately fate intervened. At the time of his death he'd won almost $2,000,000 in prizemoney.
The Count was a legend that will always live in our hearts. We once named a bowling team after him. What other horses could boast that?
1 comment:
"The Count's" stable name was Diesel...after Aussie singer Johnny Diesel.
He also hated being brushed or fussed over.
The first time I took him to the races was his Caulfield Cup 2nd placing.
Robbie Griffith was devastated after the race that a "major" had eluded him...he had never ridden the horse before and was surprised by his turn of speed.
Watch the replay...600 metres out he sets fly around the outside.
Griffo said he should have held on for another 100 metres until letting him go. Hindsight!
Post a Comment