Of Lonhro And Other Greats

The power of the blog .... received an interesting email from Kyle Pratt who, through the wonders of the internet, latched on to this blog in London. He read a passing reference to Lonhro in one of my stallion pieces and was moved to write. Kyle knows his horses, and writes well too, and kindly agreed that I could reproduce his email, to which I've added my reply and his subsequent reply to that.

Kyle wrote:

"I am an Australian on a working holiday in London. I came across your blog when I was on my daily perusal of that champion little website ‘Racenet’. I must say I do enjoy reading your articles and am also a fan of your writing style.

"It is fair to say I am horse mad. I love racing, love going to the sales, and love talking horses……..with anybody. I used to work for trainer Danny Bougoure in the good old days when he had Falvelon, Scenic Peak, and my favourite little horse Nauders, who ran the most unlucky of thirds in Prized Gem’s Brisbane Cup.

"I am writing to express my thoughts on a horse called Lonhro. My opinion seems to be at the opposite end of the spectrum with those who are willing to broach the subject with me.

"When we speak of ‘out and out champions’ of the turf from the last 10 years in Australian racing the names Might and Power, Sunline, Northerly, Makybe Diva and Lonhro are thrown forward immediately. I personally do not have a place for Lonhro along side the other four I have identified.

"These champions, with the exception of Lonhro, have all have done something extraordinary on the track. Might and Power’s Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate. Sunline’s Cox Plates and Doncasters. Northerly’s Cox Plates and Caulfield Cup. Makybe Diva we need not discuss.

"I don’t believe Lonhro ever produced a racetrack performance to rival the deeds of these four. If I had to choose a race in which Lonhro achieved something truly amazing I would propose his Australian Cup win. Watching the race gave me goose bumps at the time. Watching him win in the last bound after a chequered path down the straight was something to see, and I am happy I did manage to watch it live. If only the horses he beat were top notch gallopers in their prime, they were not. Second place was Delzao who proved himself to be a horse of Group 2 standard. In third place was Elvstroem as an autumn 3yo in what turned out to be the worst preparation of his stellar career.

"His deeds as a 3yo were tremendous, undefeated and claiming his first Group 1, the Caulfield Guineas.

"Lonhro failed to win any of his grand finals in four preparations as a four and five year old. As a spring 4yo his mission was the Cox Plate. As an autumn 4yo his mission was the Doncaster. As a spring 5yo his mission was once again the Cox Plate. As an autumn 5yo his mission was to be his racing swansong, the AJC Queen Elizabeth Stakes. (I could be a little biased here as the Australian Cup was also a race of interest for connections.) Many excuses were made for these failures. I simply believe he was not good enough.

"Lonhro’s ‘thing’ was racing in small WFA fields where his acceleration was explosive enough to run over the top of the leaders and win. He was certainly good enough to do this as his record suggests.

"For any horse to win 26 races and 11 Group 1’s is a brilliant achievement. Few horses achieve this feat. This being the case, why is it that Lonhro managed to bank only just shy of $5.8 million? This is because he never won any ‘big’ races for a horse held in his esteem. Races like the Mackinnon Stakes are qualified as ‘big’ races if the horse you own is Oliver Twist. Races like the Caulfield Stakes are big races if the horse you own is Maldivian.

"Is it possible that Lonhro’s reputation has a silver lining because he was from the first crop of his champion father Octagonal?

"I am not saying Lonhro was ordinary, he was a great horse with an exceptional record, just not quite as good as others mentioned in the same breath. I dearly hope the horse succeeds at stud; it would be a shame if he didn’t.

"I would be interested in your thoughts on this matter."

I replied to Kyle, as follows:

Kyle

Thanks for the kind words.

Lonhro an out-and-out-champion? He probably doesn't belong in the pantheon of the supernatural and your critique sums him up quite objectively in my opinion - you do give credit where credit is due, no muggins wins 26/11 G1s of any description.

He is such an atypical Octagonal. I always thought he looked like a dark brown Straight Strike (God forbid he looks like a First Consul!). But he had great brilliance, power and killer instinct and he had a trainer who prepared and placed him flawlessly. As you point out, there was the odd day he didn't scale the heights. Grand Armee had two famous victories over him; in the Doncaster Grand Armee was at the top of his game and was aided by the fast lane, while we were pretty confident we'd roll Lonhro in his Queen Elizabeth swansong - irrespective of what's been said of Beadman's ride, I am sure Lonhro was not at his best that day and Grand Armee sure was.

What can be said with certainty is that few of the horses that beat Lonhro are going to have an opportunity to perpetuate the breed. Only three colts ever finished ahead of him in his career - Dash For Cash who was second in the Doncaster with Lonhro fourth, Spectatorial who was third in the Blue Diamond with Lonhro fourth (and hurt during running), and Grandera who was third in the 2002 Cox Plate with Lonhro sixth. I think that is the great significance of Lonhro in terms of the opportunity he has to influence the breed in years to come.

Lonhro has a challenge ahead of him in terms of perpetuating a sire line which has given us so much: Lonhro-Octagonal-Zabeel-Sir Tristram. Usually it doesn't survive beyond three generations. Star Kingdom did, though possibly Show A Heart is the last gasp for him (5th generation tail-male descendant).

Though he was a gelding and though he didn't win a Cox Plate or a Melbourne Cup (a highly questionable ride), Tie The Knot, to my way of thinking, is an oft-forgotten equine hero. He was wonderful to look at, both when he was standing still and in motion - I don't know if I've seen a horse with a better action or more determination. He personified the thoroughbred.

Interesting to read that you were associated with Falvelon. I saw him when he was out for a pick of grass at Randwick one afternoon and it looked like you could hop over him, he was that small. But I saw Lyphard and Blushing Groom in the flesh, too, and they were ponies. Despite his 'unfashionable' pedigree, I thought Falvelon had an interesting make-up which gave him a decent chance at stud. His early figures are better than some of his more vaunted contemporaries and he is a value horse in my opinion. But those horses standing in Queensland seem to have a devil of a job making national impact.

PS: Chillidapper (part of Kyle's email address) is an interesting email address. He was honest, but no Lonhro.

And Kyle has followed up with:

"I am also happy that you touched on Tie The Knot being a tremendous racehorse which is often forgotten.

"In the 90's there were no horses winning multiple Cox Plates or Melbourne Cups. Since about 2000 we have been blessed with those I have mentioned in my last email. All those horses went on to win $9 million plus with the exception of Might and Power who had his career cut short with injury.

"I can only assume that if we had not seen these recent champions then we would probably hold Tie The Knot in the same ilk as a Super Impose for example. The one accolade which Tie The Knot looked certain to grab was the number one position on the all time money earners list. Then along came Sunline, then Northerly, then Makybe Diva.

"Tie The Knot won 13 Group 1's and also had a Ranvet Stakes taken off him on protest by, if my memory serves me correctly, Darazari. Sunline also won 13 Group 1's and was involved in a Cox Plate protest involving Northerly and Viscount. As much as I love Sunline I believe the Stewards got it right on this occasion, I am not so confident about Tie The Knot's Ranvet Stakes decision.

"I personally was not a Tie The Knot fan early on in his career. It took me a little time to forgive him for beating my all time favourite galloper, Doriemus, in a Sydney Cup. First and foremost I am a lover of racing, therefore, it was only natural for me to change my opinion on the handsome chestnut. I could not have been happier when he won his fourth Chipping Norton Stakes as a 7yo. Any horse that wins Group 1's in 5 seasons deserves the highest of praise.

"In conclusion, I am suggesting that if he equalled Kingston Town’s record of 14 Group 1's, or held the all time money record for a period of time, we might possibly hold him higher in the 'pantheon of the supernatural'. Regardless, he was an oustanding horse.

"Chillidapper - Any horse which wins the last race on Grafton Cup day three years running is alright by me."
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As I say in the heading to this blog, A Horse Race Is Just A Difference Of Opinion!