Top Five: Australian Feature Race Shock Results
Andrew Hawkins ranks the top five most dramatic upsets in Australian horse racing history.
THERE IS nothing quite like the drama of an unexpected result on the racetrack.
The shock of the racecaller, the wave of confusion from the crowd, the emotional reaction of owners who didn’t expect to be celebrating a winner – it presents a tapestry of colour like few other sporting results.
We ranked the most dramatic upsets in Australian feature race history.
5. Spear Chief – 1939 Rawson Stakes (33/1)
The fact that Spear Chief was able to win a three-runner Rawson Stakes is not overly surprising. He had a great record in Queensland, including the QTC Sires’ Produce Stakes, the Queensland Guineas, the Queensland Derby and the Brisbane Cup.
What made this so dramatic was that Ajax was defeated at 40-1 on – about $1.02 in today’s decimal system. Ajax had won his previous 18 starts, ranging from the Newmarket Handicap over six furlongs to the C B Fisher Plate over 12 furlongs and including such storied races as the Cox Plate, Mackinnon Stakes, Caulfield Stakes and Underwood Stakes.
On this day, though, he fell a half length short of catching Spear Chief in what is generally considered the greatest upset in Australian history.
Ajax’s defeat didn’t discourage crooner Bing Crosby from eventually securing him for stallion duties in the United States.
4. Prince Of Penzance – 2015 Melbourne Cup (100/1)
There could be a few Melbourne Cup winners here – Wotan and Old Rowley from 1936 and 1940 respectively, or even Knight’s Choice last year – but Prince Of Penzance epitomises the great race more than any other upset.
In hindsight, his form wasn’t that bad. He was a half-length second in race record time in the Moonee Valley Cup and his Flemington form at 2000m and beyond was rock solid. Still, with Michelle Payne aboard from the inside gate, he was written off by almost everyone.
To some extent, he was lucky – Payne produced one of the all-time great rides after he missed the start, there was a slow tempo that cruelled the chances of many and interference that took out others – but it was a performance that remains one of the most memorable in Australian racing.
3. Dandy Andy – 1988 Australian Cup (125/1)
The 1988 Australian Cup was one of the most anticipated races in Australian racing history.
Bonecrusher is most famous for his 1986 Cox Plate victory but he won the 1987 Australian Cup and he entered the feature in 1988 having won the New Zealand Stakes, defeating Horlicks, two weeks prior.
His primary rival was Vo Rogue, the relentless front-running machine who had won five races from 1200m to 1800m in the weeks before the Australian Cup.
It was supposed to be a two-horse war – but no one told Dandy Andy.
While he was a Group 1 winner, taking the Doomben Cup during the 1987 winter, he had been beaten a combined 20 lengths by Vo Rogue in two starts in February.
When Vo Rogue skipped clear halfway down the stretch, it seemed his race to lose. But Dandy Andy, who looked a pony next to Vo Rogue, raced up powerfully and went right on by, winning handily.
2. Lunar Fox – 2021 Australian Guineas (300/1)
The 2021 Australian Guineas was an even contest. It will not go down as the greatest Australian Guineas, but five of the 15 runners won Group 1 races at some point and it appeared a competitive race on paper.
Lunar Fox had won the VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes as a two-year-old and, for the most part, he wasn’t beaten too far in the spring three-year-old races. He was beaten 13 lengths by Tagaloa in the CS Hayes Stakes two weeks before, though, and as a result he was sent out at 300/1.
Tagaloa, the previous year’s Blue Diamond Stakes winner, was sent out as favourite and raced to a commanding lead early in the Flemington straight. He struggled at the end of a mile though and was reeled in by Lunar Fox and Cherry Tortoni, with the rank outsider in front at the line.
It remains the biggest upset in any Group 1 in Australian racing history.
1. Pablo’s Pulse – 1987 Warwick Stakes (500/1)
So stunning was Pablo Pulse’s Warwick Stakes win, his name became a byword for anything shocking.
Pablo’s Pulse was still effectively a two-year-old when he tackled the old horses in the Warwick Stakes. He was a four-start maiden who had been beaten at Gosford two days before and, against Group 1 winners Campaign King and Mr Lomondy as well as future Group 1 winners Targlish and All Ashore, it is no surprise he had a starting price of 500-1.
No one could have expected him to defeat Targlish by a nose and become the longest-priced stakes winner in Australian history – a record that is unlikely to be beaten anytime soon.
Pablo’s Pulse raced until he was 10 and would never win again, ending his career being beaten at tracks like Quirindi, Armidale and Taree.
While it was a Group 2 in 1987, the race – now the Winx Stakes – is currently at Group 1 level.
Honourable Mentions
Abaridy
Before Lunar Fox, the most shocking Group 1 winner was Abaridy in the 1986 Caulfield Guineas. He was sent out at 250/1 having finished last in the Moonee Valley Stakes leading in. In a rough race, he managed to avoid interference and flew home from near last to take the prize.
Tears I Cry
Ciaron Maher may produce Group 1 winners by the month these days, but back in 2007, he had not yet broken through. That was until Tears I Cry led home one of the most extraordinary trifectas in history in the Emirates Stakes. Tears I Cry (100/1) defeated Bird Dancer (90/1) and Shinzig (80/1), while 20/1 shot Valedictum just edged out 70/1 long shot Dr Nipandtuck for fourth.
He’s No Pie Eater
Before Zac Purton became the most prolific jockey in Hong Kong history, he brought up his second Group 1 win in the 2007 Chipping Norton Stakes on three-year-old He’s No Pie Eater at 80/1. He’s No Pie Eater shocked a field that included Group 1 winners like Desert War, Mentality, Eremein, County Tyrone and Grand Zulu.
Spargo
Spargo was 50-1 in a five-horse field in the 1999 Ascot Vale Stakes. He deserves consideration based on the dominance of his victory and the fact the vanquished included the two best colts of his generation, Testa Rossa and Redoute’s Choice.
Dulcify
Given what he achieved across his career, it seems extraordinary that Dulcify was ever at a big price in any of his races. Not only did he win a maiden on debut at 300/1, two months before he won the Victoria Derby, but the following autumn he took out the Australian Cup at 80/1.
Horses that missed the cut
Other long shot winners that were considered include Curata Storm in the 2001 Tancred Stakes, Rebel Raider in the 2008 Victoria Derby, Zavite in the 2011 Ranvet Stakes, Lasqueti Spirit in the 2016 VRC Oaks and Mighty Boss in the 2017 Caulfield Guineas. ∎
