SUNLINE: NEW ZEALAND'S MARVELLOUS MARE | HONG KONG & DUBAI
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ส.ค. 2024
- Before champion Australian racehorses Winx, Black Caviar and Makybe Diva, there was SUNLINE.
1st All-Aged Stakes, Randwick 2002, 2000
1st Doncaster Handicap, Randwick 2002, 1999
1st Coolmore Classic, Rosehill 2002, 2000
1st Waikato Draught Sprint, Te Rapa 2002, 2001
1st Hong Kong Mile, Sha Tin 2000
1st Cox Plate, Moonee Valley 2000, 1999
1st Manikato Stakes, Moonee Valley 2000
1st Flight Stakes, Randwick 1998
Sunline was a champion New Zealand race mare who did it all. She won 32 horse races and 13 Group 1s, competing in four countries across six seasons.
For racehorse breeders Susan Archer and Michael Martin, Sunline was everything thoroughbred lovers could wish for. “Her magnificent physique, ferocious competitive spirit and indomitable courage were all that
any breeder could hope to produce” they said.
Prepared by trainer Trevor McKee and often ridden by jockey Greg Childs, Sunline won her first four starts on home soil before tasting top level success in Australia - theme that would develop throughout her career.
Renowned for her front-running style, Sunline possessed fighting qualities forging a record as one of the very best sprinter-milers. She conquered Australia's weight-for-age championship twice with back-to-back Cox Plate wins in 1999 and 2000; including a seven-length rout of Diatribe.
Incredibly, she raced in the Cox Plate four years in a row, only to be thwarted by the 'Fighting Tiger', Northerly, who had her measure in 2001-2002.
Coupled with G1 victories in Australia's premier handicaps and weight-for-age races; Doncaster Mile, All Aged Stakes, Coolmore Classic and Manikato Stakes, underlining Sunline’s greatness was her ability to travel and the level of competition she raced against.
As she contested races in Australia, Dubai and Hong Kong achieving international Group 1 glory in the 2000 Hong Kong Mile defeating local flagbearer Fairy King Prawn.
Sunline would never back down from a challenge staging famous battles against Tie The Knot, Jim And Tonic, Lonhro and Piavonic.
Not only did Sunline touch the lives of racing fans but she also had a profound impact on her trackwork rider and strapper, groom Claire Bird. "She absolutely changed my life. I probably don’t see her the way other people do, she was just my horse. She was incredibly tough, never ever stopped trying.”
Often refusing to let Bird in her box without carrying some Oddfellows peppermints, Sunline was never scratched from any race she was paid up for a testament to her durability.
Sunline had 48 starts and placed 12 times, with wins in all conditions over 1100 to 2040 metres, bowing out as one of the greatest horses to grace the Australian and New Zealand turf. Australia Post honoured her with a postage stamp.
Sunline had four foals, including two by Coolmore’s Rock of Gibraltar, a Zabeel colt and a Hussonet filly.
In 2009, Sunline succumbed to painful equine affliction laminitis "she leaves this world with a memory of equine magnificence that will not be erased" - Breeders Susan Archer and Michael Martin. A name forever etched into Australasian racing folklore.
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She was something special. Not only raced against the best horses of that time. She broke course records, which had stood for years. Gave me goosebumps watching her. Amazing.
Yep she did things horses now get lauded for the highest ratings or unbeaten runs, but its always the company and competition she kept which makes her in my top ten
I absolutely adored Sunline. Bonecrusher was my childhood hero, Sunline helped me through terrible times when I was older. She died two days after I found my Dad, who had passed away at home, and nobody told me about her passing because I was distraught enough as it was. She was just about the toughest racehorse I've ever seen in this part of the world. Not just mares, all horses.
Megan Brown yeah for sure that was another memorable performance I wish they had taken her up there earlier in her career . As Greg miles put it in the Caulfield stakes “the Sunline of old “ would’ve won that. The aussies have Winx and I marveled at her like all but she never left Aussie and that’s what sets our girl apart .
That's incredibly moving Megan. We hope this piece on Sunline has brought you some joy. 😊 Would you like us to explore any other Racing Icons on famous horses?
@@WorldHorseRacing Thank you, not going to lie, I find it difficult to watch anything of her without crying, but it's a good cry if that makes sense. For a long time I couldn't watch anything about her at all. It kind of tied in too much with my Dad's death. I really enjoyed this tribute you've made, it was poignant without being too sentimental or twee. Any feature on other NZ horses would make me happy, being a lifelong and proud supporter of our racehorses and breeding industry, haha.
Actually, would you consider doing videos on horses that have made their mark on the breeding side of things? Stallions get plenty of attention, especially those from the Northern Hemispere, but it would be cool to see some features on Australasian influences. There are a ton of blue hen mares out there, across the world, who aren't often as well-known as they should be. Just me being a bit of a nerd, lol.
@@WorldHorseRacing Champion jumps horses would be cool, too. A lot of them I have only read about, like Arkle, but some I have found decent footage on here, like Desert Orchid, Kauto Star etc... It would be great to have similar compilations to this for the jumps horses.
A great horse salute her.
I miss Sunline. Her 2000 Cox Plate win was breathtaking, I was privileged to be there for her 2 Plate wins. Better Loosen Up will always be my favourite racehorse, Sunline a half length 2nd favourite.
You were there for both? I'm not gonna lie, I'm incredibly jealous!
Wow, what a privilege to be trackside for Sunline's two Cox Plate wins. Which one do you rate as her greatest?
Better loosen up should have won the 92 cox plate but got stopped in his track numerous times
@@russe19642 You're 100% correct with that, Simon Marshall drove him straight into a wall, waiting for a gap that was never going to emerge. That was still the greatest Cox Plate that has ever been run
@@crashdavis721 there was a gap,slim one at best but i think it was king barts horse win at all cost that caused interference nearly causing him to fall,lets elope thats her.You could see he was going to run them down.I remember watching the cricket in western australia and they cut to the japan cup,it was the first time id seen him as i was only young then
She changed my families lives. We had good horses before her, but none will come close to the champ.
Certainly my favorite racehorse loved the way she lead or close to the lead from 600 out then hit top gear leaving most in her wake truely a champion of all ages
Sustained speed. They just couldn't go with her when she stepped on the gas. ⛽
I so miss her to this day. What a horse new zealand 🇳🇿
she was an absolute superstar who raced against a really vintage group of horses
Never protected at all - she was a high-class mare and deserves more praise.
@@WorldHorseRacing yep,that word protected certainly covers a few of the latest so called greatest
G.Child the best jockey on riding Sunlines.My best horse than ever.
She was amazing,
i lucky to have seen her
Which race did you witness Hugh?
@@WorldHorseRacing Sadly not in the flesh,only on tv,
I did see her mother Songline though,think was when Jan Hay trained her
World Horse Racing I saw her win the Waikato Sprint (Gr 1) in Hamilton NZ 2001 she won it in 02 as well. Huge buzz on course all day . Seen some great horses in the flesh but it’s something else when you see a great one that knows there a great one the way she paraded every thing about her was elite she looked like a stallion big and strong an air of arrogance about her and she put 5 lengths on them there was another great one in the field that day too called Ethereal winner of the Caulfield/ Melbourne cup
Really good, I wish I had heard about her earlier👏😊
Hopefully you can now appreciate just how good she was. 👍
Great race mare; pity more's not known about her. Double tough. 👍
As honest as they come. Took on the best. Raced in the world's biggest races. What a grand mare.
Are you serious? In NZ and Australia , she is a household name.
@@tonylove4800 I live in New England, dude. She was news to me.
Over 1200m, she have picked Frankel up and carried him.
@@tonylove4800 😅😂
True champion. So tough. Ever consistent when she got rolling out front she would just turn up the wick and some marvellous horses just couldn’t go with her it was one of her 2nds that stands out for me against lohnro. Getting on and past her best so to speak she was so so brave he just got her on the line ( Caulfield stakes) . She lost the race but no admirers the raw tenacity and will to win never left her. The last Truly Great racehorse to come from NZ
Her placing in Dubai also stands out for me. She got towelled up during the running, which in turn made her race somewhat unkindly. She had no business finishing as close as she did after that kind of run. She should have been swamped and most horses would have been.
We spoke to her strapper and trackwork rider recently, Claire Bird. She said: "She was incredibly tough, never ever stopped trying, and always gave it everything she had after doing it the hard way." So true.
World Horse Racing can you please do a segment on one of mine and many other Australasian racing fans favourites Rough Habit. He was such an awesome horse for so long . Or even Bonecrusher. These 2 meant so much to so many on both sides of the tasman sea
@@smpsmp6974 Sure, we'll look into both horses for you. Appreciate your support!
World Horse Racing thank you would mean a lot to see something done on them they’re hall of famers down here and both true cult heroes. And sports icons . Thanks for your videos, delivery and content your doing great things so well done . Cheers From NZ.
A truly Magnificient Kiwi Mare that the Racing Fraternity adored - I know I did.
Beautiful horse. Beautiful head and eyes. Damn that laminitis! ;(
When you take a good,look at what she did in Dubai, l believe you see a great horse robbed by sleazy tactics. Her Hong Kong mile effort where she beat Fairy King Prawn was beautiful to watch, her Cox Plate victories and even losses were breathtaking. I have seen the Epsom derby and been on racetracks all over the world, but this brave girl from Cambridge New Zealand, physically made me weep in the way she destroyed her race rivals from the front. She, unlike many other horses, was the punters friend.
Legend
She was my favorite until northerley turned up,but there wasn't the same animosity between the two camps like others had.She was the queen and he was the king and even sunlines trainer had admiration for northerley as fred kersley had for her.Both raced against world class competition and both weren't hidden from tackling handicaps with sunline carrying 60kgs in the Doncaster and northerley carrying 58kg in the Caulfield cup,boths efforts never seen before.How good would have it bern if northerley wasnt gelded and the offspring they could have produced,but we'll never know.In my top ten of horses in my lifetime
Over 1200m or 1400m, she would have picked Winx up and carried her. In fact, she may well have even had a chance against Black Caviar. If she had gone to Dubai and race in the mares' race she would have killed them. Or the sprint.