Kingston Town (horse)
Kingston Town | |
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Sire | Ascot Racecourse |
Last updated on 23 October 2009 |
Kingston Town (31 August 1976 – March 1991) was a champion Australian
Background
He was by Bletchingly, later a Leading sire in Australia, his dam, Ada Hunter (GER) was by Andrea Mantegna (FR).[1] Ada Hunter was the dam of nine foals, but Private Thoughts (a brother to Kingston Town) was her only other stakes winner. She was later exported to the United States.[2] Kingston Town was bred by David Hains, who sold a share in him to G. Monsborough and his wife after the horse failed to reach his reserve as a yearling.
Racing career
He was trained throughout his career by
In the autumn of his three-year-old season, Kingston Town won six races in a row, including the
The final 23 starts of Kingston Town's career, which produced a further 16 wins, were unusual in that he only raced at the spring carnivals of 1980, 1981, and 1982, and injury prevented him from campaigning at the 1981, 1982, or 1983 autumn carnivals. Each of the three preparations consisted of winning weight-for-age races in Sydney, such as the
Kingston Town won 21 successive stakes races in Sydney - beaten by Winx who retired winning her last 24 starts in succession.
Kingston Town's win in the 1982 Cox Plate was marked by Bill Collins's famously incorrect prognostication that 'Kingston Town can't win', which was hastily revised to '... he might win yet the champ ... Kingston Town's swamping them ... Kingston Town...' According to The Age's Glenn Lester,[3] 'the call is so intricately woven into the "King's" history-making third Cox Plate win that it's difficult to decide which was the most memorable element of the race: the broadcast or the victory itself'. Elsewhere, however, it is described as a 'gaffe',[4] and the replay supports this view in that Kingston Town was within a few lengths of the lead at the time. Greg Miles, however, a well-respected racecaller of longstanding, who was also broadcasting the Cox Plate of 1982, states that he also made the same claim as Collins at almost the same time.
After running his last race in Australia, in November 1982, Kingston Town was sent to America on 15 February 1984 in an attempt to overcome his leg problems, but he did not race in the United States. He was returned to Australia, and, in 1985, an attempt was made to resurrect his career, but he was scratched from his scheduled race and retired.
Retirement
Along with
In March 1991, Kingston Town was put down after failing to recover from a leg injury that he suffered while playing with another horse, his favourite paddock-mate.
Pedigree
Sire Bletchingly 1970 |
Biscay (AUS) 1965 |
Star Kingdom (IRE) 1946 | Stardust (GB) |
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Impromptu (IRE) | |||
Magic Symbol (AUS) 1956 | Makarpura (GB) | ||
Magic Wonder (AUS) | |||
Coogee (GB) 1959 |
Relic (USA) 1945 | War Relic (USA) | |
Bridal Colors (USA) | |||
Last Judgement (GB) 1948 | Fair Trial (GB) | ||
Faustina (GB) | |||
Dam Ada Hunter (GER) 1970 |
Andrea Mantegna (FR) 1961 |
Ribot (GB) 1952 | Tenerani (ITY) |
Romanella (ITY) | |||
Angela Rucellai (GB) 1954 | Rockefella (GB) | ||
Aristareta (ITY) | |||
Almah (GB) 1957 |
Alycidon (GB) 1945 | Donatello II (FR) | |
Aurora (GB) | |||
Gradisca (FR) 1943 | Goya (FR) | ||
Phebe (FR) (family: 12-b) |
See also
- List of racehorses
- List of leading Thoroughbred racehorses
- List of millionaire racehorses in Australia
- Repeat winners of horse races
References
- ^ ASB Retrieved 26 April 2009
- ^ ASB: Private Thoughts Retrieved 2010-12-10
- ^ "Five of the best - theage.com.au". www.theage.com.au.
- ^ "Dinkum Aussies - Kingston Town".
- ^ "Racing and Sports - Leaders in Horse Racing News, Statistics and Technology". www.racingandsports.com.au.