Australia's No. 1 Horse

Chronicle (Levin), 3 July 1946, Page 6

Australia's No. 1 Horse

"False Rail")

by

Bernborough, Australia's ino. i horse to-day, may have risen to t'ame long before he actually did, and when Mr. A.-O. Romans bought him for 2,600 guineas he seeured a bargain. Bred in 1939, Bernborough went to the sale ring with his" dam the followihg year, and was sold to Mr. F. Bach for 155 guineas. Shortly after this, Bach ran into trouble with the law and sold the colt for less than £100 to Mr. A. E. Hedwin. From that stage on.. trouble and Bernborough travelled together. As a two-year-old he was training for a race in Brisbarie, but the Queensiand Turf Club refused his nominafcion under Rule 62, which enables che club to refuse entry without explanation. As soon as the ban was lifted, Bernborough went to Toowoomba and won his first race. He was then leased until he was a uhree-year-old. At that time Bernborough had gained a big reputation and was hot favourite for the roowoomba Cup, a nine furlong event, but on the morning of the race he was withdrawn. This annoyed the Toowoomba officials and they again imposed Rule 62 for a period of six months. Offers for Bernborough came from all directions, one being 5000 guineas from Sydney, as well as other substantial figures. When Mr. Hedwin tried to race uhe son of Emborough at Brisbane he was again refused, so he took a trip to Sydney, but there he met trouble also. No clearance could seeured from Brisbane and the A'ustralian Jockey Club refused him j entry, so back home went Bern- ■ borough. When the six month-f ! were up, Bernborough raced suc- ; cessfully at Toowoomba again, but ' the Queensland Turf Club stil! i remained firm, and refused the rac- ' ing of the horse on its course. Again j Mr. Hedwin tried to race the horse ! in Sydney, but the ban was stii. | imposed. Doubting that the horse I would ever race again, Mr. Hedwin | decided to send him up for auction ! In October, 1945, Bernborough | was sold to Mr. A. O. Romans, who J through correspondence, brough. I an understanding between thc j Q.T.C. and the A.J.C. and Bernl borough's clearance was issued | Although he did not know it then, Mr. Romans seeured one of the greatest bargains of the decade. He is the greatest horse since Phai | Lap and is even acclaimed in AusI tralia as one of the greatest horses in the world. When he won the T.M. Ahern Handicap at Doomben, i his second to iast start to date, several tributes were paid to him, and the following are some: — Owner of second horse, Cragsman: "I thought my horse was home half a furlong from the post. It took the best horse in the world to beat him." Rider of second horse: "Bernborough didn't just gallop; he flew past Cragsman when I thought I had the race won." Rider of third horse: "I thought I might peg Cragsman in. the straight, but inside the last furlong, I could hear a horse coming behind me like a hurricane. When I looked across a second later I saw it was Bernborough. He left me standing." j Bernborough's jockey, A. Mulley: . "Bernborough was so far behind j the leaders that I could hardly see ! them, but when I felt him take hold of the bit, I knew he would win. He galloped so fast that nothing could beat him." Bernborough may make history as his record is already ten successive victories. Bernborough's sue cess has brought prominence to hi sire, Emboroueh, who was littl known previously as such. Bernborough is out of Bern Maid f twenty-year-old mare. He is caus- '• ing the handicapper for the Mel | bourne Cup some trouble as he can j not find a weight suitable. i