Poetic Prince, known in Australia as Our Poetic Prince, was an Australian bred and New Zealand trained race-horse that was a top performer at

Group 1 Group 1 may refer to: * Alkali metal, a chemical element classification for Alkali metal * Group 1 (racing), a historic (until 1981) classification for Touring car racing, applied to standard touring cars. Comparable to modern FIA Group N * Group On ...

level.

Racing career

Poetic Prince was trained by John Wheeler at New Plymouth.

Two year old season

After a third in his debut race at

Ellerslie Racecourse Ellerslie Racecourse is the main racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand, for thoroughbred racehorses. It is an undulating, grass circuit in the suburb of Ellerslie, with a circumference of just under 1,900 metres. Racing is conducted in a clockwi ...

on 18 April 1987 he won his next three races, at

Trentham Racecourse Trentham Racecourse is the main thoroughbred horse racecourse for the Wellington city area in New Zealand. It is located in the suburb of Trentham in Upper Hutt, next to Trentham Military Camp. The races are conducted by the Wellington Racing Clu ...

and Foxton over 1200m ridden by David Walsh and then Wairarapa (1400m) with Garry Phillips. He was then taken to

Eagle Farm Eagle Farm is an eastern industrial suburb of the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the , Eagle Farm had a population of 0 people. The neighbourhood of Whinstanes is located in Eagle Farm (). Geography Eagle Farm is situated nor ...

where he raced once, a sixth placing in the Castlemaine Stakes (1600m) on a heavy track behind Flotilla and Hunter.

Three year old season

Starting his season in New Zealand he won another four races in a row including a Group 3 1200m at Waikato from Weston Lea and Young Indian. Returning to Australia he performed at the very top level with the following: * first past the post in the 1987

Caulfield Guineas The Caulfield Guineas is a Melbourne Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held over 1600 metres (1 mile) at set weights for three-year-old horses at Caulfield Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia. Total prize money is A$3 million. The race ...

ridden by

Noel Harris Noel Harris, also known as "Harry" or "NGH", is a former jockey in Thoroughbred racing in New Zealand. He is notable for having ridden 2,167 raceday winners in New Zealand which is the fourth highest total behind Chris Johnson, David Walsh a ...

but was relegated to second behind Marwong in the Stewards room. * second in the 1987

Cox Plate The W. S. Cox Plate is a Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old and over under Weight for age conditions, over a distance of 2040 metres (approximately 1m 2f), that is held by the Moonee Valley Racing Club at Moo ...

, ridden by Gary Phillips, behind

Rubiton Rubiton (18 October 1983 – 25 November 2005) was a champion Australian Thoroughbred racehorse of the mid-1980s. He was bred by the Oamaru Stud in Victoria. Rubiton's name was a combination of "Ruby" and "ton", a colloquial term for 100 runs ...

. * fourth in the

Victoria Derby The Victoria Derby, also known as the Penfolds Victoria Derby, is a Victoria Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held under Set Weights conditions over a distance of 2,500 metres at Flemington Racecourse, in Melbour ...

, with

aboard again, behind Omnicorp and All Ashore. Third up after a spell

rode Poetic Prince to a win in the

Otaki-Maori Weight for Age The Otaki-Maori Weight For Age Stakes is a group 1 flat horse race held at Otaki racecourse in New Zealand, racing under the name El Cheapo Cars WFA Classic. History The race is held annually in February and is run under weight for age (WFA) ...

over 1600m from Westminster and Courier Bay. Another visit to Brisbane for four races included two second places, including the

Queensland Guineas The Queensland Guineas is a Brisbane Racing Club Group 2 Thoroughbred horse race held over 1600 metres, at set weights, for three-year-old horses held at Eagle Farm Racecourse in Brisbane, Australia in June during the Queensland Winter Racing Ca ...

(1600m) behind Planet Ruler.

Four year old season

With

aboard he won two 1400m weight-for-age races at Waikato and Hawkes Bay and then went to Moonee Valley to claim the 1988

Feehan Stakes The John F. Feehan Stakes is a Moonee Valley Racing Club Group 2 Australian Thoroughbred horse race held under Weight for Age conditions, for horses aged three years old and upwards, over a distance of 1600 meters at Moonee Valley Racecourse in S ...

(1600M) beating Flotilla, followed by a second in the

Caulfield Stakes The Might and Power, registered as the Caulfield Stakes is a Melbourne Racing Club Group One, Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race run under weight-for-age conditions, for three-year-olds and upwards, run over a distance of 2,000 metres at Caulfield R ...

(2000m) behind Sky Chase. His next race was his most significant victory, the 1988

where he beat the two kiwi champions,

Horlicks Horlicks is a sweet malted milk hot drink powder developed by founders James and William Horlick. It was first sold as "Horlick's Infant and Invalids Food", soon adding "aged and travellers" to their label. In the early 20th century, it was so ...

and

Bonecrusher Bonecrusher may refer to: * Bone crusher, a machine used to crush animal bones * Bonecrusher (horse), a New Zealand racehorse * Bonecrusher (Transformers), a fictional robot supervillain character in the Transformers robot superhero franchise. * ...

. Subsequent performances included the following: * fourth in the

Mackinnon Stakes The VRC Champions Stakes, registered as the ''LKS Mackinnon Stakes'', is a Victoria Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race run under Weight for Age conditions over a distance of 2000 metres at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia on ...

(2000m) behind

Empire Rose Empire Rose (1982–2002) was one of the most popular Thoroughbred mares to race in New Zealand and Australia. She was a gigantic chestnut, only just fitting into the barrier stalls in Melbourne. Trained by Laurie Laxon, one of New Zealand's ...

and

Vo Rogue Vo Rogue (12 Nov 1983 - 7 May 2012) was an Australian Racing Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse. He was sired by American-bred Ivor Prince whose racing career ended from injury after just two starts. Ivor Prince was a son of the British champi ...

. * victory in the

Waikato Sprint The Waikato Sprint currently run as the BCD Group Sprint is a Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race run at Te Rapa Racecourse in Hamilton in early February. It is currently held on the same day as the Group 1 Herbie Dykes Stakes. The list of winners ...

(1400m) over Courier Bay and Sirstaci. * third in the Group 1

New Zealand Stakes The New Zealand Stakes currently run as the Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes is a Group One thoroughbred horse race in New Zealand. It is run at Ellerslie racecourse on the final day of the Auckland Cup Week Carnival in March for a stake of $200,0 ...

(2000m) behind

The Gentry The Gentry is a Thoroughbred racehorse who won the New Zealand Derby in 1988. Born in 1985, he is the only classic-winning son of the brilliant galloper McGinty who beat the best on both sides of the Tasman in his racing career and with an ounce ...

and Maurine. * third in the

Australian Cup The Australian Cup is a Victoria Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for horses three years old and older, held under Weight for Age conditions, over a distance of 2000 metres, at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia in March du ...

(2000m) beaten by

and

Super Impose Super Impose (5 October 1984 – 23 March 2007) was a New Zealand-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame. In a career spanning 74 starts, he won eight Group One races and a then Australasian record ...

. * first in the

Tancred Stakes H E Tancred Stakes is an Australian Turf Club Group One, Group 1 Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race for horses three years old and older, run over 2,400 metres at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney, Australia. The prize money for the event ...

(2400m) over Top Class and Apollo Run. * winning the

Queen Elizabeth Stakes (ATC) The Queen Elizabeth Stakes, formerly known as the Queen's Plate, AJC Plate, and AJC King's Cup, is is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race run over a distance of 2,000 metres at Randwick Racecourse, Sydne ...

(2000m) at Randwick over Dandy Andy and

Beau Zam Beau Zam (6 November 1984 – 17 April 2000) was a New Zealand-bred and Australian-trained Thoroughbred racehorse that won five Group 1 races. Racing career Beau Zam was the first Australian horse to win over $2 million in stake money. Races h ...

. * winning the

(1400m) beating Straight Order and Krona. His final race was a sixth in the P.J. O'Shea Stakes behind Card Shark and

Tawrrific Tawrrific (1984–1999) was a Thoroughbred racehorse who is best remembered for winning the 1989 Melbourne Cup. Trained by Lee Freedman and ridden by Shane Dye, he won in the then record time of three minutes and 17.1 seconds. Early career A ...

on 3 June 1989. He was the

New Zealand Horse of the Year There is a New Zealand horse of the year in each of the racing codes: - Standardbred or harness racing, either pacers or trotters, and - Thoroughbred racing or gallopers. Harness Horse of the Year The New Zealand Harness Horse of the Year award ...

for the 1988/89 season. After his racing career he stood as a stallion at stud but was not as successful as he was on the track.

References

{{reflist Racehorses bred in Australia Racehorses trained in New Zealand 1984 racehorse births

Racing career

Two year old season

Three year old season

Four year old season

See also

References