Redcraze

(1950 - 1967 ), Red Mars - Myosotis - Inducted in 2012

A handicapper with the ability to carry huge weights, and a superlative performer at weight-for-age, Redcraze was one of the greatest New Zealand thoroughbreds to race in Australia.

Biography

TRAINER: Syd Brown and T.J. Smith

OWNERS: -

RACE RECORD/STAKE MONEY: 85 starts: 32 wins, 11 seconds, 9 thirds/$142,962

Major Wins 

  • Turnbull Stakes
  • Caulfield Stakes
  • Caulfield Cup
  • Queen's Plate
  • Queen Elizabeth Stakes
  • Rawson Stakes
  • Autumn Stakes
  • MVRC W.S. Cox Plate

About

During his early racing career, no one could have foreseen the heights to which Redcraze would rise. He did not race at two, and as a three-year-old managed just two mediocre wins from 14 starts in New Zealand. At four he showed improved performance with 11 wins in a long season of 22 starts. Already he was showing the toughness and endurance which was to characterise him.

Brought to Australia in the spring of 1955 he soon made his mark in by defeating Rising Fast in the weight-for-age VRC Turnbull Stakes. After a break in New Zealand he returned for the Brisbane winter carnival where he won the QTC P.J. O'Shea Stakes and the QTC Brisbane Cup

Then followed a magnificent winning sequence in the spring of 1956 – the STC Hill Stakes, AJC Colin Stephen Stakes, AJC Metropolitan, VATC Caulfield Stakes and VATC Caulfield Cup. His Caulfield Cup win carrying a record 9 st. 13 lb. (63 kg.) was described as the finest in the history of the race. Penalised to carry 10 st. 3 lb. (65 kg.) in the Melbourne Cup he ran the race of his life to be caught on the post by the champion mare Evening Peal who was carrying 14 kg. less. During the rest of the season he won a further six races, all at weight-for-age, bringing his total for the year to 11 wins and four placings from 18 starts.

As a hardy seven-year-old Redcraze was to win two further races including the MVRC W.S. Cox Plate, bringing his career victories to 32 and making him the then greatest prize winner in Australian racing history.

Redcraze was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2012.