Black Caviar and Winx to be elevated to Legend status in Australian Racing Hall of Fame
The mighty mares were both freakish champions and trying to determine who is the best is the subject of robust debate.
There is a school of thought that comparing champions of different eras is a futile exercise but racing – and other sports – is built on comparisons.
We all like to consider how Phar Lap would have gone against today's champions. Or, who is the best racehorse, Secretariat or Frankel?
It's the same in other sports. In cricket, we are forever comparing the records of modern day batters like Steve Smith to the legendary Sir Donald Bradman.
In rugby league, is Wally Lewis better than Andrew Johns? Is Reg Gasnier or John Raper the best of them all?
• PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW!
It's the same with AFL. There's plenty in Leigh Matthews' corner, Gary Ablett Senior is in the conversation, as are Ted Whitten, John Coleman and Tony Lockett.
There are always comparisons between Michael Jordan or LeBron James as the best basketballer, and does any boxer challenge Muhammad Ali as the greatest of all-time?
In tennis, there is ongoing debate about the best player of the modern era – Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic? And how do they rate against the only man to win the Grand Slam twice, Rod Laver?
The point is comparing champion racehorses is like debating the greats of other sports – it's a fun exercise and we all do it.
But when analysing the race careers of Winx and Black Caviar, how do you split them?
This was the dilemma facing the Australian Racing Hall of Fame selection committee when determining which of these two mares would be elevated to 'Legend' status at the Hall of Fame-Racehorse of the Year awards in Brisbane on August 31.
There are only three racehorses elevated to the Legend category so far – Phar Lap, Carbine and Makybe Diva – and it is the most elite honour in Australian racing.
Winx and Black Caviar are both deserving of 'Legend'' status, it was just a matter of when.
And trying to decide who would go in first was like asking which mare would win if they clashed over 1400m at weight-for-age?
In the end, the selection panel simply couldn't split them and made the unprecedented but sensible call to elevate both Winx and Black Caviar to 'Legend' status the same year.
'It is fitting Black Caviar and Winx are going in as a 'Legend' together,'' said Peter Moody, trainer of Black Caviar.
'They are both great mares and it was only a matter of time, with all due respect, they were both going to get that honour and very deservedly so.''
Perfection! ðŸ'¯
Do yourself a favour & watch Black Caviar's 25 wins from 25 starts �
Which victory was your favourite? pic.twitter.com/ejIuDyuXEj
— Racing.com (@Racing) August 17, 2024
•
Hall of Fame chairman Jason Scott echoed the sentiments of the entire selection panel when he said: 'Debate has raged for years over which of the two champion mares is the greatest we've seen, however what is certain is that their legacies transcend far beyond the boundaries of racing.
'It's deserving that they both be bestowed 'Legend' status in the Australian Racing Hall of Fame together, befitting of their stature as two of the best we have and will ever have the (good) fortune to see'.
Winx won 37 of her 43 races, including her last 33 races in succession, featuring a world record 25 at Group 1 level. She was so good they made a movie about her.
'I always admired Winx's determination and the uncomplicated way she went about her work and racing,'' Waller said. 'She didn't require any extra fuss.
'She was a high performance athlete with an amazing amount of talent, and she captured the imagination.
'When I talk to people about Winx, there's nothing but ultimate respect for her. It is fitting she has been elevated to 'Legend' status.''
"IT'S EQUINE UTOPIA!"
It wouldn't be Cox Plate week without the four-time champion Winx - the most successful Cox Plate horse in history 🙌
If you're looking for more Cox Plate replays, you can head to https://t.co/Ga3GHuaAKJ 's Vault to watch them ðŸ'‰ https://t.co/rnwadynQhP pic.twitter.com/MnNVRdF6zU
— Racing.com (@Racing) October 24, 2024
Black Caviar was simply unbeatable. 25 starts, 25 wins, 15 at Group 1 level. Surely there has never been a better sprinter than this magnificent mare.
She won most of her races effortlessly, running fast times and breaking the hearts of her chasing rivals. Even when she wasn't at her absolute best, like the 2012 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, they still couldn't beat her.
'Black Caviar changed my life,'' Moody said. 'Every day, I still think about her and then when Royal Ascot comes each year around you relive those great memories again. She was a once-in-a-lifetime horse.''
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
‘A bit too much': Willie Rioli's shock revelation after threat ban fallout
Port Adelaide forward Willie Rioli has revealed he almost quit the game after being caught sending threats to opposition players but he's stayed to continue to champion the cause of indigenous players. Rioli was suspended for a game in May and hit with fines after revelations of a social media threat to Western Bulldogs defender Bailey Dale with a further two instances of similar aggression to opponents coming to light. He earned support from Port chairman, David Koch, who suggestion Rioli was subjected to 'culturally insensitive' remarks, which was shot down by the Bulldogs in a war of words between the two clubs. It was putting Port in the spotlight for the wrong reasons, and the fallout from the incident moved Rioli to contemplate walking away. 'Definitely it gets to a point where it's a bit too much sometimes,' Rioli told Port's club podcast, Peeled. 'And yeah I have spoken to my manager and the club a couple of times about walking away from the game, which I am not shy to talk about. 'More so ... trying to not be putting any more pressure on the club. Get them out of the spotlight as well, in terms of not have to deal with my issues so much as a person off-field.' Remarkably, Rioli even said he took a 'bit of the blame' for a drop off in indigenous player numbers, a feeling dating back to copping an 18-month suspension for tampering with his marijuana-tainted urine sample while at West Coast. 'I do hold a bit of blame myself a little bit for some of the stuff I have been through, in terms of clubs not trusting Indigenous players,' he said, declaring righting that wrong, and improving perceptions was why he's still playing. 'I felt that was my driver to come back to footy ... be the light in terms of 'we can go through this'. 'I look at the drop in terms of Indigenous players in the competition ... that gives me the motivation to stick around longer, to help the next generation do better than what we are doing or what I am doing. 'I want the next (Indigenous) generation to be better than what we are right now. 'And I want them to have their confidence to make mistakes and not be judged by their mistakes.'

News.com.au
2 hours ago
- News.com.au
Billy Brownless targeted by social media trolls over anniversary post
Billy Brownless has found himself the target of social media trolls as the AFL icon celebrated his one year anniversary with partner Crystle Fleur. The 198-game Geelong Cats star was soaking up the bubbling romance, but a post on social media quickly took an ugly turn. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. Fleur, 52, took to social media to gush about Brownless, 58, and hinted at what may be in store for the couple. 'Happy 1st anniversary to this amazing man!' Fleur captioned the upload. '365 days of love, laughter and amazing adventures as we fly off to start the biggest one yet.' And while the post received a flood of support from friends, the nasty comments quickly began to pour in. One commenter wrote: 'Money can buy u happiness.' A second posted: 'And I thought Bradman batted way above his average.' A third added: 'Gary Lyon somewhere lurking looking to swoop in at any given opportunity.' Another wrote: 'Punching above your weight there big man.' Several however came to the defence of Brownless and took aim at the trolls trying to dampen the happiness of the couple. A fed up commenter wrote: 'I can't believe some of the comments on this! People are gross, and likely just jealous of you guys (or unhappy in their own sh*tty lives). You both look very happy. Congrats on 1 year, & many more to come!' Former AFL player Dale Thomas wrote: 'Congrat guys' alongside the raising hands emoji. Brownless and Fleur went public with their relationship in October last year at Geelong's best and fairest night. The then 57-year-old Cats Hall of Famer was seen arm in arm with the 52-year-old mum of three with the two being sighted at a plethora of events since. The pair had reportedly been going strong for two months before their first public outing. The happy couple were spotted after the AFL Grand Final speaking with his ex-wife Nicky Brownless and former best mate and Melbourne great Garry Lyon. Brownless and Nicky were together for 18 years before splitting in 2014. In 2016 Lyon's friendship with Brownless fell apart after he went public with Nicky. A month after their relationship made headlines, Billy revealed how the relationship had impacted his family, saying 'a good mate wouldn't do that'. 'I couldn't believe it. I found out three or four months ago. I asked Garry and Nicky earlier on what is going on and they said they were just good friends,' he said on the Footy Show at the time. 'That's what hurts the most.' The former best mates have since reunited with the duo spending several Christmases together as an extended family. Lyon surprised Nicky in December, 2023 when he proposed and she said yes. Nicky clearly wasn't expecting the move, announcing the news of the engagement on her Instagram account, posting a black and white photo of the pair embracing with the caption 'the best surprise'. The duo, who have been together for eight years, took off to New York shortly after the proposal.

ABC News
2 hours ago
- ABC News
North Burnett Regional Council hands down Queenland's biggest rate increase
A Queensland council has blamed spiralling costs and stagnant growth for a record rate increase. The financially struggling North Burnett Regional Council raised general rates by 25 per cent in its $69-million, 2025-26 budget delivered on Monday morning, surpassing Townsville City Council's recent 20 per cent increase for some owner-occupiers. All separate charges, such as sewerage, water and waste, as well as and levies for local disasters, natural resource and landfill management have increased by 19 per cent. Mayor Les Hotz said the increase – which would amount to more than $800 per year for residential ratepayers – was necessary to pay for council's utilities and services without relying on additional government grants. He said the added revenue from the increased rates and fees would shave about $2.6m off the council's deficit and bring it down to about $8m at the end of this financial year. "We're just trying to meet the costs without having to reach out and ask our state and federal government to assist," he said. "I'm sympathetic toward the the ratepayer that is struggling, the pensioner and those that do not have work. Pensioner Colin Boot was in the public gallery for the budget meeting at Gayndah Community Hall. The 81-year-old Gayndah resident said he would have to cut down on other expenses. "I just can't see where we're going to get that extra money … the only thing I can see is [cancelling] insurance," Mr Boot said. "Ten per cent — we would have coped with it somehow, but 25 per cent?" Resident and former councillor Dael Giddens said families would likely cut back on after-school activities. "You might have had the kids playing cricket and soccer and doing swimming," she said. The North Burnett region is one of the largest in the state, covering almost 20,000 square kilometres and a total of more than 4,800km of sealed and unsealed roads owned by the council and the state government. Chief executive Craig Matheson said council's approach to the budget was guided by previous community consultation that "unequivocally showed" that residents wanted existing services retained. "It was a challenge, but we knew without a doubt what the community wanted," he said. Mr Matheson said costs had increased by 10 per cent in recent years but the ratepayer base of 6,323 properties had only grown by one per cent in the last decade. First-term councillor Trina Vaughn voted against the budget because of the added burden it would place on ratepayers already struggling with the cost of living. "I've spoken with people who are going without medication because they just can't make ends meet," she said. "It's definitely a problem that has been imposed on us by the current climate and it's not just a North Burnett Regional Council problem — it is Australia-wide." Deputy Mayor Melinda Jones voted against the budget but was in favour of raising fees and charges. "We've weathered fires and floods and now we need to weather something else — the cost of catching up," she said. The budget's long-term forecast indicates that the council's cash reserves will dwindle to less than one month's operating expenditure before rising above the target of four months by 2032-33. Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) chief executive Alison Smith said the rate increase showed councils had "reached a tipping point" beyond which they could no longer pay for community services.