Choisir and Danehill Inducted to Australian Hall of Fame

Tara Madgwick - Friday May 22
Australia's original Royal Ascot trailblazer Choisir and his legendary grandsire Danehill were among the new group of inductees welcomed into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame on Thursday night.

ChoisirStill going strong at age 15, Choisir paved the way for all those who have followed in winning the Group II King's Stand Stakes and Group I Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2003 for forward thinking trainer Paul Perry.

To this day no horse has been able to replicate his performance in winning not one but two races at arguably the world's greatest race meeting.

Choisir put Royal Ascot on the map as a legitimate goal for Australian trained horses and has played a pivotal role in raising global awareness of the Australian thoroughbred in a way no horse had done since Phar Lap won at Agua Caliente in 1932.

An explosive sprinter with a hulking golden physique that both shocked and impressed English racegoers, Choisir resulted from the blending of old Australian bloodlines with a new breed of sire – the shuttle sire.

His Irish bred sire Danehill Dancer (IRE) was a dual Group I winner in Ireland by the sire who changed the face of the global breeding industry Danehill.

DanehillUntil Danehill came along, stallions tended to be successful in their own corner of the world, but that all changed when Coolmore outbid Arrowfield to end their joint partnership in the stallion. 

Danehill made his mark first in Australia courtesy of his early years with Arrowfield with Golden Slipper winners Danzero, Flying Spur, Merlene, Catbird and Ha Ha, going on to be Champion Australian Sire on nine occasions. 

In later years from his base at Coolmore in Ireland, he was also Champion Sire in the UK/Ireland on three occasions and Champion Sire in France twice.

No stallion has had a bigger impact on the Australian racing and breeding industry since Star Kingdom (IRE) in the 1950's and 60's.

Joining Choisir and Danehill as other four legged inductees were Melbourne Cup winner Dalray (1957) and champion filly and Melbourne Cup winner Briseis (1873).

Jockeys inducted were Australia's most winning jockey Robert Thompson and renowned big race jockey Glen Boss, while the late George Moore was also promoted to legend status.

Trainers that were inducted on Thursday night were Brian Mayfield-Smith, the trainer that dethroned Tommy Smith after a dominant 33-year consecutive Sydney premiership reign.

Also Phar Lap's trainer Harry Telford and 1969 Golden Slipper winner Vain's trainer Jim Moloney.

Associates inducted were Gooree Stud's Eduardo M. Cojuangco Jnr and journalist Bert Lillye.


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