Koala King
Encyclopedia
Koala King was a former champion Australia
n Standardbred pacing horse of the 1970s and 80s who won a host of Australasian Pacers Grand Circuit
and feature races including the 1980 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship
at Harold Park Paceway
and the 1981 A G Hunter Cup
. He won a record 40 races at the old Harold Park Paceway prior to its closure.
He was a bay colt foaled in 1972 that was sired by Koala Frost from Tawain by U Scott (USA) from Jacinta by Protector from Cavatina by Arion Axworthy (USA) from Dilworth by Travis Axworthy (USA) from Muriel Dillon by Harold Dillon (USA) from Muriel Madison (USA) by James Madison from Dolly by Memo from Marguerite by Speculation. Koala King was a brother to Koala Kid who won $42,288. The future champion was purchased from the sales in the early 1970s for the modest sum of $1,300.
took the reins for many of his feature race wins.
On 28 July 1978 at Harold Park Koala King, the race favourite, was in the centre of major error when his driver Kevin Robinson mistook the laps in the main event. Robinson thought there was another lap to the finish when the field was in fact already at the finish. The crowd jeered the driver, but the stewards said it was an honest mistake but they suspended Robinson for six months.
Koala King contested the national hero and sentimental favourite Paleface Adios
in the 39th Inter Dominion
held in 1980 at Sydney. Paleface Adios was already a winner of over 100 races and eight Inter Dominion heats, but was denied victory in the championship final by a brilliant Koala King.
During his racing career Koala King competed and defeated some of the best pacers ever in Gammalite
, Pure Steel
and Michael Frost. His total race earnings were. $680,110.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n Standardbred pacing horse of the 1970s and 80s who won a host of Australasian Pacers Grand Circuit
Australasian Pacers Grand Circuit
The Australian Grand Circuit for Pacers began in 1977 and was designed to be the showpiece of the Australian Harness Racing Industry with horses competing from every state within Australia. In 1992 New Zealand was admitted and the Circuit was renamed the Australasian Grand Circuit.The best horses...
and feature races including the 1980 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship
Inter Dominion Pacing Championship
The Inter Dominion is a harness racing competition that has been contested since 1936 in Australia and New Zealand. The host of the series is rotated between the six harness racing states of Australia and the North and South Islands of New Zealand. The rotation of the Championships is fixed...
at Harold Park Paceway
Harold Park Paceway
Harold Park Paceway was a harness racing track in Glebe, New South Wales. It was a half-mile track but was just 739m in circumference until some changes in recent years...
and the 1981 A G Hunter Cup
A G Hunter Cup
The A.G. Hunter Cup is a competition in Harness racing. It is contested over 3,050 metres at Tabcorp Park in Melbourne, VIC. It is one of the world's richest handicap standing start events, currently worth A$425,000...
. He won a record 40 races at the old Harold Park Paceway prior to its closure.
He was a bay colt foaled in 1972 that was sired by Koala Frost from Tawain by U Scott (USA) from Jacinta by Protector from Cavatina by Arion Axworthy (USA) from Dilworth by Travis Axworthy (USA) from Muriel Dillon by Harold Dillon (USA) from Muriel Madison (USA) by James Madison from Dolly by Memo from Marguerite by Speculation. Koala King was a brother to Koala Kid who won $42,288. The future champion was purchased from the sales in the early 1970s for the modest sum of $1,300.
Racing record
Koala King was owned and trained by a South Coast trainer Ray Wisbey and his wife. Koala King was driven in the early part of his career by Kevin Robinson before Brian HancockBrian Hancock
Brian Hancock is a Welsh politician and member of Plaid Cymru. He was the Welsh Assembly Member for Islwyn for the Assembly's first term .-Background:...
took the reins for many of his feature race wins.
On 28 July 1978 at Harold Park Koala King, the race favourite, was in the centre of major error when his driver Kevin Robinson mistook the laps in the main event. Robinson thought there was another lap to the finish when the field was in fact already at the finish. The crowd jeered the driver, but the stewards said it was an honest mistake but they suspended Robinson for six months.
Koala King contested the national hero and sentimental favourite Paleface Adios
Paleface Adios
Paleface Adios was an Australian harness racing horse which competed as a pacer throughout the 1970s and early 1980s. He raced from 1972 to 1981, when there was top competition from the likes of the Hondo Grattan, Robalan and Pure Steel.He was a chestnut Standardbred pacer with a white blaze and...
in the 39th Inter Dominion
Inter Dominion
The Inter Dominion is a harness racing competition that has been contested since 1936 in Australia and New Zealand. The host of the series is rotated between the six harness racing states of Australia and the North and South Islands of New Zealand...
held in 1980 at Sydney. Paleface Adios was already a winner of over 100 races and eight Inter Dominion heats, but was denied victory in the championship final by a brilliant Koala King.
During his racing career Koala King competed and defeated some of the best pacers ever in Gammalite
Gammalite
Gammalite was an Australian bred Standardbred racehorse who was the first Standardbred to win A$1 million in Australia. He was regarded as one of Australia's most successful pacers with 16 Group one wins....
, Pure Steel
Pure Steel
Pure Steel is the only pacer to win the A G Hunter Cup, a race over 3,050 metres and the richest handicap race for pacers in the world, three times, in 1977, 1978 and 1980. He was the first Standardbred horse to win A$500,000 in Australia. Pure Steel also won the WA Benson & Hedges Cup four times...
and Michael Frost. His total race earnings were. $680,110.
Stud record
The most notable of Koala King’s progeny were:- Brunei Achilles, won $23,450
- Copper Regent 1:58.8 $88,749
- Jilliby Diamond 1987 F 2:07.7 $5,852; dam of Jilliby Spirit (won $415,382)
- Koala Sunrise (US)$308,396
- Palais Queen $6,328