Rising Fast
Encyclopedia
Rising Fast was an outstanding New Zealand
-bred Thoroughbred
racehorse
. In 1954 he became the only horse in history to win the Melbourne Cup
, Caulfield Cup
and Cox Plate
races in the same season - the Spring Grand Slam
- and since that time no Melbourne Cup winner has performed such a feat. He returned in 1955, again winning the Caulfield Cup but coming an unlucky second in the Melbourne Cup.
. He was a bay or brown gelding by Alonzo (GB) and from the mare Faster, by Mr. Standfast. Alonzo was a poorly performed racehorse having only won one race on the flat and one over the hurdles in England. Faster was unplaced at her only two starts, but produced seven winners from ten foals. Rising Fast was purchased at the 1950 New Zealand National Sales for 325 guineas by first time racehorse owner, Leicester R. Spring.
He was a seasoned five-year-old when he made the sea voyage to Melbourne
in 1954 for the spring (Southern Hemisphere
) carnival. He was already well known in racing circles when he arrived, but his accomplishment of winning the Spring Grand Slam
put him on front pages of newspapers in Australia, New Zealand and internationally.
Although many people consider the Melbourne and Caulfield Cup handicaps to be the blue ribbon
events of the carnival, racing aficionados generally agree the weight-for-age Cox Plate
is the contest that establishes genuine champions.
Nowadays, the Melbourne Cup is internationally known and Rising Fast was aiming for his sixth successive win. Race-goers still remember that the nine stone five pounds (59.5 kg) Rising Fast carried to win the cup in 1954, has never been matched or exceeded by a winner since. Nor has the race been won since by any top weighted horse, wearing number one saddle cloth, until Makybe Diva
did so in 2005. Rising Fast finished the 1954 season with wins which included the Turnbull Stakes
, Caulfield Stakes
, Caulfield Cup
, Cox Plate
, Melbourne Cup, LKS Mackinnon Stakes and VRC C.B.Fisher Plate
during a great spring campaign.
Rising Fast was ridden in the 1954 events by Melbourne jockey Jack Purtell, but he was replaced by Bill Williamson
the following year 1955 he again won the Caulfield Cup, for the second time.
He was handicapped with the formidable top weight of ten stone in the 1955 Melbourne Cup. It was a very wet and heavy track, a holdup at the barrier caused a delay of some five minutes, Bill Williamson the jockey decided to remain in the saddle, together with the lead weights making a very heavy burden for Rising Fast. Rising Fast began well, but in the last 200 metres he was jostled offstride by Toporoa ridden by Neville Sellwood and came a close second. The crowd expected jockey Williamson to protest, but owner Leicester Spring philosophically declared it was a racing incident and the protest was not lodged.
However, Neville Sellwood, the rider of Toporoa, was subsequently suspended for two months for interfering with the run of Rising Fast. Had Rising Fast won his record would have been two Caulfield Cups, a Cox Plate and two Melbourne Cups! and those wins would have been in successive years.
When Rising Fast retired, the Moonee Valley Racing Club held a special farewell for the champion, who strode up the straight with a garland of flowers around his neck, while the band played "The Maori Farewell."
Rising Fast is recognised in both Australia and New Zealand. He was inducted into both the New Zealand and Australian Racing Halls of Fame.
In 1971 Rising Fast's owner, Leicester Russell Spring, had his book, "Racing with Rising Fast" published.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
-bred Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
. In 1954 he became the only horse in history to win the Melbourne Cup
Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is Australia's major Thoroughbred horse race. Marketed as "the race that stops a nation", it is a 3,200 metre race for three-year-olds and over. It is the richest "two-mile" handicap in the world, and one of the richest turf races...
, Caulfield Cup
Caulfield Cup
The Caulfield Cup, one of Australia's richest Thoroughbred horse races and the richest of its type in the world is held annually by the Melbourne Racing Club. The race is a handicap like the Melbourne Cup, which means that horses that compete in the Caulfield Cup are capable of running on the...
and Cox Plate
Cox Plate
The W.S. Cox Plate is an Australian Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne every October by the Moonee Valley Racing Club to honour W.S. Cox, the club's founder. For three-year-olds and over, the race is considered to be the Weight for Age championship of Australasia...
races in the same season - the Spring Grand Slam
Spring Grand Slam
The Spring Gland Slam is the name used by many punters to informally describe the big three Thoroughbred horse races held in Melbourne, Australia, each Southern Hemisphere spring...
- and since that time no Melbourne Cup winner has performed such a feat. He returned in 1955, again winning the Caulfield Cup but coming an unlucky second in the Melbourne Cup.
Breeding
Rising Fast was bred by Frank Robertson at his Platform Lodge farm at Greytown in the WairarapaWairarapa
Wairarapa is a geographical region of New Zealand. It occupies the south-eastern corner of the North Island, east of metropolitan Wellington and south-west of the Hawke's Bay region. It is lightly populated, having several rural service towns, with Masterton being the largest...
. He was a bay or brown gelding by Alonzo (GB) and from the mare Faster, by Mr. Standfast. Alonzo was a poorly performed racehorse having only won one race on the flat and one over the hurdles in England. Faster was unplaced at her only two starts, but produced seven winners from ten foals. Rising Fast was purchased at the 1950 New Zealand National Sales for 325 guineas by first time racehorse owner, Leicester R. Spring.
Racing career
Raced by his owner Leicester Spring and trained by both Ivan Tucker and Fred Hoysted, Rising Fast's blue, gold and black colours soon became familiar on New Zealand race tracks.He was a seasoned five-year-old when he made the sea voyage to Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
in 1954 for the spring (Southern Hemisphere
Southern Hemisphere
The Southern Hemisphere is the part of Earth that lies south of the equator. The word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' or "half sphere"...
) carnival. He was already well known in racing circles when he arrived, but his accomplishment of winning the Spring Grand Slam
Spring Grand Slam
The Spring Gland Slam is the name used by many punters to informally describe the big three Thoroughbred horse races held in Melbourne, Australia, each Southern Hemisphere spring...
put him on front pages of newspapers in Australia, New Zealand and internationally.
Although many people consider the Melbourne and Caulfield Cup handicaps to be the blue ribbon
Blue ribbon
The blue ribbon is a term used to describe or symbolize something of high quality. The usage came from The Blue Riband, a prize awarded for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by passenger liners—and prior to that from Cordon Bleu which referred to the blue ribbon worn by a particular order...
events of the carnival, racing aficionados generally agree the weight-for-age Cox Plate
Cox Plate
The W.S. Cox Plate is an Australian Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne every October by the Moonee Valley Racing Club to honour W.S. Cox, the club's founder. For three-year-olds and over, the race is considered to be the Weight for Age championship of Australasia...
is the contest that establishes genuine champions.
Nowadays, the Melbourne Cup is internationally known and Rising Fast was aiming for his sixth successive win. Race-goers still remember that the nine stone five pounds (59.5 kg) Rising Fast carried to win the cup in 1954, has never been matched or exceeded by a winner since. Nor has the race been won since by any top weighted horse, wearing number one saddle cloth, until Makybe Diva
Makybe Diva
Makybe Diva is a British-bred, Australian-trained Thoroughbred who became the first racehorse to win the famed Melbourne Cup on three occasions: 2003, 2004, and 2005. In 2005, she also won the Cox Plate. Makybe Diva is the highest stakes-earner in Australasian horse racing history, with winnings...
did so in 2005. Rising Fast finished the 1954 season with wins which included the Turnbull Stakes
Turnbull Stakes
The Turnbull Stakes is a 2000 metre Group 1 Australian Thoroughbred horse race, run under set weights with penalties conditions. The race is held at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne in October. Total prize money is A$502,000. It is one of the important races of the Spring Racing Carnival along...
, Caulfield Stakes
Caulfield Stakes
The VATC Caulfield Stakes is now a Melbourne Racing Club Australian Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race run under weight-for-age conditions, for three-year-olds and upwards, at Caulfield Racecourse. The race was previously known as the Caulfield Stakes but since 1997 it has been referred to as the...
, Caulfield Cup
Caulfield Cup
The Caulfield Cup, one of Australia's richest Thoroughbred horse races and the richest of its type in the world is held annually by the Melbourne Racing Club. The race is a handicap like the Melbourne Cup, which means that horses that compete in the Caulfield Cup are capable of running on the...
, Cox Plate
Cox Plate
The W.S. Cox Plate is an Australian Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne every October by the Moonee Valley Racing Club to honour W.S. Cox, the club's founder. For three-year-olds and over, the race is considered to be the Weight for Age championship of Australasia...
, Melbourne Cup, LKS Mackinnon Stakes and VRC C.B.Fisher Plate
VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes
The VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes is a Victoria Racing Club Group 3 Australian Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old and over, under open handicap conditions, over a distance of 2500 metres.It is held at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne....
during a great spring campaign.
Rising Fast was ridden in the 1954 events by Melbourne jockey Jack Purtell, but he was replaced by Bill Williamson
Bill Williamson
Bill Williamson born William James Williamson was an Australian jockey who enjoyed considerable success in Australia during the 1950s and in Europe during the 1960s...
the following year 1955 he again won the Caulfield Cup, for the second time.
He was handicapped with the formidable top weight of ten stone in the 1955 Melbourne Cup. It was a very wet and heavy track, a holdup at the barrier caused a delay of some five minutes, Bill Williamson the jockey decided to remain in the saddle, together with the lead weights making a very heavy burden for Rising Fast. Rising Fast began well, but in the last 200 metres he was jostled offstride by Toporoa ridden by Neville Sellwood and came a close second. The crowd expected jockey Williamson to protest, but owner Leicester Spring philosophically declared it was a racing incident and the protest was not lodged.
However, Neville Sellwood, the rider of Toporoa, was subsequently suspended for two months for interfering with the run of Rising Fast. Had Rising Fast won his record would have been two Caulfield Cups, a Cox Plate and two Melbourne Cups! and those wins would have been in successive years.
When Rising Fast retired, the Moonee Valley Racing Club held a special farewell for the champion, who strode up the straight with a garland of flowers around his neck, while the band played "The Maori Farewell."
Rising Fast is recognised in both Australia and New Zealand. He was inducted into both the New Zealand and Australian Racing Halls of Fame.
In 1971 Rising Fast's owner, Leicester Russell Spring, had his book, "Racing with Rising Fast" published.