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northerly (dict)
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NortherlyOne of Australia's champion horses of the modern era, Northerly, trained by Western Australian harness racing legend Fred Kersley, won nine Group One races, including the Australian Cup twice, and the Cox Plate, regarded as the Weight for Age championship of Australasia, also on two occasions. Northerly was especially renowned for his desire to win and never give up attitude. Northerly's first significant victory was the 2000 G1 Railway Stakes in his native Perth. Although he beat the best Western Australia had to offer, the relatively low quality of WA racing and his light weight carried meant that he did not immediately register as a future superstar, despite winning by the best part of three lengths. Northerly's Autumn 2001 campaign created his reputation as one of Australia's very best racehorses. Following a first up second in the unsuitably short Australia Day Stakes in Perth, Northerly arrived in Melbourne for a campaign aimed at the Australian Cup. Northerly won his first race in Melbourne, the G2 Carlyon Cup over 1600m, in a convincing manner, by almost four lengths, beginning his successful relationship with New Zealand jockey Greg Childs. Following a third carrying 59 Kg at Caulfield, Northerly headed to the G1 WFA Australian Cup over 2000m at Flemington, for the first time facing the highest quality opposition. Northerly raced three wide for a significant part of the race, yet still managed to win by 3.3 lengths, and break the record for 2000m. Greg Childs described his performance thus: " "On that run today, to break the track record after racing three-wide, you'd have to say he's already on the way up to Sunline's status. He's not quite Sunline yet, but he's got all the hallmarks of a champion." Sunline, a champion New Zealand mare, had won the Cox Plate for two years running, and was regarded as one of the finest mares to ever race in Australia. Northerly was spelled for the winter, and game back for the spring with one goal in mind: To win the Cox Plate. Northerly's campaign started in Perth, winning first up before a fighting seconf under 62 Kg before coming to Melbourne, where he met Sunline for the first time in the G2 WFA Feehan Stakes in mid September. This time Damien Oliver took the ride, as Greg Childs was committed to Sunline. The great mare looked home at the top of the straight, but the 'Fighting Tiger' put his head down to reel her in, and win by a neck. The feat was all the more remarkable for the on pace bias renowned at the 'Valley'. Greg Childs, who was riding Sunline that day, had this to say about his performance: "Sunline was at peak fitness, we took off early and he looked a beaten horse. But he nailed us on the line. It was his determination. Often he looked to be struggling but he kept coming". Northerly won his next two starts convincingly, the G1 Underwood Stakes, and the G1 Caulfield Stakes. Whilst these were impressive victories, they were not sufficient to gain favouritism for the Cox Plate over Sunline, the sentimental favourite, who had also impressively won the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington. The 2001 Cox Plate was the race to finally decide the premier horse in Australia - Sunline or Northerly. Sunline, as in 2000 when she won by a huge margin, looked the winner at the turn, but once again Northerly put his head down, and reeled the champion mare in over the straight. The result was very controversial, as it was alleged that Northerly had severely hampered Sunline over the straight, ultimately, however, the stewards ruled in favour of the Western Australian, and despite the unpopularity of the result (more a testament to great affection for Sunline than any ill feeling towards Northerly) he had proved himself a true champion of the turf, having taken on and beaten all comers in one brilliant Spring. Northerly returned home to Perth, and Fred Kersley chose to give the home town crowd a chance to see their famous son in action, in the Railway Stakes. However, the 61.5 Kg and wear and tear of the Spring proved to be too much, as he finished an uncharacteristic 11th out of a field of 16. On that day he was beaten by the Lindsey Smith trained Old Comrade, who was to once again beat Northerly in the Australian Cup in March. Northerly had shown excellent lead up form, a close second in the C.F Orr Stakes over 1400m at Caulfield, followed by a convincing victory in the St. George Stakes at the same venue a fortnight later. However, Northerly was not at his best on Australian Cup day, being grabbed by Old Comrade in the shadows of the post. It was, nevertheless, a fine effort, but he was beaten by the better horse on the day. After a tough campaign with very little rest stretching from August to March, Fred Kersley decided to give Northerly a good spell leading up to an attempt to win a second Cox Plate, and the Caulfield Cup, in an attempt to win the mile and a half race after winning the Cox Plate, which had been done by no horse since Tobin Bronze. As always, Northerly began his preparation in his native Perth, and the short trip and 60 Kg weight again proved the better of him. He was sent out favourite in the Memsie Stakes over 1410m, however, at the age of 5 it was clear he was now suited to longer distance races, and proved it with a strong win one week later in the G2 Craiglee Stakes over one mile at Flemington. Narrow victories in the Underwood (G1) and Turnbull (G2) Stakes followed, as he geared up towards creating history in the Caulfield Cup. Create history he did. Aided by a brilliant front running ride by Greg Childs, Northerly carried 58 Kg, the highest weight carried by a cup winner in many years, and managed to resist the late charge of Fields of Omagh (who proved his ability by winning the Cox Plate the next year). This race emphatically proved his will to win, and the fighting spirit which separated him from the rest. The Caulfield crowd knew they had seen the performance of a genuine champion, and showed their appreciation with a raptuous reception as he returned to the mounting yard. Greg Childs: "With 58 kilos, the way the race was run, he was always open to be run down by a lighter-weighted horse. I let him stride at the 600m which is what Fred wanted. I knew he would be vulnerable to a lighter-weighted horse in the last 50m but he just kept going." The next week the champ returned to Moonee Valley and repeated his feat of the previous year. The quality of the win is underlined by the calibre of horse that he beat on that day. No less than Defier, Grandera, Sunline, Fields of Omagh, and Lonhro filled the next five places. Speaking after his amazing spring, legendary Racing Steward Des Gleeson had this to say about the champ: "The champion of his era. His Caulfield Cup win was brilliant with the big weight, and he backed up in the Cox Plate and blitzed them. He had a big motor." There has been considerable specualtion on whether if Northerly had run, he could have won the Melbourne Cup. It is impossible to say, obviously, but Fred Kersley knew the abilities of his horse better than anyone else, and reasoned that due to the fact that he would have to carry 60 Kg, and that the race could possibly wear him out to the point he couldn't race for a long period of time, it would be too much of a risk to put him in the two mile race. Northerly's Autumn 2003 campaign was to prove less successful. With no races in Perth which would not see Northerly carry an impossible weight, the champ had his first up start in the C.F Orr stakes, where he finished a respectable fourth. A fortnight later he was at the scene of some of his greatest triumphs, Caulfield, where he beat home a field of only four on a wet track. The handicappers again got to him again when he backed up a week later in the Victoria Gold Cup at Caulfield once again, finishing second to a horse with no less than a 9 Kg advantage on him. Sent out a short priced favourite the next week for the Australian Cup, Northerly did not disappoint, beating something of a weak field by four lengths. Having achieved everything he could in Melbourne, Fred Kersley sent Northerly to Sydney for what turned out to be something of a disappointing campaign by his standards. In his first race, the Ranvet Stakes (G1), Northerly sat second behind Freemason for the trip, and looked the winner in sight of the finishing post, only to be run down by the late swooper Republic Lass. The Manion Cup (G3) again saw the champ carry an impossible weight, of 61 Kg, and he was well beaten. Nevertheless, he was sent out $1.44 favourite in the G1 WFA BMW the following week. In what was an astounding war from the 800m mark onwards, Northerly was beaten a nose by Freemason, who was given a brilliant ride by Darren Beadman. These three races in Sydney were to prove the only blot on a remarkable record. Sadly for Northerly's great legion of fans, in August 2003 swelling was found in his off-fore leg. This revealed a torn tendon, and with it, Northerly's career seemed over. Bucking the odds, Northerly revealed his fighting spirit once again to make a return in August 2004. Months of speculation ended when Northerly galloped and then trialled successfully. A crowd of 30,000 descended on Belmont racecourse in Perth with just one thing in mind: To see the return of a champion. It so very nearly turned out to be a fairytale finish. Carrying 64.5 Kg, Northerly sat 4th for the journey, getting to the lead in sight of the post, and just being swamped on the line. It was a truly amazing effort, and can surely be rated as courageous as his Cox Plate and Caulfield Cup wins. Unfortunately, after two reasonable performances considering the circumstances, his tendon flared up again, and not wishing to risk the horse he loved, Kersley immediately chose to retire him, where a lush, green paddock surely awaits. Northerly Bay Gelding 1996 (Serheed-North Bell) Trained by Fred Kersley at Forrestdale, Western Australia. 37 Starts; 19 wins (9 Group One), 7 seconds, 2 thirds. Prizemoney $9,341,850. Group 1 wins: 2000 Railway Stakes 1600m - Ascot 2001 Australian Cup 2000m - Flemington 2001 Underwood Stakes 1800m - Caulfield 2001 Yalumba Stakes 2000m - Caulfield 2001 Cox Plate]] 2040m - Moonee Valley 2002 Underwood Stakes 1800m - Caulfield 2002 Caulfield Cup 2400m - Caulfield 2002 Cox Plate 2040m - Moonee Valley 2003 Australian Cup 2000m - Flemington Course records Flemington 2000m, 1:59.4 (Australian Cup 2001) Caulfield 1600m, 1:35.1 (Carlyon Cup 2001) Legendary racing writer Les Carlyon has the definitive word on the champ: "He fools you every time he races. He has the body language of a loser and a heart as big as the Nullarbor. He invariably looks to be struggling, a shambles of a horse blundering around on memory while his jockey pumps and blusters. Then he gets going. One instant Northerly looks beaten, the next he looks unbeatable. The closer he gets to the post, the harder he tries. He grinds on. And on. And on. He simply refuses to be beaten." Sources: The Age Herald Sun http://www.ausracing.net.au/images/newpics/pagehtml/northerly.htm http://www.thoroughbredvillage.com.au/Northerly/Home.asp http://www.expertform.com --TimHickman 09:11, 6 Jan 2005 (UTC)
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