Kingston Town

Affectionately known as "The King", the horse has a book by Graeme Kelly written about him, and features in the classic video "The King and the Man", which details the career of both Kingston Town and the great champion sprinter of the same era, the mighty Manikato, trained by the legendary Bob Hoysted (a real gentleman, who always says hello when I see him).  The two horses remarkably never met in a race, but were the first two horses (Kingston Town in 1981, and Manikato in 1982) to pass the $1,000,000 in prize money earnings.  A turf idol in the 1980s, Kingston Town has just been inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame, alongside turf immortals Phar Lap, Tulloch, Bernborough and Carbine, as one of the 5 inaugural horse inductees, a great honour indeed.. 

Kingston Town remains the only horse to have ever won 3 WS Cox Plates, which he won in 1980, 1981 and 1982.  The great Kiwi mare Sunline is out to equal his record this year, having won the 1999 and 2000 runnings of Australia's greatest WFA race.  It is quite possible that we will never see the likes of him again, not for a long time anyway.  His other major wins included the AJC Derby, Rosehill Guineas, Tancred Stakes (now Mercedes Classic, as a 3yo), Sydney Cup (as a 3yo), Spring Champion Stakes, Queensland Derby, George Main Stakes (twice), Caulfield Stakes (twice), Western Mail Classic, Warwick Stakes (3 times), Chelmsford Stakes (3 times). 

His greatest performance was probably in defeat, when he ran the closest of seconds in the 1982 to Gurner's Lane, who also won the Caulfield Cup that year.  Kingston Town lost by a neck, conceding the winner 3kgs, and was only pegged back in the shadows of the post, and was lifting again.  He was ridden in that race by his regular rider, Malcolm Johnston, in what Johnston also acknowledges was not his best performance on the horse, and the ride probably cost him the race.  However, Johnston had always 'made his own luck' on the horse, and later said that he was prepared to cope all the blame for the horse's defeat, and that he hated people saying "Kingston Town got beat in the Melbourne Cup, because that was one accolade that horse deserved to have".  Kingston Town was also placed in the Caulfield Guineas, Caulfield Stakes, Caulfield Cup and VRC Derby.  

He was trained by the legendary TJ Smith, but unfortunately chronically unsound for the majority of his career, which shows what a truly great horse he really was.  Severe leg problems (mainly suspensory ligament) forced him out of 3 successive Sydney autumn campaigns (and he was unquestionably a better horse in Sydney), so one wonders what his record might have been had he been sound.  His bad legs were to ultimately bring his brilliant career to a premature end, although his owner Hains tried on several occasions to bring the great horse back, even taking him overseas to the USA for specialist treatment on those troublesome forelegs, alas, to no avail.  His last race was a victory, following his second in the Melbourne Cup he travelled to Perth where he won the Railway Stakes (G1), after being at least 10 wide on the home turn. 

He remains the best horse I have ever seen race, and a very very great favourite of mine.  He continues to be the measuring stick for the modern thoroughbred in Australia.  Most good judges felt he would have been equally successful on the international stage had his connections ventured overseas with him at his peak.  A truly great horse!

 

1982 George Main Stakes

 

1982 George Main Stakes