One of the most exciting sprint-milers and favourite among punters in Australia was none other than Manikato, a chestnut gelding that had one of the most glorious racing careers in the history of Australian horse racing.
The gelding by Manihi from Markato did his owner proud, bringing home stake money worth $1,154,210. From 47 starts, the gelding has 29 wins, 8 second places, and 5 third places to his credit. Almost every major race has Manikato's name inscribed on the trophy including the Golden Slipper Stakes, Queen Elizabeth, and Blue Diamond Stakes. One of the best sprinters in Australia, Manikato had a double cross of Fair Trial, a British Thoroughbred race horse and champion sire in the fourth generation, and was a descendant of Nearco, an Italian Thoroughbred race horse, through his dam.
Manikato extended his winning spree by lifting four trophies in the Futurity Stakes, five William Reid Stakes, and three C.F. Orr Stakes. Other notable wins were the George Ryder Stakes and Doomben 10,000. Little did his owners know how much the gelding was really worth when they bought him at the 1977 South Australian Yearling sale for a mere AUD$ 3,500. Manikato had little in terms of looks and temperament and continued to be difficult to handle. However, his brashness was probably the catalyst for his speed and will to win.
Trained by Bon Hoysted in his early years, Manikato did his trainer proud by winning a Group 1 race which eluded Hoysted for 40 years, and soon followed it up with a Group 1 double for two-year-olds in the Blue Diamond Stakes and the Golden Slipper Stakes. Bon's brother, Bob, continued to train Manikato after his brother's death for the rest of his career.
This did not stop the gelding from winning seven more Group 1 and 16 Group 2 races in a winning habit that included five consecutive wins in the William Reid Stakes, one of the most prestigious Australian Sprint races. Breaking track records became a habit which also included the distinction of being only the second Australian horse to bring home $1 million in prize money after Kingston Town.
Apart from being inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2002, Manikato also has a MVRC Group 1 Australian Thoroughbred horse race, the Manikato Stakes dedicated to his illustrious career. The race for three-year olds & up is run under weight-for-age conditions over a distance of 1200 meters at the Moonee Valley Racecourse in Melbourne. The winner of the race automatically qualifies for the Breeders Cup Turf Sprint.
Manikato can be considered one of the bravest horses to overcome serious hardships during his illustrious career. Apart from suffering a bleeding attack and heart attack, the gelding also damaged his suspensory tendons, leaving his trainer charging for the first aid kit every time in an effort to reduce the inflammation. Manikato was retired from racing in 1983 and was humanely euthanized on 13 February, 1984 after being struck by a virus. In full honours, the gelding was buried at the Moonee Valley Racecourse, the place where the gelding tasted much of his success. In memory of the brave heart, the Caulfield Racecourse has a restaurant named in Manikato's memory.
