{"id":155774,"date":"2016-08-26T10:44:18","date_gmt":"2016-08-26T00:44:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=155774"},"modified":"2020-10-06T16:00:36","modified_gmt":"2020-10-06T06:00:36","slug":"one-carnival-is-well-and-truly-over","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2016\/08\/26\/one-carnival-is-well-and-truly-over\/","title":{"rendered":"One Carnival Is Well And Truly Over"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A view over a section of the two betting rings at Eagle Farm in the 1950s … seventy years later, it’s difficult to imagine just how big Brisbane racing was in the immediate post-war years (Photo: QTC)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"Gunsynd's<\/a>August 26, 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n

Winx successfully returned to the scene last Saturday. The event was the Warwick Stakes, a traditional pipe opener for Australia’s top echelon with designs on rich Spring pickings.<\/p>\n

These days, of course, there is a domineering international flavour that has reshaped the upcoming Melbourne festivals.<\/p>\n

Today’s racing fans would find the role Brisbane racing played in the majors in the south just after World War II inconceivable.<\/p>\n

One example – the three day Exhibition meeting – is worth revisiting.<\/p>\n

In 1946 Russia (the horse, not the country) invaded Brisbane and annexed the weight-for-age National Plate, the Metropolitan and the Exhibition Handicap.<\/p>\n

The Ted Hush trained stayer collected a treble for the week and, with Darby Munro aboard, carried nine stone to a very easy victory in that year\u2019s Melbourne Cup.<\/p>\n

Flight, that year\u2019s Cox Plate heroine, and Bernborough too were both around Brisbane in 1946.<\/p>\n

Russia was the first of three Melbourne Cup winners to grace Eagle Farm in that period.<\/p>\n

The following year Hiraji, after picking up placings in the Doomben 10,000 and Cup, ran second in the King\u2019s Cup during Show Week. Them the grey capped off a fine spring by taking out the 1947 Melbourne Cup for Jack Purtell.<\/p>\n

The 1948 Melbourne Cup was quinellaed by Rimfire and Dark Marne.<\/p>\n

Both of them had wintertime experience in Brisbane.<\/p>\n

Rimfire beat all bar Blue Boots and Russia in the 1947 Brisbane Cup while Dark Marne won the 1947 Doomben Cup and was runner-up in the 1948-49 Brisbane Cups.<\/p>\n

Basha Felika won the J.H.S. Barnes Stakes at the Exhibition carnival in 1951, and followed up with Caulfield Cup glory two months later.<\/p>\n

In 1953, Hydrogen took out the O\u2019Shea Stakes, Brisbane Cup and the Barnes Stakes prior to saluting in the Cox Plate.<\/p>\n

Rising Fast, the 1954 Barnes Stakes winner, went on to take out the 1954 and 1955 Caulfield Cups and the 1954 Cox Plate.<\/p>\n

He won the 1954 Melbourne Cup and was runner-up in the great race the next year.<\/p>\n

What a grand parade of thoroughbreds marched through Brisbane in the immediate post-war years!<\/p>\n

The Wednesday Show Day program that used to be a mecca for those in Akubras and RM Williams outfits is now a mecca for a generation decked out in very different designer label gear.<\/p>\n

Sadly, the racing is servings of bread and butter.<\/p>\n