Sometimes in racing a ‘just average’ horse beats an immortal champion. It can happen occasionally and when it does it is always remembered.
After winning 18 races in a row, Ajax was beaten by some horse named Spear Chief over 1800m at WFA. Ajax was at 40-1 on this day. Phar Lap won 14 in a row including the Melbourne Cup, the Cox Plate and the Flemington Onslaught (four wins in a week during Melbourne Cup week 1930) then was beaten by some goat named Waterline in the C.M. Lloyd Stakes at WFA. It can happen.
Today’s story is about a horse named Dandy Andy and the 1988 Australian Cup. This great race was supposed to be a match race between Vo Rogue and Bonecrusher, with no other horse even given a remote chance in the race despite some solid lead up form.
It is said by many who were at Flemington on this fateful day in 1988 that the crowd of over 40,000 were wearing badges that either said ‘Go Vo Go’ or ‘C’mon Crusher.’ It was considered that these two horses were so superior to the others in the field and therefore a horse named Dandy Andy started at 125-1. This is despite the fact that he has run 4th in the St George stakes and also 4th in the Carlyon Cup. Due to the public hype surrounding Bonecrusher and Vo Rogue, there was simply no room in the market for any other horses. Dandy Andy was really probably a 30-1 chance but he jumped at 125-1.
Vo Rogue had won five in a row in his preparation leading into the Australian Cup. The QLD champ won the Group One William Reid over 1200m by a length, then the Group One 1400m Orr by seven lengths. The champ then went on to win the Group Two Blamey by eight lengths and the Group Two St George (beating Dandy Andy who ran 4th) by three lengths. Vo Rogue then went back to 1400m and won the Futurity by quarter of a length. The cult hero was justifiably sent out for the Australian Cup at even money. But Vo Rogue was not even favourite; Bonecrusher was favourite for the race at 9-4 on after he had won two good races in New Zealand so far in his preparation. He was also the defending Australian Cup champion.
The first 1800m of the 2000m race went as planned with Vo Rogue bolting to his usual comfortable lead, and Bonecrusher a few lengths back with plenty to give. As they hit the distance marker (the final furlong), Vo Rogue had Bonecrusher’s measure and the 40,000 plus crowded rose as one to cheer the champion bush hero. However just as the racecaller together with the crowd joined in as one in a traditional ’early crow’, they were forced to reach for their race books and look to see what this horse was that was flying down the outside. They knew it was not Vo Rogue because he was in front. They knew it was not Bonecrsuher because his colours were unmistakable and Vo Rogue had put pay to him already. They knew it was not Bernborough because he had not run a race in 42 years. So who was this horse flying down the outside in black, yellow and green? Well the racecaller screamed like a man who had had his last on Vo Rogue ‘it’s Dandy Andy!… Goodness gracious me!!! Not only did Dandy Andy win, but he flew past Vo Rogue and won by 1.5 lengths. Bonecrusher was more than six lengths back in third place. Interestingly enough Dandy Andy went on to win the Warrnambool Cup a couple of months after the Australian Cup. And as for Vo Rouge… he won the next two Australian Cup’s and when trying to make it three in a row, he was narrowly beaten by Better Loosen Up.
By Zeb Armstrong
