Bonecrusher (horse)

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Bonecrusher
SirePag-Asa
GrandsireKaoru Star
DamImitation
DamsireOakville
SexGelding
Foaled1982
CountryNew Zealand
ColourChestnut
BreederBill Punch
OwnerPeter J. Mitchell
TrainerFrank Ritchie
Record44: 18-5-12
EarningsNZ$674,225 & A$1,679,495
Major wins
Bayer Classic (1985)
New Zealand Derby (1985)
Air New Zealand Stakes (1986 & 1988)
Tancred Stakes (1986)
Australian Derby (1986)
Caulfield Stakes (1986)
W S Cox Plate (1986)
Underwood Stakes (1986)
Australian Cup (1987)
Honours
New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame
Australian Horse of the Year (1987)
Last updated on 26 June 2007

Bonecrusher (17 September 1982 – 10 June 2015) was a champion New Zealand Thoroughbred racehorse who was widely admired in both Australia and New Zealand.

Bred by Bill Punch, by the sire Pag-Asa,[1] his dam's sire was a son of a French champion, Tantieme.[2] Bonecrusher was purchased by Peter Mitchell for just NZ$3,250 at the Waikato Yearling Sales, and was trained by Frank Ritchie. Peter also bought Bonecrusher's full brother. A chestnut, Bonecrusher was nicknamed Big Red - the same name as the champions Man o' War, Secretariat and Phar Lap.

Racing career[]

Bonecrusher was the 'People's Champion,' loved by everyone who saw the fiery big chestnut in action.

His trainer was Frank Ritchie, and his strapper was Frank Ritchie's son Shaune Ritchie. Frank was trying to establish himself in the top echelon of trainers, while Shaune was only sixteen-years-old and straight out of high school, determined to find his own path in the thoroughbred racing industry. "I was battling away, and although I had trained a Group winner in Australia, it was when he arrived that it really changed my life," Frank Ritchie said.

All up, Bonechrusher raced 44 times for 18 wins, 5 second places, and 12 third places. His races ranged from 880m to 2400m. He won 9 Group One races, 3 Group 2 races, and 2 Group 3 races, and earnt prizemoney of NZ$674,225 and Au$1,679,495.[3] He was the first New Zealand racehorse to win over NZ$1 million in prize money,[4] and his combined New Zealand and Australia career earnings were approximately 3 million dollars. Bonecrusher won four Group One races in New Zealand, including the New Zealand Derby, and six Group One races in Australia, including the Tancred Stakes, the Australian Derby, the Underwood Stakes, the Caulfield Stakes, the Cox Plate, and the Australian Cup.[3]

Bonecrusher first hit the track in August 1984 where he won three of his first five starts as a juvenile including one at Group Three) level at Ellerslie before embarking on an ill-fated three race campaign in Australia.

Brought home after three lacklustre runs he commenced his three-year-old campaign with four consecutive placings including finishing third behind Random Chance and Field Dancer in the 1985 Group One New Zealand 2000 Guineas run at 1600m at Riccarton. Ritchie was convinced that trip away was the making of the horse. "He had hurt himself in an incident on the truck before he went to Christchurch and missed a lot of work," he said. "He went into the 2000 Guineas underdone and I thought at the time the race would either flatten him or bring him on and thankfully it was the latter."

Bonecrusher won his next seven starts straight including the Group One Bayer Classic (1600m) and the Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m), before defeating the older horses in the Group 1 Air New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland.

Then he went to Sydney and he won the Group 1 H E Tancred Stakes (2400m) and finished off with a win in the Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m).

Bonecrusher scaled his greatest heights in the spring of 1986 in the Cox Plate, where the athletic chestnut prevailed in the 'Race of the Century' with another New Zealand champion, Waverley Star. The two great horses went to war from the 600m mark and separated themselves from the rest of the field, with Bonecrusher narrowly prevailing in a titanic head-to-head struggle that caller Bill Collins summed up with the famous line "Bonecrusher races into equine immortality." Amongst the enthralled onlookers was strapper and now successful trainer in his own right, Shaune Ritchie, who struggled to take in the wild scenes in the aftermath that followed. "I was sixteen and left school to go and look after the horse in Melbourne for that campaign," Shaune Ritchie said. "It was a pretty big thing as back then an OE (overseas experience) wasn’t a normal thing so just to go to Australia was a big trip. After the race it was just amazing and I still remember the way the crowd stayed on to greet him and watch the presentation after the race. Australians are punters and normally when a race is finished, they are off to the bookies to bet on the next race coming up."

Later that year, Bonecrusher was the pre-post favourite against some of the world's best racehorses in the Japan Cup but contracted a virus in Tokyo, nearly lost his life, and had to withdraw from the race.

The next year Bonecrusher had recovered from his illness and won the 1987 Australian Cup, beating At Talaq, and was named Horse of the Year in New Zealand and Australia for the 1986–1987 season. He was the first horse to be awarded both titles.[5] He was also a Government appointed 'Equine Ambassador' for New Zealand in 1986.

Bonecrusher continued to campaign at five, six, and seven years of age. He won three races in New Zealand, including a second Air New Zealand Stakes in 1988, but was unable to reach his previous heights in Australia.

Bonecrusher's racing career included the following:

Year
 Placing
 Race
 Venue
 Distance
 Jockey
 Winning Time
 1st
 2nd
 3rd
31 August 1984 4th 2YO colts & geldings Avondale 800m Gary Stewart - Bold Edition 54.3 Bon Sang 54.3 Chief Mayo 54.3
26 October 1984 1st 2YO colts & geldings Ellerslie 840m Gary Stewart 49.27 Bonecrusher 54 Blue Kingdom 54.3 Bright Kiwi 54
3 Nov 1984 3rd 2YO Counties 880m Gary Stewart - Orangeade 49 Petersburg 55 Bonecrusher 54.5
6 Feb 1985 1st 2YO TROA 1200m Gary Stewart 1:11.71 Good Bonecrusher 55 Anglo Saxon 53 Nostalgia 54.5
23 Feb 1985 1st Eclipse Stakes (G3) Ellerslie 1200m Gary Stewart 1:10.13 Firm Bonecrusher 53.5 Star Board 57 Princess Carbine 49.5 (Relegated from 1st)
18 March 1985 5th Brambles Classic Kembla Grange 1200m Gary Stewart 1:09.6 Swift Cheval 52 Comedy Star 52
8 April 1985 8th 2YO colts and geldings race Randwick 1200m R Quinton - Piccata 52 Rass Flyer 52
13 April 1985 4th T L Baillieu Handicap Randwick 1400m David Walsh - Swift Cheval 56 Gippsland 48 Willara Prince
14 Sep 1985 3rd C3 Hawkes Bay 1200m Gary Stewart - Chuckka Khan 51 Laurent 57 Bonecrusher 55
5 Oct 1985 3rd 3YO Ellerslie 1400m Gary Stewart - Honour Bright 55.5 Hot Ice 55.5 Bonecrusher 55.5
12 Oct 1985 2nd Winstone Guineas (G2) Ellerslie 1600m Gary Stewart - Avon's Lord 55.5 Bonecrusher 55.5 Honour Bright 55.5
13 Nov 1985 3rd New Zealand 2000 Guineas (G1) Riccarton 1600m Gary Stewart - Random Chance 55.5 Field Dancer 55.5 Bonecrusher 55.5
27 Nov 1985 1st Bayer Classic (G1) Levin 1600m Jim Cassidy 1:36.90 Bonecrusher 55.5 French Polish 53 Seadreamer 53
26 Dec 1985 1st New Zealand Derby (G1) Ellerslie 2400m Gary Stewart 2:29.47 Bonecrusher 55.5 Flight Bijou 55.5 Random Chance 55.5
14 Dec 1985 1st Auckland Breeders Avondale Guineas Avondale 2000m Gary Stewart 2:03.05 Bonecrusher 55.5 Hot Ice 55.5 Flight Bijou 55.5
11 Feb 1986 1st Cambridge Stud International Stakes Te Rapa 2000m Gary Stewart 1:59.59 Bonecrusher 52.25 Eva Grace 56.5 Coronal 58
22 Feb 1986 1st Air New Zealand Stakes WFA Ellerslie 2000m Gary Stewart 2:02.21 Bonecrusher 52.5 Abit Leica 58 Lacka Reason 58
22 March 1986 1st H E Tancred Stakes Rosehill 2400m Gary Stewart 2:31.10 Good Bonecrusher 52 Rant And Rave 52 Abit Leica 58.5
29 March 1986 1st AJC Derby Randwick 2400m Gary Stewart 2:35.60 Good Bonecrusher 56 Handy Proverb 56 Agent Provocative 55.5
23 Aug 1986 3rd C1 Ellerslie 1200m Gary Stewart 1:18.02 Heavy Waverley Star 56.5 Matthew Ryan 51 Bonecrusher 58
6 Sep 1986 2nd WFA (G3) Wanganui 1600m Gary Stewart 1:36.1 Dead Bourbon Boy 57 Bonecrusher 57 Great Estate 58.5
25 Sep 1986 1st Underwood Stakes Caulfield 2000m Gary Stewart 2:01.1 Good Bonecrusher 57 At Talaq 59 Black Knight 59
11 Oct 1986 1st Caulfield Stakes Caulfield 2000m Gary Stewart 2:00.60 Good Bonecrusher 57 Black Knight 59 My Tristram's Belle 54.5
25 Oct 1986 1st Cox Plate Moonee Valley 2040m Gary Stewart 2:07.20 Dead Bonecrusher 57 Waverley Star 57 The Filbert 59
10 Feb 1987 4th Waikato Sprint (G1) Te Rapa 1400m Gary Stewart 1:20.73 Good Courier Bay 57 Arctic Wolf 53.3 Tidal Light 51.5
28 Feb 1987 1st C1 Avondale 1625m Gary Stewart 1:33.9 Good Bonecrusher 59 Chickero 51 Out Of Sight 50.5
9 March 1987 1st Australian Cup Flemington 2000m Gary Stewart 2:05.6 Good Bonecrusher 57 At Talaq 58 Ima Red Man 57
28 March 1987 3rd Rawson Stakes Rosehill 2000m Shane Dye 2:02.9 Dead Myocard 53 Waverley Star 57 Bonecrusher 57
13 Feb 1988 1st White Robe Lodge Stakes (G3) Wingatui 1600m Gary Stewart 1:36.80 Good Bonecrusher 57.5 Robinski 50 Slick Million 53
27 Feb 1988 1st Air New Zealand Stakes WFA (G1) Ellerslie 2000m Gary Stewart 2:02.51 Good Bonecrusher 58 Horlicks 55.5 Sounds Like Fun 55.5
14 March 1988 3rd Australian Cup Flemington 2000m Gary Stewart 2:01.5 Good Dandy Andy 57 Vo Rogue 57 Bonecrusher 58
9 April 1988 2nd WFA (G1) Ellerslie 2000m Peter Tims 2:03.72 Good Horlicks 56 Bonecrusher 58 Sounds Like Fun 56
8 May 1988 2nd Queen Elizabeth Stakes Canberra 2000m Jim Cassidy 2:07.18 Dead Beau Zam 54 Bonecrusher 58 Dandy Andy
20 Aug 1988 4th WFA Te Rapa 1400m Gary Stewart 1:31.23 Heavy Poetic Prince 57 Regal Affair 56.3 Tri Belle 56
10 Sep 1988 2nd C1 Ellerslie 1575m Gary Stewart 1:39.52 Slow Saci 52 Bonecrusher 58.5 March Sea 53.5
1 Oct 1988 1st WFA Taranaki 2000m Gary Stewart 2:13.6 Heavy Bonecrusher The Filbert 59 Classic Bay 59
22 Oct 1988 3rd Cox Plate Moonee Valley 2040m Gary Stewart 2:06.9 Good Poetic Prince 57 Horlicks 56 Bonecrusher 59
27 Nov 1988 8th Japan Cup[6] Tokyo 2400m Gary Stewart 2:25.5 Slow Pay the Butler (USA) 57 Tamamo Cross (Jap) 57 Oguri Cap (Jap) 55
28 Jan 1989 3rd Jarden Mile Trentham 1600m Peter Tims 1:35.84 Good Tricavaboy 51 Sirstaci 49.5 Bonecrusher 58
14 Feb 1989 5th New Zealand International Stakes Te Rapa 2000m Peter Tims 2:00.55 Good Regal City 57 Horlicks 56.5 Westminster 57
4 Mar 1989 8th DB Draught Classic Ellerslie 2100m Peter Tims 2:07.09 Good Horlicks 56.5 Regal City 57 Westminster 57
1 Apr 1989 3rd WFA Ellerslie 2000m Gary Stewart 2:03.65 Good Trissaring 57 Sirstaci 58 Bonecrusher 58
9 Dec 1989 3rd Star Way Stakes Ellerslie 1600m Gary Stewart 1:34.24 Good Krona 57 Regal City 58 Bonecrusher 58
28 Dec 1989 5th Waikato Stud Kings Plate Ellerslie 1600m Gary Stewart 1:35.6 Good Regal City 58 Red Legend 57 Money Market 57

Retirement[]

After retirement Bonecrusher was cared for by his owner, Peter Mitchell, on a property in Takanini.[5] In retirement, he was a guest of the Moonee Valley Racing Club. His last public appearance was Derby Day in 2003.[4] In 2010, he was inducted into the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame. Bonecrusher was euthanised in June 2015 after contracting laminitis.[7]

Bonecrusher was buried beside the saddling paddock at Ellerslie Racecourse, as he won his first race, his first Group race, and all three of his New Zealand Group One races at Ellerslie. A bronze statue was set above him.[8] The life-sized replica is of the champion racehorse in action and includes his famous shoulder scar and unique protruding tongue. At the end of the plaque below the statue, it says 'Bonecrusher: The Pride of Ellerslie'

"To see Bonecrusher immortalised like this stirs a lot of emotion and brings back a lot of great memories," his trainer Frank Ritchie said.

"People still want to talk about him to this day and in a radio interview I did recently I think I spent three minutes talking about my runners in the Auckland Cup and the New Zealand Oaks, and another 17 minutes on Bonecrusher, a horse that retired 30 years ago."

"He didn’t have the brilliance of Black Caviar or the dominance of Winx, but why people loved him so much was his courage, and when it looked like he couldn’t win, he would win. I doubt that there has been a story written about Dad or I that hasn’t included Bonecrusher somewhere in it and I have no problem with that as who doesn’t want to be associated with such a wonderful animal."

"The fact that every day you go to Ellerslie you see the magnificent statue there of him, that he is buried underneath, is very special and it is very nice to have."

Bonecrusher's strapper, trainer Frank Ritchie's son Shaune Ritchie, is now a trainer based in Cambridge who trained 2010 New Zealand Derby winner Military Move, and 2006 New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner and runner-up in the 2007 Kelt Capital Stakes, Magic Cape.

Bonecrusher song[]

In October 1986, Bonecrusher's achievements on the track became the inspiration for a song released by fellow Ellerslie locals, Wayne Cann, Gordon Evans and John Scull. Titled "Tribute to a Champion", the song promoted Bonecrusher as a New Zealand Sports Ambassador, and featured lyrics which stated that he could be "the greatest since Phar Lap" and named him as the "pride of Ellerslie".[4] While not available in stores, fans were asked to send orders through the "Bonecrusher Song Child Cancer Appeal", which donated NZ$1 from each sale to the child cancer foundation.[4]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Bonecrusher (NZ) 1982 / Breeding / LOVERACING.NZ". loveracing.nz.
  2. ^ "Bonecrusher". Online Thoroughbred Database. Retrieved 20 August 2010.
  3. ^ a b Racing Victoria Limited. "Bonecrusher Race Record". Retrieved 20 August 2010.
  4. ^ a b c d "Bonecrusher's Scrapbook". Retrieved 20 August 2010.
  5. ^ a b "20 Years on and Bonecrusher Still Going Strong". Retrieved 20 August 2010.
  6. ^ "Full Result 6.20 Tokyo (JPN) | 27 November 1988 | Racing Post".
  7. ^ Manley, Michael. "Bonecrusher dies: Legend of racing and winner of famous 1986 Cox Plate dies aged 32". Fox Sports News. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  8. ^ "Bonecrusher bronze statue unveiled at Ellerslie". stuff.co.nz. 8 March 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2020.

External links[]

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