Currently we have in our midst wonderful female racehorses such as Samantha Miss and Hot Danish, along with potential star Juveniles More Joyous and Rostova. Therefore, in this edition of Myths and Legends, I am going to look at the career of a horse whose name is surely recognised as one of the best mares to have ever graced our racetracks.
Emancipation was a champion Australian thoroughbred racehorse, foaled in 1979; she was a daughter of Bletchingly from a Gunsynd mare, Ammo Girl. Unraced as a 2yo, she quickly made up for lost time, when making a successful debut in August ’82; she followed this up with wins at her next two starts at Canterbury and Rosehill. So impressive was she in registering wins at her first three starts, it was decided to give her a crack at the prestigious 3yo fillies races that spring. Her first outing was in the Tea Rose Stks where she drew the car park in barrier 15. This made no difference to the outcome, as she once again made light work when beating her opposition by 2 ½ lengths. Next on her agenda was an interstate trip to Victoria, where she would be pitted against the best 3yo fillies Melbourne could muster. She found a formidable opponent in the outstanding Rom’s Stiletto; however Emancipation was good enough to record her first Group victory in wining the Edward Manifold. On the strength of that win, she was placed as 2-1 favourite to win The Thousand Guineas. Inexplicably, she failed miserably in the race, only beating two home, in a field of seventeen runners. However, as we learned later, this outstanding race mare had the capacity to be simply brilliant one day, and for whatever reason, under par the next. This was never more apparent than when she bounced back at her next start when carrying 57kg under handicap conditions and defeating the boys in the Carbine Club Stake, once again from barrier fifteen.
Emancipation was put away and sights were set on the Sydney autumn carnival, in which great things were expected. In February of ’83, she resumed with a win in the traditional good fillies race the Light Finger Stakes, registering an amazingly fast time of 1.09.2. After her victory in the Canterbury Stks as odds on favourite, Emancipation was then pitted against the best sprinters in the land. This would be the day of reckoning, as she was to take on the great Manikato in the George Ryder. I would say that this was her finest moment, when she transcended into equine immortality, defeating the legendary Manikato by 2 ½ lengths with the outstanding Rare Form back in third position. Her next start would be the holy grail of mile racing in Australia, the Doncaster Handicap. She was sent out favourite for the great race and further more was burdened with 54.5kg, a weight that had been carried successfully by very few 3yo’s in the past. She didn’t let her supporters down as she was piloted to victory by the man who rode her in all but one of her race starts, Ron Quinton.
At the end of her 3yo Season, Emancipation had won an amazing 10 of the 13 race starts. However, more importantly, she had not only dominated her own sex and age group, she had done what many other 3yo fillies before and after her had failed to do, that is converted her dominance against the older horses both at Handicap and W.F.A level.
After a well-deserved rest, Emancipation would resume as a 4yo mare when winning the Premier Stks in the spring of 1983. Then followed wins in the Chelmsford Stks over a mile, the Hill Stks over 1750m, before switching back to a mile and beating the outstanding Mr McGinty in the George Main Stks. Emancipation would now travel to Melbourne in the quest for the greatest W.F.A race of all, the W.S Cox Plate.
There were signs that things were not right as she failed to run a place when 4th in the Caulfield Stks. Irrespective of that failure, she was installed favourite for the W.S. Cox Plate but was never in the hunt when 11th to the great Strawberry Road, with Kiwi Slave 2nd and Mr McGinty in 3rd place. After these disappointments, Emancipation was turned out for a spell and would then return for what was to be her final campaign.
In the autumn of ’84, Emancipation was able to re-ignite her stellar career, confirming her greatness with five successive victories. First was a victory in the Apollo Stks where she exacted her revenge over Strawberry Road. Next was her win in the Chipping Norton where she beat Trissaro and Mr McGinty. Her victory in the Rosemount Wines Stks (now Coolmore Hcp) where she had to carry a crushing 60kg was just simply amazing. The next win again showed her greatness when she backed up a week later, coming back in distance, but still proving too good for the outstanding 3yo, Sir Dapper, in the George Ryder Stakes. Emancipation would have only one more start in Sydney, and that would be the All Aged Stks. Once again, she would take on the all conquering Sir Dapper, who despite the earlier defeat started as an odds-on favourite, but again she showed her superiority.
On retirement to stud, Emancipation had started 28 times for 19 victories. She had conquered her own age group and beaten all comers at W.F.A and at Handicap conditions. She had won five Group 1 races, and it should be noted this figure would be greater today as some of the other races she won have subsequently been elevated to Group 1 status. If that wasn’t enough, she had won a further ten races at Group or listed level. Emancipation left no margin for debate as to how great a mare she was.
Emancipation - Myth or Legend
Verdict - Legend
