ARWON
- Melbourne Cup winner 1978
Arwon,
winner of the 1978 Melbourne Cup, was not always Arwon.
In fact, he started his career as Flash Guy in New Zealand
before being syndicated to a group of punters who lived
in Nowra in New South Wales. They changed Flash Guy's
name to Arwon, which, of course, is Nowra spelt backwards.
The first Melbourne Cup winner, Archer, was also Nowra
owned.
He
was bred in New Zealand being by Aritzo from the mare
Fair Flash.
Arwon
was first trained by John Morrissey in Canberra before
being sent to George Hanlon, the Victorian trainer, who
set him up for his Melbourne Cup victory, where he was
ridden by Harry White. In that 1978 event he defeated
Dandeleith and Karu.
White said Arwon was underrated. "He was a great
horse. I said to George before the Melbourne Cup he was
the closest thing I've seen to a good thing in a major
race."
In
his lead up form to the event, he'd won the Geelong August
Handicap of 1700 metres, the Seymour Cup with 52kgs, ran
second in the Heatherlie Handicap over 2100 metres with
52.5 kgs and run second in the Metropolitan Handicap with
49 kgs.
Immediately
prior to the Cup he'd won the Herbert Power Handicap over
2400 metres and run second in the Caulfield Cup with the
postage stamp weight of just 49 kgs. beaten in that race
by Taksan. Almost the entire crowd of 45,000 at Caulfield
on October 21, 1978, believed that Arwon had edged past
Taksan to win the cup, only for Taksan to be declared
the winner. (In the Melbourne Cup, Taksan finished 16th.)
Arwon
also won the Sandown Classic which, in those days, was
known as the Sandown Cup, a Group II event.
He
contested the 1980 Melbourne Cup finishing ninth to Beldale
Ball and fifth to Just A Dash in 1981.
In
all, Arwon raced 67 times for 16 wins, 13 seconds and
five thirds and died at the grand old age of 33 in May
2007. Still
lively in retirement, he took part in the annual Melbourne
Cup Parade of Champions down Swanston Street in Melbourne,
all the way up to the age of 31.
Arwon
was well accustomed to street work as he spent a number
of years as a NSW Police Horse until the age of 15.
In
all he won $339,527 in prize money.
To
view a video of Arwon winning the Melbourne Cup click
here
