Gunsynd facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gunsynd |
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Statue of Gunsynd in Goodiwindi, Queensland.
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| Sire | Sunset Hue |
| Grandsire | Star Kingdom (IRE) |
| Dam | Woodie Wonder |
| Damsire | Newtown Wonder |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 4 October 1967 |
| Died | 29 April 1983 (aged 15) |
| Country | Australia |
| Colour | Grey |
| Breeder | John Clift, Joe McNamara |
| Owner | Bill Bishop, G. Pippos G.N McMicking, A.V. Coorey |
| Trainer | Bill Wehlow (at 2 & 3) T J Smith (at 4 & 5) |
| Record | 54: 29-6½-8 |
| Earnings | A$280,455 |
| Major wins | |
| Hopeful Stakes (1969) Chelmsford Stakes (1970) Rawson Stakes (1971, 1973) Epsom Handicap (1971) Toorak Handicap (1971) Sandown Cup (1971) George Adams Handicap (1971) Futurity Stakes (1972) Frederick Clissold Handicap (1972) Hill Stakes (1972) VRC Queens Plate (1972) Doncaster Handicap (1972) Colin Stephen Stakes (1972) Caulfield Stakes (1972) W S Cox Plate (1972) VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes (1972, 1973) Blamey Stakes (1973) AJC Autumn Stakes (1973) |
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| Awards | |
| Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year (1972) | |
| Honours | |
| Queensland Icon (2004) Statue at Goondiwindi, Queensland Australian Racing Hall of Fame Gunsynd Mile at Doomben Racecourse |
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| Last updated on 25 April 2010 | |
Gunsynd (born October 4, 1967 – died April 29, 1983) was a super famous Australian Thoroughbred racehorse. He was known for his amazing grey coat and his strong desire to win. Gunsynd won 29 races and earned a lot of prize money, about A$280,455. He was often called the Goondiwindi Grey because of where his owners lived.
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How Gunsynd Was Bred
Gunsynd was born in 1967 at The Dip Stud in Breeza, New South Wales. His dad was a grey racehorse named Sunset Hue. Sunset Hue's dad was an imported horse called Star Kingdom. Gunsynd's mom was Woodie Wonder. She was actually a twin foal, which is quite rare for horses! Woodie Wonder had eight foals in total. Six of them raced, and three of those became winners. Gunsynd's full brother, Sunset Red, also won a big race called the WJ McKell Cup.
Gunsynd's Early Life
Gunsynd got his famous nickname, the Goondiwindi Grey, because his owners came from a town called Goondiwindi. Four friends from Goondiwindi, A. Bishop, J. Coorey, A. Pippos, and G. McMicking, formed a group to buy him. They bought Gunsynd when he was a young horse for A$1,300 at a sale in Brisbane in 1969.
Gunsynd's Racing Career
Gunsynd raced from 1969 to 1973. He was first trained by Bill Wehlow, and later by the famous trainer Tommy Smith. When he was four years old, Gunsynd won four major races that were about 1,600 metres long. These included the Epsom Handicap, the Toorak Handicap, the George Adams Handicap, and the Doncaster Handicap.
He was very popular with the crowds. People loved his grey colour and how much he wanted to win. In 1972, he won the important Cox Plate race. He also came third in the Melbourne Cup that year. Because of his amazing wins, Gunsynd was named Australia's champion racehorse for the 1971-1972 racing season. If Gunsynd raced today, his prize money would be worth over $10.9 million!
Gunsynd as a Breeding Stallion
After his racing career, Gunsynd became a breeding stallion in 1973. This means he was used to have baby horses (foals) that would hopefully become great racers too. He was sold for a lot of money, about $270,618, and went to live at Kia Ora Stud.
Gunsynd had some successful children, including four horses who won important races: Bensynd, Tsunami, Midnight Gun, and Domino. He also had a daughter named Ammo Girl. Ammo Girl later had a foal named Emancipation, who became Australia's champion racehorse in 1983-1984.
Sadly, Gunsynd became sick with cancer. He was humanely put to sleep (euthanised) when he was 16 years old to stop his suffering.
Honours and Legacy
Gunsynd received many honours for his incredible racing career. In 1972, he was named the VRC Horse of the Year. He was also added to the Australian Racing Hall of Fame, which is a special place for the best horses in Australian racing history.
In 1973, a song was even written about him called The Goondiwindi Grey (The Gunsynd Song). It was recorded by Tex Morton. When Gunsynd retired from racing in 1973, 25,000 people came to say goodbye to him at Doomben Racecourse. He even did a special gallop for them!
Today, there is a statue of Gunsynd in his hometown of Goondiwindi. In 2009, he was also named one of the Q150 Icons of Queensland. This means he is considered a "sports legend" in the state.
