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Northerly Poem - by Bruce Smith Named From The North - A Champ From The West He's a gutsy horse from Perth, who debuted at 25/1 Yet over the 36 other runs of his career, only 13 times as favourite did he not run This probably comes from the fact, he's one of the best we've ever seen And arguably the greatest horse, from the West - there's ever been Whenever he was on the track, he dominated every time Northerly truly was a champion, hence the writing of this rhyme. At just his 6th start he won Perth's biggest race, the Group 1 Railway Stakes Not any horse could do that, you gotta really have what it takes And Northerly proved he did, for he came straight over and won the Australian Cup Which meant from just 10 starts, 6 times and twice at Gr.1 - he'd already got up. Come the spring of '01 - there were big expectations, and the gutsy horse didn't let anybody down 3 Group 1's in-a-row and 4 from 4 in Melbourne, Northerly was truly toast of the town And a credit to his fight, was the margins by which he won those races All 4 Melbourne wins by under a length, none coming by large spaces And he twice did the impossible, beating the Champ Sunline at the Valley - the 2nd in the Cox Plate A race many saw Viscout unlucky in, and as a victory didn't know how it should rate But this guy had now ran 16 times, 11 he'd won and 4 he'd placed And in a majority of those starts, it was in black-type events that he raced. His autumn in '02 was only 3 starts long, but saw 2nd in 2 Group 1's and a tough win at Gr.2 Then come the spring-time, he did what perhaps no-one thought that he could do He won 5 races on end, by no more than a length - 3 were at Group 1 And winning the Cox Plate - a week after the Caulfield Cup, I thought wouldn't be done He proved the previous year - with Viscount, was certainly not a lucky thing And AGAIN he defeated Sunline, yes Northerly was now King 26 starts - for 17 wins, and 8 times at the very top Northerly seemed unbeatable, would this Champion ever stop? In the Autumn of '03, he won his 2nd Australian Cup And with the Sydney races perhaps not their strongest, they brought the gelding up His first run was a beauty, in a Group 1 - only beaten by a nose But why he backed up 7 days later, I don't think anybody knows The Manion Cup's no glamour race, and he had to carry 61 He never had much luck, 'twas a pretty much wasted run I think Fred Kersley thought it may help his confidence, going clockwise to have an easy kill But he had a chance to redeem himself, in the BMW - Gr.1 at Rosehill A 2 horse war it ended up, he duelled with Freemason right to the line As the finish line was hit, he'd just got beat - by a margin ever so fine. Sadly after that, injury meant the best of Northerly had passed But they say memories live forever, and the ones of the Champ from the West will always last Even if he wasn't packed with raw potential, I believe a Champion he'd still have been For he had that fighting spirit, that in only 1 other horse I've seen His name was Octagonal, also a champion of the highest note They capture our imagination, for when it comes to 'elegant' wins - others may get the vote But these horses have guts, and a heart that pumps 'never say die' Doesn't matter conditions - weight or distance, you know with EVERYTHING they're gonna try Take Northerly's victory in the Caulfield Cup, with 58kg's on his back Considering only 1 other horse had over 55, it truly was a stack But determination's what this guy eats for breakfast, and courage is his lunch For the way he won that race, he made stars look like an average bunch And a credit to his fight, was how he held on at the post Field Of Omagh - with 53 1/2, would've got to most But not the 'Fighting Tiger', he's one who'd never be denied For it'd never - ever happen, where Northerly never tried.  Email Bruce for enquiries about new or completed works. |
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