Form Focus aims to fulfil an ambitious vision to provide the Racing Industry with an online resource designed to document, celebrate and honour Australia’s Greatest Races, Horses, Trainers and Jockeys.
Comprising a variety of factual statistical information on the background and history of Australian Thoroughbred Racing, this website will deliver content in a user-friendly environment where it can be preserved, updated and shared. And, in the process, create a virtual living library.
While you’re here, please sign up as a Registered Member to show your support of our endeavours.
Here, Form Focus presents a dedicated vault of facts and statistics relating to the history of Group One Australian Horse racing.
"Australia's Greatest Races" comprises a comprehensive database that consolidates as much detail on every Group One race currently conducted in Australia.
"Australia's All-Time Group One Jockeys" & "Australia's All-Time Group One Trainers" provides tabulated Group One records on our greatest jockeys & trainers - a unique resource that can be continually expanded.
Each profile (Race, Jockey, Trainer) features a Snapshot Summary, detailing milestones and feature records.
Get free access to the Melbourne Cup records, Damien Oliver records, a few Fact Sheets from 2020 and a Race Chart example.
Test your knowledge with some trivia below
Shepherd King (far left), on return to scale, 1916 Caulfield Cup.
Ridden by Bobby Lewis, SHEPHERD KING came from last mid-race to win the 1916 Caulfield Cup (in track record time) as 11/2 second favourite. Shepherd King had been purchased (as a Maiden) by Australian jockey Frank Bullock after his 4yo season in England. Unplaced in the 1914 English Derby, the horse was labelled ‘faint-hearted”.
As a 5yo in Australia, Shepherd King started 4 times, and as a 6yo had 4 lead-up races into the 1916 Caulfield Cup. The stallion, trained by Charles Wheeler, suddenly came good when stepped up in trip in his final two prep races, the Caulfield & Eclipse Stakes. As 9/2 favourite in the subsequent Melbourne Cup, Shepherd King (under a 10 pound penalty) finished second to Sasanof.
One of racing’s unique milestones, the brothers Delaney “trifecta-ing” the Doncaster of 1896.
The DONCASTER HANDICAP of 1896 witnessed the brothers DELANEY land the trifecta. JOHN (Jack) rode the winner Courallie, AUSTIN was on runner-up True Blue with WILLIAM (Billy) on third-placed Response.
The most successful GROUP 1 trainer/jockey partnership in Australian Racing: George Moore & Tommy Smith with 54 winners.
Trainer TOMMY SMITH & jockey GEORGE MOORE combined to land a total of 54 GROUP 1 winners, ahead of BART CUMMINGS & ROY HIGGINS who claimed 46 together.
In third place, CHRIS WALLER & HUGH BOWMAN have (so far) collected 38 Group 1 wins as a combination.