Don Randall (Canning, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On 9 March the champion racehorse Dulcify was the latest equine champion to enter the Australian Racing Hall of Fame here at the ceremony in Canberra. It was only by chance that his part-owner, my friend Alan Maller, came to be involved with this great horse. Unknowingly, Alan was sitting next to legendary trainer Colin Hayes, and made the industry faux pas of asking, 'Who are you?' This simple question would lead Alan to a strong friendship with Colin Hayes and the resultant offer of part share in this horse—Dulcify.

Foaled in 1975 in New Zealand, Dulcify was the offspring of Decies—a British-bred sire who was a champion in his own right—and Sweet Candy, another Hall of Fame inductee. Dulcify was relatively cheap due to his parrot mouth. He won the South Australian Derby, the VRC Derby, the Rosehill Guineas, the Tancred Stakes, the Craiglee Stakes, the Turnbull Stakes, and the Underwood and Mackinnon Stakes. Dulcify won 10 of his 21 starts, with the first win being at the outstanding odds of 330 to one. He won the Cox Plate by seven lengths and was ridden by jockey Brent Thomson. This was to be his crowning achievement. Dulcify ran at Flemington seven times and won six group races. Unfortunately, during his Melbourne Cup race, for which he was favourite, he was injured by the eventual winner, Hyperno, who galloped on Dulcify, and he had to be put down.

Dulcify had an outstanding career and it was very upsetting for the owners when he was put down. It is a fitting gesture for a truly loved and great champion to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. According to Colin Hayes, Dulcify was the best horse he had ever trained. I congratulate Alan Maller, Billy Rigg and the Hayes family on an outstanding champion.