Wakeful
Earlier this month the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes was run on Derby Day for 3yo Fillies. She must have been some horse Wakeful to still have such an important race named in her honour well over 100 years after she raced. In 2002 Wakeful was one of 5 inductees into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame. At her induction, she was rightly described as one of, if not the best, Australian Race Mare of all time. Incredibly, in the 15 years since, we have had 3 Race Mares who each could also lay claim to the title of Best Mare ever in; Makybe Diva, Black Caviar and Winx. This certainly should not and doesn’t detract from the great career that Wakeful had.
Early Days:
Wakeful was foaled in 1896. She was by the fabulous son of Musket in Trenton from the Stakes Winning Filly Insomnia by Robinson Crusoe. We have mentioned Robinson Crusoe previously as the horse who survived the sinking of the City of Melbourne. He would not only survive but he would become a Derby Winner and Wonderful Stallion. Maybe Wakeful inherited her toughness from her Maternal Grand Sire.
Wakeful was bred by St Albans Stud but sold as an unraced 4 year old for 310 Guineas when the stud dispersed in 1900. She was purchased by the St Albans Stud Manager CL McDonald and given to Hugh Munro to train.
Wakeful first went into training as a 2 year old but got injured and didn’t race. She constantly had issues with shin soreness until she turned 4. Obviously she showed something and Mr McDonald knew all about her ability. Interestingly, McDonald purchased just one other horse at the dispersal, a gelding called Revenue who would later win the Melbourne Cup, beating Wakeful. What a double purchase they would prove to be… Wakeful first appeared at 4 and ran 2nd in the Doona Hcp. She then was unplaced and Munro tipped her out for a spell.
The Big Time:
After an absence of 4 months, Wakeful had 4 Autumn runs that are hard to believe in Modern Racing Times. Remembering she is still a Maiden, Wakeful lined up against Australia’s best Sprinters and won the Oakleigh Plate. Proving it was no fluke, she then demolished a crack field in Australia’s Premier Sprint the Newmarket Handicap. Her greatness was already sealed when she won the Doncaster at just her 5th start. Munro then backed her up in the 2 Mile Sydney Cup just 2 days later, even though she’d be trained as a Sprinter. She managed a gallant 3rd in the Cup.
5 year old:
Wakeful stamped herself as the Country’s best horse as a 5 year old. In all she had 15 starts of which she won 9 times, ran second 4 times and third once. Her only unplaced run was the Melbourne Cup, ironically won by stablemate Revenue!! She started by winning the Caulfield Stakes then followed with an unlucky 2nd in the Caulfield Cup. Next she won the Melbourne Stakes before her Cup run. She rounded out the Spring with a 2nd just 2 days later over 1400m…the trainers of the day certainly had some unusual methods…Spelled until the Autumn, Wakeful returned with a win in the St George Stakes. She would also win the Essendon, VRC All Aged and Autumn Stakes along with placings in the Futurity Stakes, Champion Stakes and Loch Plate. Wakeful often had her versatility tested by Munro but what happened over the Sydney Autumn Carnival was something else. On Monday 31st March she won the 3200m Sydney Cup with a record weight of 61.5kgs and in record time. On Thursday 3rd April Munro sent her out in the AJC All Aged Stakes over 1600m and she romped in. Then, just 2 days later, she lined up in the AJC Plate over 4800m and broke the track record…what a horse!! After finishing with 4 straight wins at 5 most thought she’d struggle to compete at 6 years of age…wrong!
At 6 and 7 Years Old:
At 6 Wakeful again had 15 starts this time winning 10 times and placing in the other 5. Her wins included; Caulfield Stakes, Melbourne Stakes and Champion Stakes. On 7 occasions she carried over 9 stone to win which is 57kgs. There has never been a Mare in Australia’s History who carried and won consistently with the weights that Wakeful was asked to carry.
Many thought McDonald would send Wakeful to stud at 7 years of age but he had a burning desire to win the Melbourne Cup with the Mare. She won 3 and was placed 3 times prior to the Cup where she would be asked to carry a whopping 10 stone or 63.5kgs. No Mare had ever carried more than 9 stone 7 pounds (61.5kgs) in the Cup and NONE of them finished in the first 6. No mare has ever, or will ever, be asked to carry such a weight over the famous 2 Miles. Makybe Diva after WINNING the 2 previous Melbourne Cups was ONLY asked to carry 58kgs in her 3rd Win…
In front of 95,000 adoring fans, the great Mare would give Lord Cardigan, who had beaten her earlier in the Spring, 45 pounds in weight (about 20kgs…). The Mare ran wonderfully well and was in front 100m from home when collared by Lord Cardigan and she had to settle for 2nd.
Her great race career was over after 44 Starts realising 25 Wins and 16 Placings. She earned a paltry amount of just £16,690 (about $1.9 Million) compared to Makybe Diva who won a staggering $14.5 Million…
At Stud:
Wakeful would produce 10 foals at Stud. Her 2nd foal called Blairgour won the Oakleigh Plate, like mum, and the Memsie. Her next foal of note was Baverstock who only won 2 races but became a prolific sire of good horses. Her best foal was the great horse Night Watch who won 3 Gr 1 races including the 1919 Melbourne Cup. Few of Wakeful’s daughters produced anything of note and the great mare died in 1923 at age 27. She is honoured today with the running of the Wakeful Stakes run as a lead up to the VRC Oaks and held on Derby Day.
Until next week…good punting.
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