Bonecrusher (horse)

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Kiwi racehorse Bonecrusher was widely admired in both Australia and New Zealand. He was named horse of the year in NZ and Australia in 1986/87. His nickname was Big Red, the same name as the immortal champions Man O' War, Secretariat and Phar Lap.

He raced 44 times for 18 wins, 5 seconds and 11 thirds, earning $2,888,085 in stakes. His major wins included the New Zealand Derby, AJC Derby, Tancred Stakes and the Australian Cup.

His most famous race was the 1986 Cox Plate, a two horse battle with (Our) Waverley Star, another New Zealand Champion which he won by a neck [1]. This race was dubbed the "race of the century".

Later that year, he was hot pre-post favourite against the world's best invited racehorses in the Japan Cup. Bonecrusher was struck down by a virus in Tokyo and nearly lost his life, and had to withdraw from the race.

Bonecrusher fortunately recovered, and returned the next year, winning the 1987 Australian Cup. He is still alive and healthy now, at the age of 23, although he no longer makes public appearances.

Bonecrusher's strapper, Shaune Ritchie, is now a trainer based in Cambridge and trains Magic Cape, the winner of the 2006 running of the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas and current favourite for the New Zealand Derby of 2007.