Amounis

Amounis
Sire	Magpie (GB)
Grandsire	Dark Ronald
Dam	Loved One
Damsire	Duke of Melton (GB)
Sex	Gelding
Foaled	1922
Country	Australia
Colour	Brown
Breeder	Percy Miller
Owner	1. J.W. Cook 2. Paddy Wade 3. Mr W. Pearson
Trainer	J.W. Cook before 8 August 1925, Frank McGrath after 8 August 1925
Record	79: 33-11-8
Earnings	AU ₤48,297/10/-
Major wins
AJC Hobartville Stakes (1925) RRC Rosehill Guineas (1925) AJC Epsom Handicap (1926, 1928) VRC Cantala Stakes (1926, 1929) VRC Linlithgow Stakes (1927, 1928, 1929) AJC Chipping Norton Stakes (1927) MVRC Cox Plate (1927) VRC Essendon Stakes (1928, 1930) AJC Craven Plate (1928) WiRC Williamstown Cup (1928) VRC C.B.Fisher Plate (1929) VATC St George Stakes ( 1930) VATC Futurity Stakes (1930) VRC C M Lloyd Stakes (1930) AJC All Aged Stakes (1930) AJC Warwick Stakes (1930) VRC October Stakes (1930) VATC Caulfield Stakes (1930) VATC Caulfield Cup (1930)
Honours
Australian Racing Hall of Fame (2006)
Last updated on 1 September 2009

Amounis was an Australian Thoroughbred Hall of Fame racehorse. He won 33 races over distances ranging from 6 to 12 furlongs (1,200 to 2,400 metres). Of these wins, 27 were in "Principal Races" (equivalent to today's Group races or "Black Type" races), 16 of these races have since been promoted to Group One (G1) status. In winning the AJC Epsom Handicap he established a new Australasian record time.^[1]

Breeding

He was a brown gelding bred by Percy Miller and foaled in 1922 at his Kia Ora Stud, Scone, New South Wales. Amounis was by the outstanding racehorse and sire, Magpie (GB), his dam Loved One was a good racehorse and broodmare by Duke of Melton (GB).^[2] Loved One produced 14 foals, of which 8 raced and 5 of these were winners.^[3]

Racing career

Amounis was sold as a yearling to a Sydney trainer, J.W. Cook. He started twice as a two-year-old, without success. During a spell (rest) while he was recuperating from a leg injury he was gelded. Amounis then developed into a good type of three-year-old and was sold to Paddy Wade for 2,500 guineas. Wade then raced him for a short season when he ran fourth to Manfred in the AJC and Victorian Derbies. Amounis was sold again when Mr Wade left Australia. This time he was purchased by trainer, Frank McGrath on behalf of Mr W. Pearson for 1,800 guineas.^[2]

As a three-year-old in 1925-26 he started 13 times for 6 wins including the AJC Hobartville Stakes and Rosehill Guineas.^[4]

As a four-year-old in 1926-27 he started 12 times for 6 wins including the Epsom Handicap (in Australasian record time), VRC Cantala Stakes, Chipping Norton Stakes, WS Cox Plate and 1926 Linlithgow Stakes.^[3]

As a five-year-old in 1927-28 he started 19 times for 3 weight for age (wfa) race wins, including the WS Cox Plate and 1927 VRC Linlithgow Stakes.^[3]

As a six-year-old in 1928-29 he started eight times for four wins including the Craven Plate, AJC Epsom Handicap, Tatt's NSW Tramway Handicap and WmtnRC Williamstown Cup.^[5]

Amounis had to compete as a seven and eight-year-old, against Phar Lap in great form, as a three- and four-year-old. As a seven-year-old in 1929-30 Amounis started 16 times for 10 wins including the CPRC Canterbury Stakes (with a record weight),^[6] VRC CB Fisher Plate, VRC Cantala Stakes, VRC Linlithgow Stakes, Rosehill Stakes, VATC Futurity Stakes, VATC St George Stakes, 1930 VRC C.M. Lloyd Stakes, VRC Essendon Stakes and 1930 AJC All-Aged Stakes.^[2]

As an eight-year-old in 1930-31 he started eight times for four wins including the 1930 Warwick Stakes, VATC Caulfield Cup, carrying 9 st 8 lbs (61 kilograms),^[7] VATC Caulfield Stakes and VRC October Stakes. In the 1930 Warwick Stakes, he defeated Phar Lap by a short head to deprive Phar Lap of 24 successive victories.^[8] Before this race, Phar Lap had won nine consecutive races. Phar Lap then went on to score another 14 consecutive wins.

At the end of his six-year-old days, he had 19 wins including the Cox Plate but Amounis came back better than ever for his next two seasons. As a seven-year-old, he won nine races (including one over Phar Lap),^[3] finishing no worse than third on just one occasion in 16 starts.

1930 Racebook

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  Front cover of the 1930 VATC Futurity Stakes racebook .

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  Inside cover showing raceday officials.

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  Starters and results of the 1930 VATC Futurity Stakes racebook showing the winner,Amounis.

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  Back cover showing Entrance & Railway charges.

Amounis,1930 Jockey Harold Jones up

Race record

At nine years: 1931-32 Did not race

Tabulated pedigree

See also

• Glossary of Australian and New Zealand punting

References

External links

• The Virtual FormGuide
• Australian Museum and Racing Hall of Fame: Amounis
• Thoroughbred Village