Blue Spec was an Australian

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...

racehorse who established a new record in winning the

Melbourne Cup The Melbourne Cup is an annual Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne, Australia, at the Flemington Racecourse. It is a 3200-metre race for three-year-olds and older, conducted by the Victoria Racing Club that forms part of the ...

in 1905. He was a brown stallion bred by Augustus Hooke, jnr. and foaled in 1899 at his Tia River Station,

Tia TIA most commonly refers to the transient ischemic attack, a "mini-stroke". TIA or Tia may also refer to: People * Tia (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name or surname * TiA, stage name of a female ...

, near

Walcha, New South Wales Walcha () is a town at the south-eastern edge of the Northern Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia. The town serves as the seat of Walcha Shire. Walcha is located by road from Sydney at the intersection of the Oxley Highway and Thunderbol ...

.Binney, Keith R., ''Horsemen of the First Frontier (1788-1900) and the Serpents Legacy'', Volcanic Productions, Sydney, 2005,

Pedigree

His sire, True Blue (NZ) was a good racehorse, winning the Carrington Stakes and the Waverley Handicap carrying as a four-year-old. True Blue was purchased by Augustus Hooke in 1893 and sired 13 stakeswinners that won 19 principal races. Blue Spec's dam, Specula, was by Splendor (GB) who was a useful sire. Kennaquhair (won

Sydney Cup The Sydney Cup is an Australian Turf Club Group One, Group 1 Thoroughbred handicap horse race, for horses three years old and older, run over 3200 metres at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia in the autumn during the ATC Championships series ...

and AJC

Metropolitan Handicap The Metropolitan Handicap, frequently called the "Met Mile", is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Open to horses age three and older, it is contested on dirt over a distance of one mile (8 furl ...

etc.) and Eric were from the same family and closely related to Blue Spec.Digby, John; ''Thoroughbred Families and Sires of Australian and New Zealand'', AJC & VRC, 2002

Racing record

Blue Spec was sold in Sydney during 1903 for 155 guineas to P.A. Connolly of

Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...

. He was then taken to Western Australia where he won the Kalgoorlie Cup and

Perth Cup The Perth Cup is a Perth Racing Group 2 Thoroughbred horse race run under quality handicap conditions over a distance of at Ascot Racecourse in Perth, Western Australia in January, usually on New Year's Day. The total prize money is $1,000,000. ...

, the two most important races in that state. Blue Spec had carried Connolly's red and white colours to the start of an amazing five consecutive and two later wins in the Perth Cup, with different horses, for his owner.Barrie, Douglas M., ''The Australian Bloodhorse'', Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1956 The Melbourne Cup was the next target and Blue Spec was taken to trainer, Walter Hickenbotham's stables in Victoria in 1904 with this in mind. From this base he won the 1905 Moonee Valley Cup and then the 1905 Melbourne Cup in the record time of 3:27½. Blue Spec's victory in the Melbourne Cup was the trainer's fourth success in this important race.Cavanough, Maurice, ''The Melbourne Cup'', Jack Pollard P/L, North Sydney, 1976

Stud record

At stud Blue Spec sired two stakes winners, Blue Rain (WATC

Easter Handicap The Easter Handicap or Easter Stakes is a major horse race held at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. It is raced over a distance of 1,600 metres (approximately 1 mile) by three-year-old and upwards thoroughbreds. Race history Althou ...

) and Semi Blue (WATC Osborne Stakes) as well as other winners. Blue Spec was inducted into

the West Australian ''The West Australian'' is the only locally edited daily newspaper published in Perth, Western Australia. It is owned by Seven West Media (SWM), as is the state's other major newspaper, ''The Sunday Times''. It is the second-oldest continuousl ...

Racing Industry Hall of Fame.West Australian Racing Industry Hall of Fame
Retrieved 2010-9-4

References

{{Reflist 1899 racehorse births Melbourne Cup winners Racehorses bred in Australia Racehorses trained in Australia Thoroughbred family 2-n