Great Command (foaled 31 August 1993) is a

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 Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...

who never finished further back than fifth in his career and won the

New Zealand Derby The New Zealand Derby is a set-weights Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds, run over a distance of 2,400 metres (12 furlongs) at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. It is held in March each year. History The New Zealand Derby i ...

in 2000, giving trainer Mike Moroney the first of his three New Zealand Derby victories to date and owner Rob McAnulty the first of his two. After being fifth on debut on a heavy track, Great Command won four races on end including the Waikato Guineas and Derby Trial. After finishing third to Bubble in the Avondale Guineas he returned to his winning way in the Derby, recording his fifth win from seven career starts. The Derby win had

Darren Beadman Darren Beadman (born 17 November 1965) is an Australian champion jockey. In 2007 at age 41 he was the youngest jockey ever to be inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame, being the first to do so while still active in the industry. ...

in the saddle. The third placegetter, Captain Moonlight, won a Group 1 against older horses the following week. Five wins from seven starts became seven from nine as he returned a month later with a Group 3 win at Ellerslie and then the Group 1 Whakanui Stud International at

Te Rapa Te Rapa is a mixed light industrial, large-scale retail and semi-rural suburb to the northwest of Hamilton Central, central Hamilton, New Zealand. It is built on a flat area that was previously the bed of an ancient river, the forerunner to the ...

against the older horses. What turned out to be his last career start came next, with Great Command finishing third behind Intergaze and

Might And Power Might and Power (6 October 1993 – 11 April 2020) was a New Zealand bred, Australian owned and trained Thoroughbred racehorse who was named Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year, Australian Horse of the Year in 1998 and 1999. As a four-yea ...

in the Canterbury Guineas. In all he won seven of his ten starts and was only unplaced once, in his debut on a wet track.

References

1993 racehorse births Racehorses bred in New Zealand Racehorses trained in New Zealand Thoroughbred family 13-e {{racehorse-stub