Kennaquhair was an Australian bred

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 that won the

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 ...

(in record time), and the

AJC Metropolitan Handicap The Metropolitan is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held under open handicap conditions, for horses aged three years old and older, over a distance of 2,400 metres at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia in early October ...

as well as finishing second in the 1918

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 ...

Poitrel 1920 AJC Randwick Plate Trainer Harry Robinson

Pedigree

He was an attractive chestnut stallion, foaled in 1914, by

Ksar Ksar or qṣar (), in plural ksour or qsour (), is a type of fortified village in North Africa, usually found in the regions predominantly or traditionally inhabited by Berbers (Amazigh). The equivalent Berber languages, Berber term used is ' ( ...

’s half-brother, Kenilworth (FR), his dam Calluna was by Manton (NZ). Kenilworth won the

Prix Greffulhe The Prix Greffulhe is a Group 2 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old horses. It is run over a distance of 2,000 metres (about 1¼ miles) at Saint-Cloud in May. History The ev ...

, Prix Rainbow and the marathon race,

Prix Gladiateur The Prix Gladiateur is a Conditions races, Group 3 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Longchamp Racecourse, Longchamp over ...

before being exported to Australia.Leicester, Sir Charles, ''Bloodstock Breeding'', J.A. Allen & Co, London, 1969 In Australia Kenilworth was the sire of 15 stakes winners that won 36 stakes races, including Wolaroi, which had 12 stakes wins. Kennaquhair was a brother to Kenaluna, dam of Red Thespian (NJC

Cameron Handicap The Cameron Handicap is a Newcastle Jockey Club Group 3 Thoroughbred open handicap horse race over a distance of 1,500 metres, held at Broadmeadow Racecourse in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, in September. Total prize money for the race ...

). They were closely related to

Blue Spec Blue Spec was an Australian Thoroughbred racehorse who established a new record in winning the Melbourne Cup in 1905. He was a brown stallion bred by Augustus Hooke, jnr. and foaled in 1899 at his Tia River Station, Tia, New South Wales, Tia, n ...

and Eric, won the

etc.McFadden, B.V.Sc., W.J.; ''Thoroughbred Families of Australian and New Zealand'', Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1969

Racing record

Kennaquhair was trained at

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 ...

by Bill Stringer, who had a team of up to 40 horses at his stables in the town.Walsh, Bob, ''Our racing film history'',

Walcha News ''The Walcha News'', originally published as ''The Walcha News and Southern New England Advocate'', is an English language newspaper published in Walcha, New South Wales. History ''Witness ''was the first newspaper published in Walcha in 188 ...

, 11 February 2010, Rural Press

At four years: 1918-1919

Principal race wins: * AJC Anniversary Handicap (now named the AJC Australia Day Cup) 12 furlongs (2,400 metres) *

12 furlongs (2,400 metres) * VRC C.B. Fisher Plate (now the

VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes The Queen Elizabeth Stakes, first known as Queen's Plate (1854-1872), and then by various other names at different times in its history (Queen's Cup, Flemington Plate, Canterbury Plate, C.B. Fisher Plate), is an Australian horse race run in ...

) 12 furlongs. Kennaquhair carried nine stone (57 kilograms) in the

to finish second to Night March carrying six stone . During the running Kennaquhair clipped the heels of another runner,

Desert Gold Desert Gold may refer to: * ''Geraea canescens'', a wildflower also known as Desert Sunflower * Desert Gold (horse), a New Zealand Thoroughbred racehorse **Desert Gold (1919 Australian film), ''Desert Gold'' (1919 Australian film), an Australian fil ...

, which interrupted his run. The race set a new Cup record time of 3 minutes 25¾ seconds and the winner won by the short margin of half a length.Cavanough, Maurice, ''The Melbourne Cup'', Jack Pollard P/L, North Sydney, 1976 He then finished second to Poitrel in the AJC Autumn Stakes, 12 furlongs; AJC Cumberland Stakes, 16 furlongs (3,200 m) and AJC Plate (

AJC Queen Elizabeth Stakes The Queen Elizabeth Stakes, formerly known as the Queen's Plate, AJC Plate, and AJC King's Cup, is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race run over a distance of 2,000 metres at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, ...

) 24 furlongs (approx 4,800 m).Barrie, Douglas M., The Australian Bloodhorse, Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1956 He finished third to

Gloaming Gloaming may refer to: * Twilight Twilight is daylight illumination produced by diffuse sky radiation when the Sun is below the horizon as sunlight from the upper atmosphere is scattered in a way that illuminates both the Earth's lower ...

in the Sydney City Tatt's Chelmsford Stakes over 9 furlongs (1,800 m). He was then placed third to Poitrel in the AJC Spring Stakes, (now

Colin Stephen Quality Handicap The Colin Stephen Quality Handicap is an Australian Turf Club Group 3 Thoroughbred open quality handicap horse race for horses three years old and older, over a distance of 2400 metres, held annually at Rosehill Racecourse, Sydney, Australia, in ...

) of 12 furlongs.Pring, Peter; "Analysis of Champion Racehorses", The Thoroughbred Press, Sydney, 1977,

At five years: 1919–1920

Principal race wins: * AJC

16 furlongs carrying in the Australasian record time of 3 minutes 22¾ seconds. * City Tattersall's Cup (now City Tatt's

City Tattersalls Club The City Tattersalls Club is a social club in Sydney. The club was formed in 1895 by a group of bookmakers disgruntled with a judge's decision on a race at Kensington, New South Wales. The club named itself after the Tattersalls Club, Sydney, ...

Cup) 11 furlongs (2,200 m). Kennaquhair finished second to Poitrel in the AJC Randwick Plate at WFA, 2 miles (approx. 3,200 m) and second yet again to Poitrel in the AJC Plate at

Weight for Age {{use dmy dates, date=October 2022 Weight for Age (WFA) is a term in thoroughbred horse racing which is one of the conditions for a race. History The principle of WFA was developed by Henry John Rous, Admiral Rous, a handicapper with the English ...

(WFA), over three miles (approx. 5,400 m). He also finished third, both times to Poitrel, in the AJC Autumn Stakes, 12F and AJC Cumberland Stakes at WFA over two miles. Kennaquhair was allotted the top weight of in the 1919 Melbourne Cup, but was unplaced.

At six years: 1920-1921

Principal race win: * Dead-heated with Poitrel for a win in the AJC Spring Stakes, (now

) 12 furlongs Kennaquhair finished second to Poitrel in the AJC Randwick Plate (WFA, 2 miles). When he was six years old Kennaquhair had his portrait painted by the noted equine artist, Martin Stainforth. In 1921 Kennaquhair starred as the heroine's horse, ''Alert'' in the silent, black and white film, '' Silks and Saddles''. This film was released overseas as ''Queen of the Turf''.

Stud record

He retired to the Mungie Bundie Stud, near

Moree, New South Wales Moree () is a town in Moree Plains Shire in northern New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the banks of the Mehi River, in the centre of the rich black-soil plains. Newell and Gwydir highways intersect at the town. It can also be rea ...

in 1922. He remained there until the stud was dispersed and he then stood at Walcha. Kennaquhair did sire some country winners, but no stakes winners or any broodmares of note. He died at Bective Station,

Tamworth, New South Wales Tamworth is a city and administrative centre of the north-eastern region of New South Wales, Australia. Situated on the Peel River (New South Wales), Peel River within the local government area of the Tamworth Regional Council, it is the largest ...

in 1934.Walcha News, 11 January 1935

References

{{Reflist 1914 racehorse births 1934 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Australia Racehorses trained in Australia Thoroughbred family 2-n Sydney Cup winners