Kingston Rule was an American-bred

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 raced in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

, where he won the 1990

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 a record time of 3:16:3. This time still stands as the record today. Bred and raced by Victoria's David H. Hains, who had bred Kingston Town, Kingston Rule was sired by the famed U.S. Triple Crown Champion

Secretariat Secretariat may refer to: * Secretariat (administrative office) * Secretariat (horse) Secretariat (March 30, 1970 – October 4, 1989), also known as Big Red, was a champion American thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse who was the ninth winn ...

and, out of the 1982

Australian Horse of the Year The Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year is awarded to the Thoroughbred horse who is voted to be the champion horse within an Australian racing season. This award is open to all racehorses racing within Australia, regardless of age and sex, ...

, Rose of Kingston. He was initially trained in France by Patrick Biancone but only raced once there. He then came to Australia and initially trained by Tommy Smith but was unimpressive. In the Spring of 1989, Kingston Rule was moved to the stables of Bart Cummings. He won two races at Sandown over a mile and was later placed second in the Carlyon Cup at Caulfield to Marwong. He ran in a number of feature races to qualify for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups but without any wins: * 7th in the Australian Cup won by Vo Rogue. * 5th in the

Memsie Stakes The Memsie Stakes is a Melbourne Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held under weight for age conditions, for horses aged three years old and upwards, over a distance of 1400 metres. It is held at Caulfield Racecourse, Melbourne, Australi ...

won by

The Phantom ''The Phantom'' is an American adventure comic strip, first published by Lee Falk in February 1936. The main character, the Phantom, is a fictional costumed crime-fighter who operates from the fictional African country of Bangalla. The char ...

. * 4th in the Craiglee Stakes won by

Zabeel Zabeel (25 October 1986 – 25 September 2015) was a New Zealand-bred racehorse who predominantly raced in Australia. He was retired to stud and became a champion sire. He was a bay son of Sir Tristram from the Nureyev mare Lady Giselle. ...

. * 2nd in the Coongy Handicap, Caulfield, won by Kessem. After not qualifying for the

Caulfield Cup The Caulfield Cup is a Melbourne Racing Club Group races, Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held under Handicap (horse racing), handicap conditions. This is for all horses aged three years old and older. It takes place over a distance of 2400 met ...

, he was finally successful in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup in record time, ridden by Jim Cassidy Bart Cummings and David Hains did not wish to wait for Cassidy or Michael Clarke who were both offered the ride on Kingston Rule in the 1990

to commit. The horse was unable to get a start in the Mackinnon Stakes and he was ridden by young Sydney jockey,

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 Hotham Handicap for second. Beadman again rode him in his

win ahead of the New Zealand horses

( Murray Baker, G Cooksley) and Mr Brooker (Peter Hurdle, Greg Childs) in a race record time. After placing third in both the

St George Stakes The Peter Young Stakes, registered as the St George Stakes, is a Melbourne Racing Club Group races, Group 2 Thoroughbred horse race held under weight for age conditions over a distance of 1800 metres at Caulfield Racecourse, Caulfield racecourse, ...

and Blamey Stakes to Better Loosen Up and Sydeston respectively he suffered an injury to his tendons and never returned to his best.

Stud career

He entered

stud Stud may refer to: Animals * Stud (animal), an animal retained for breeding ** Stud farm, a property where livestock are bred Arts and entertainment * Stud (band), a British progressive rock group * The Stud (bar), a gay bar in San Francisco * ...

in 1991, and as of the end of 2009 has sired 91 winners, including 4 stakes winners.

Notable progeny

''c = colt, f =

filly A filly is a female horse that is too young to be called a mare. There are two specific definitions in use: *In most cases, a ''filly'' is a female horse under four years old. *In some nations, such as the United Kingdom and the United States ...

, g =

gelding A gelding (Help:IPA/English, /ˈɡɛldɪŋ/) is a castration, castrated male horse or other equine, such as a pony, donkey or a mule. The term is also used with certain other animals and livestock, such as domesticated Camelidae, camels. By compa ...

Death

Kingston Rule died at Ealing Park, Euroa, Victoria, in December 2011.Racing Post
/ref>

References

Kingston Rule's pedigree and partial racing stats

Video at YouTube of Kingston Rules win in the 1990 Melbourne Cup

1986 racehorse births 2011 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in Australia Melbourne Cup winners Thoroughbred family 24 {{racehorse-stub

Stud career

Notable progeny

Death

See also

References