Rain Lover (1964-1989) was a champion

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

n Thoroughbred

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, 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 basic pr ...

best remembered for his back-to-back wins in the 1968 and 1969

VRC Vir Chakra (pronunciation: ʋiː ɾ a tʃ a kɾa) is an Indian wartime military bravery award presented for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy on the battlefield and is third in precedence in wartime gallantry awards and ...

Melbourne Cup.

Background

Rain Lover was sired by the good racehorse, Latin Lover (GB) (a son of the unbeaten Ribot). His dam Rain Spot was by Valognes (GB).Pring, Peter; "Analysis of Champion Racehorses", The Thoroughbred Press, Sydney, 1977, He was owned and bred by Clifford A. Reid, who won the 1945 Melbourne Cup with Rainbird. Trainer Mick L. Robins, a former coal miner from

Broken Hill, New South Wales Broken Hill is an inland mining city in the far west of outback New South Wales, Australia. It is near the border with South Australia on the crossing of the Barrier Highway (A32) and the Silver City Highway (B79), in the Barrier Range. It is ...

had obtained his trainer's licence just three months before he took over Rain Lover's conditioning.

Racing career

In his first Melbourne Cup triumph, under jockey Jim Johnson, Rain Lover won by a record eight-length margin and in a record time of 3:19.1. Controversy surrounded his second win as the hot favourite and heavily backed Big Philou trained by Bart Cummings was the victim of a doping scandal and was withdrawn from the race 39 minutes before the start. Burdened with 9 st. 7 lbs. Rain Lover still went on to win the race in game fashion by a neck from Alsop and created history as the first back-to-back winner since Archer in 1861 and 1862. Amongst his other major wins were the SAJC Adelaide Cup, VATC St George Stakes (twice) and the AJC Chipping Norton Stakes.

Stud record

Retired to stud in 1970, Rain Lover enjoyed moderate success as a sire before his death in 1989. One of his best winners being Princess Veronica (VATC Easter Cup).

References

{{Reflist

External links

Rain Lover's pedigree and partial racing stats
1964 racehorse births 1989 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Australia Racehorses trained in Australia Melbourne Cup winners Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year Australian Racing Hall of Fame horses Thoroughbred family 1-g