RIP Sunline!

2009 May 02 12:14:26

Let's defer to the experts then:

"SUNLINE rates equal to any mare to race in Australia in the post-war era, except triple Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva, says Racing Victoria handicapper Greg Carpenter."

2009 May 02 14:00:13

You just don't get it, do you Bell?

2009 May 02 15:18:16

if you say so duh

2009 May 02 18:14:26

Sadly I know you do. That's why you're so pathetic.

Rex

2009 May 02 20:49:47

You try to stay out of these things but geeez. This post was designed for forumites who wanted to pay respects to the champion mare, if you want to submitt anything that is not a direct tribute to Sunline, why not show an ounce of decency and start another post.

cheers

Mr Lister

2009 May 02 22:44:38

Sad news, she is a legend and certainly deserves the high ratings she is given. Just a pity that germ Bell Flight has surfaced on this thread to stir the pot. This isn't the place for blueing over who has the best opinion. It is the place to pay homage to a true great of the Australasian turf.
Thankyou Sunline for being the great champion you were.
I'm not mad at you for letting Rose O War beat you and wrecking my quaddie anymore. I just remember how damn good you were. RIP.

nmccloy

2009 May 02 11:13:21

Very sad for a champion to pass before her time.

If I can add just one thing about the Northerly, Sunline debate - gee I miss those days of racing.

seapost

2009 May 02 11:13:17

Farewell great mare. The best there ever was.......

tigerrish

2009 May 02 06:17:27

Jones,

Everyone's entitled to their own opinion, Kerrin has his. If he thinks Northerly was the best horse he saw, then thats his choice not yours.

Dont desecrate this thread into your pointless crusade yet again.

The Tutor

2009 May 01 20:52:38

Smokin,
You were, well, Smokin there. Good read.

RIP girl, you were a true star.

Oceania racing was all the richer for your presence and we are all the poorer for your passing.

I reckon we will all have a favourite memory of her, mine was the first WS Cox Plate.

squid69

2009 May 01 19:56:23

One of the best of our time, RIP the great mare.

dhaulagiri

2009 May 01 19:42:24

Vale Sunline,

When I read the news I became a little teary. She gave us racng fans five wonderful years of her brilliance as a racehorse. She was very special.

Condolences to her connections.

curtis

2009 May 01 17:27:15

Pink , that was excellently put...
I couldn't agree more.
A true champion.

greyshot

2009 May 01 16:42:55

Yes the 2000 Cox Plate was one of those rare races when I had the luxury of saying "I haven't had enough on" before my selection had rounded the home turn.
Gee she was traveling.

hareeba

2009 May 01 16:42:09

RIP Champ.

patsy fagan

2009 May 03 20:01:56

sad to hear...was the best horse in australia when i was living there...very consistent and genuine...always a soft spot when its a mare taking on the colts...RIP.

Gattonera

2009 May 01 15:56:27

One of many memorable Sunline moments :
2000 Cox Plate:
The realisation, as she coming around the home turn, of just what was unfolding in that race.
She'd had a less than ideal passage after trying to cross from the outside barrier, but it was of no matter.
I was one of many giving her a standing ovation for the length of the MV straight (and beyond) - what a treat!

Very sad news. I'm not looking forward to breaking the news to the missus.

Condolences to Sunline's nearest and dearest

2009 May 01 15:07:03

A sad occasion indeed, however, the duality of this historic moment recognises the immense joy and excitement conjured up by this wonderful racehorse over so many seasons. Sunline goes down in history as both the greatest Australasian mare to ever race and as one of the all-time greats.

Goooooo Sunline!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PINKLINE JONES OBE

nigeltufnel

2009 May 01 13:14:33

Very sad day. Commiserations to all concerned.

Truly great racehorse.

marbine

2009 May 01 13:10:51

Very, very sad. RIP to her, the best race mare I ever saw.

Condolances to all concerned.

Hands N Heels

2009 May 01 12:32:32

Wow.....what a loss. Sad day indeed for racing.

Wonder will any of her progeny get anywhere near her standard. Anyone know how many she foaled in the end? I seem to recall her first service was with ROG in 2003 or 2004

Racing Carrot

2009 May 01 13:25:09

Hands, as I understand it....

4yo mare-Sunstrike by Rock of Gibraltar
3yo colt-Sun Ruler by Zabeel
2yo filly by Rock of Gibraltar
yearling filly by Hussonet

Sunstrike has won once from 7 starts with three 3rds. She seems to have taken some time but has improved along the way and has a 1st/3rd formline this time in. She's in at Te Aroha tomorrow over 1200m. She was beaten fav at her first five starts, including going around at $2.20 on debut in a midweek 2yo event won by Nom Du Jeu.

Sun Ruler had a bigger reputation which he hasn't really lived up to yet but he won a 1600m maiden at Avondale last week. He probably has a few wins in him and I'd guess with the lack of Zabeel stallions they'd put him to stud somewhere regardless of what he wins on the track.

kerrin

2009 May 01 20:56:24

Behind Northerly, she's the second best horse I've seen. It rocked me when I read the news. She was a great mare.
R.I.P Sunline.

Turtle

2009 May 02 23:24:15

Good bye Sunline

Had a quick look at this site first time for about 2 years. some people here are sad!

Davo

PerfectEight

2009 May 03 01:31:56

I didn't get to see enough of her. R.I.P.

2009 May 03 12:06:08

The great Sunline represents everything Bald Fright is not.

Sunline

2009 May 05 06:17:16

Looks like not much has changed here over the last few years.

She was the greatest. Season after season she put in incredible performances. There were so many crushing victories and the brave defeats only added to her greatness. I shake my head to think how hard she made a 4 year old Lonhro fight to get past her at her penultimate start.

I can only hope to get to see another horse that can create the same excitement in the lead-up to every single start. We've been lucky to have seen one.

Thanks for the memories girl.

2009 May 01 22:19:19

Sorry Kerrin,

When Northerly wins a Cox Plate by seven lengths, multiple Group One miles in Sydney, plus a major trophy on the international stage, then get back to me. Northerly was tremendous but let's keep it in perspective.

PINKLINE

2009 May 01 21:35:52

RIP Sunline. Certainly the best mare to come out of New Zealand. If Northerly hadn't come along her record would have put her right in the "best ever mare" discussion with Makybe Diva. Wonderful racehorse indeed.

Balciano

2009 May 01 23:17:56

Very sad news..

Wonderful horse who's consistency over 48 starts and 5 seasons of racing was simply amazing.

Not a horse alive that would have beaten her on Cox Plate Day 2000, she was untouchable that day.

Along with Northerly and Might and Power part of a wonderful era of genuine champions, the likes of which we haven't seen since. The Best WFA Mare our part of the world has ever seen...and may ever see.

RIP Girl.

Raw Instinct

2009 May 02 06:13:02

RIP Sunline

one of the greatest horses to grace our turf and just a pure pleasure to see her race she had ever champion quality you could ask for in a horse hopefully one of her offspring can become atleast an above average horse to carry on her name.

2009 May 01 22:16:44

Yes hysterical stir there Bald Fright. A Bellinda doesn't change it's black maltese crosses.

Sunline IS the best ever mare from Australasia. She racked up six more Group Ones than MD, won a prestigious international mile race and fought her heart out for a third in a Dubai Duty Free. Sunline was a champion over many seasons whereas MD (a fantastic mare btw)can only be rated a true champion for ONE year only. As for Northerly, his deceptive head to head over Sunline has no effect whatsoever on Sunline being correctly rated as Australasia's greatest mare. And one more thing...Northerly had three attempts at winning in Sydney for zero wins, the latter figure comparing more than favourably with your i.q. Fool.

PINKLINE JONES OBE

2009 May 02 08:02:54

Pathetic stir there, Bell. This is not the time or place.

2009 May 02 00:27:40

Jones, his really isn't the time for a debate about Northerly and Makybe Diva.

camel56

2009 May 02 08:36:35

Thats right Bell Flight, now isnt the time. Which begs the question, why on earth would you even mention Maykbe Diva and Northerly in your intiial post? You just cant resist having a dig can you? What a pathetic individual you are.

An absolute champion of the turf and sad to see her go like this. Being from Qld I didnt have the luxury of being able to see her every campaign but I was lucky enough to see her on a trip I made to the 2000 Doncaster meeting. She might not have won that day but gee it was a thrill to see the immortal in the flesh. Inducted into the Hall Of Fame while still racing says it all!

Axl_Rose

2009 May 01 22:13:51

I wish someone would euthanise punting patto, talk about a one trick pony.

Phar Lap rules

2009 May 01 15:30:58

Just read the sad news. I thought she must have recovered since hadn't heard anything about it for a while. She certainly didn't get the retirement she deserved. Its sad that she had to suffer so long and still couldn't be saved. I'm sure the McKee's tried everything and are feeling pretty gutted.

She was one of my all time favourite racehorses and I rank her with Surround as the best 2 fillies/mares I've ever seen.

The Shu

2009 May 01 14:20:40

A sad day.
RIP Champ

Hands N Heels

2009 May 01 16:23:46

Thanks for that RC, appreciate it.

I read a story about Sun Ruler's maiden win. McKee I think made a comment about her offspring being slow starters, the fact that SR is a Zabeel probaly only compounds the issue - be interesting to see how her only son travels, will have to keep an eye out.

smokin

2009 May 01 19:56:28

She was a phenominal Race Horse.

I remember the 1st time I was ever saw her on a racetrack, at randwick in the flight Stakes, after backing Zaroyale. I thought at the 200m the one streaking away was her, however I was sorely mistaken.

From that moment on, I kept an eye on this muscular machine from across the ditch and cheered loudly when she fell at the hands of rose'o'war at caulfield that day when her colours where finally lowered.

However the next time I saw her in the flesh again, was on Doncaster Day. Time after time I did the form, and said quite clearly, this filly couldn't win.......bull^^^t. Sunline smashed them and little did I know it wouldn't be the first time I would see this unfold.

A week later she stepped out in the Queen Elizabeth and went down, I thought it was a red-letter day, I got some back against her and she had to graduate to open class from here on in, good luck I thought, good luck.

Then to the paddock she went and I thought that was the last of the dominant Sunline we would see. She returned in the spring and was good early, then coming into the epsom, she started to falter. When she got to the Cox Plate again, I wish they had betfair back then. The all talked up Tie the Knot, he was after all a far superior open age galloper. Had plenty of Group 1's and had finally got his melbourne leg right winning the Underwood.

I agreed, the Cox Plate is won by the best horse, and the best horse in the race was Tie the Knot, however the hulking thoroughbred what was Sunline, well if anyone remembered that Moonee Valley Oaks rehearsal that she bolted in 8 months earlier........Tie the Knot and myself was in trouble!!

12 Months later and again I found myself on the hill at the Valley, again trying to find something to beat the Mare they called Sunline. I thought I found the horse in Sky Heights, so again I watched however this time I just shook my head in awe. I compared her winning the Cox Plate by 7l with the time i was fortunate enough to see Might and Power win a Queen Elizabeth by 10, treasure these moments, this doesn't happen every day. So i did, fu$kin Sunline.....

In Hong Kong I cheered loud for Fairy King Prawn, backed him too, he was the Champion of the Territory. They Loved him, as I was going to as well, until fu&kin Sunline did it again. Her Win in Honkers was Outstanding, but she did me out of my money again!!

Doncaster Day in 2001, was a very satisfying day for me, Over won the Doncaster, my mate backed him and when he ran Sunline down, beer showers where everywhere!

She was a fantastic Mare, her 2nd Doncaster was simply outstanding, I backed Shogun Lodge and just couldn't contain myself when Bossy went all Greg Hall on me, All I said was Fu&*kin Sunline.

You made my punting life a living hell, but you also provided me with some of my most treasured turf memories in victory as well as defeat.

R.I.P Big Girl

F*&kin Sunline

smokin.........

2009 May 01 20:16:08

LOL Smokin'

She was one f* good effin' 'orse!

tigerrish

2009 May 01 20:11:00

Geez Smokin', the bookies must really have trouble containing their laughter when they see you coming. If thats how you punt, you should give it away mate.

What a sad day for racing not just here but around the world with the great mare losing her fight. And how sad for the McKee's to have to make the gut-wrenching decision to have her put down. Thankfully we have dvd' and video's to marvel at for many years to come.

In 50 years time when someone desribes a horse as "she's as good as Sunline". Anyone who is still alive then who saw her will no doubt laugh and say "not likely, Sunline was one of a kind"

riv

2009 May 01 18:53:45

just tragic

Rex

2009 May 01 18:01:51

Geeez this is sad news. The greatest Australasian mare Ive ever seen and a true champion. Has earnt a regal spot in horse heaven, and god help any mare or stallion that gets in her way. RIP Champ

VaDiM

2009 May 01 17:05:36

The best Mare I ever saw race.

R.I.P ........to a true SUPERSTAR of the turf.

VaD