Bernborough, Queensland’s greatest horse was to racing what Sir Donald Bradman was to cricket

The bay colt BERNBOROUGH colloquially known as the “Toowoomba Tornado” was foaled 1939 at Rosealie Plains Stud on the Darling Downs, Queensland. His sire, EMBOROUGH, (by Gainsborough) hailed from Great Britain, while his dam was the home grown mare BERN MAID (Bernard x Bridesmaid). The majority of his ancestry is British, with some United States and French ancestry dating back to the turn of the century. Bern Maid was a very old lady when she and Bernborough were offered at the dispersal of Winten’s bloodstock, where they were bought by one John (“Jack”) Bach, who reputedly described the youngster as “the lousiest thing” he’d ever seen. The year was 1940 and World War Two was in full swing. A month later, Albert Hadwen paid Jack Bach 140 APS for Bernborough and in April 1941, he was shipped to the stables of trainer Bob Mitchell, in Toowoomba.

Bernborough had a physique to match his pedigree and was one monster of a horse. But like other “gentle giants” of horse racing history, he was sweet-tempered and so docile that a toddler was safe on his back. He was also bomb-proof. There is some doubt whether Emborough was in fact his sire, and claims exist it was another (unknown) stallion that sired the colt. However no DNA tests have ever been conducted to prove otherwise.

BERNBOROUGH was frequently compared to PHAR LAP, as the two were both around 17 1/4 hands and had huge strides of 26 feet when running full out. Indeed, comparing Bernborough to Phar Lap is a high honour, and Bernborough's racing history appears to support this assertion. Bernborough captured the racing public's imagination at a time when all sought relief from the pressures and turmoil that was World War II, having only just ended a year earlier.

Despite his chequered history that saw too much of his racing career confined to war-time rural Queensland, it was the manner of his wins in one brilliant year, 1946, that excited Australia. Bernborough's remarkable career on metropolitan racetracks in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney spanned only one magnificent year - one can only ponder what his achievements might have been had he competed outside of Toowoomba during his formative years. As his reputation grew, spectators would wait for the inevitable charge and roar their approval as the champ cruised home at Clifton Park. And as Bernborough's brilliance became more apparent, there was a growing sense of frustration due to the inability to compete against Australia's top horses.

Bernborough's professional career had an unpromising start. Initially bred by Mr. Harry Winten and owned by Messrs. Frank and John Bach, his racing from age 2 to 5 was confined to Clifton Park Toowoomba due to suspicions held by the racing authorities in Queensland and NSW regarding his connections. As his reputation grew over his 3, 4 and 5 year-old campaigns, attempts were made to start Bernborough outside Toowoomba, but all failed. The reason had to do with his original owner, Frank Bach, who was accused by the powers-that-be of swapping two different thoroughbreds, years before Bernborough raced. In January of 1941, Bach was disqualified for life by the Queensland Turf Club (QTC), which meant that any horse he owned would, in turn, be barred from racing outside of Toowoomba.

He won 11 from 19 starts from the age of two to six, but only earned about £1000 in total prizemoney. Bernborough's participation in any major metropolitan turf events were not authorised until Sydney restaurant owner, Azzalin Romano finally acquired ownership for 2600 Guineas. His running ability was never in question, and as a two-year-old, he demonstrated exceptional performance, securing four victories and one second-place finish in five starts. Notably, he was already carrying a significant weight of 9st 9lbs during these races, around 61kg.

BERNBOROUGH proceeded to win all four starts as a three-year-old. Hampered by an injury, Bernborough lost in his two starts as a four-year-old. His five-year-old campaign produced three wins and one second out of eight starts. At this time Azzalin Romano had entered the scene, the bans were now lifted and Bernborough had his first significant start at Canterbury Racecourse in December of 1945 under trainer Harry Plant. He finished a respectable fourth in that event with Noel "digger" McGrowdie steering. He was dumped from the saddle and legendary jockey Athol George Mulley was retained to ride Bernborough in the future.

What followed is the stuff of legends. Bernborough immediately produced a victory in the AJC Villiers Stakes. This was followed by 14 consecutive wins at distances of six (1200m) to eleven (2200m) furlongs, often under substantial weights. Bernborough won his next three starts in a row in Sydney for Mulley and was sent to Melbourne where he won the 1946 Futurity Stakes by five lengths carrying 64.5 kilos. Next, he won the 28 horse Newmarket with 63 kilos. He was a barnstormer more by decree than design, as most of the great jockeys of the era were ‘hand riders’ who rode ‘quiet’ unless circumstances dictated otherwise.

Both the Futurity and the Newmarket were Group one races and his sequence of two group one wins quickly became five – as he returned to Sydney to win the Rawson Stakes, Chipping Norton Stakes and the All Aged Stakes. Bernborough’s target was then to come to Brisbane and run in the Doomben 10,000 one week and the Doomben Cup the next. Burdened with 65.5 kilos in the 10,000, he came with a barnstorming run from last in the field of 27 to win, running away in course record time. The late racecaller Keith Noud burst on to the radio:

“Here’s Bernborough from the clouds, he’s coming like a tornado.”

His win was so emphatic, that the handicapper re-weighted the horse to carry 68.5 kilos in the Doomben Cup. That didn’t matter to Bernborough, as he beat them again. Settling nicely 5th spot in the running, Bernborough wound up from the turned and powered past the leaders over the final 250m to win in his classic, dominant style.

Returning to Sydney, Bernborough was victorious in the Warwick Stakes, Chelmsford Stakes and Hill Stakes and he was then set for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups. He received 68 kilos and 67.5 kilos respectively in the Melbourne spring double. Sent out a 7-4 favourite for the Caulfield Cup, Bernborough had an interrupted run in the straight and flew home to run 5th, with his winning sequence of 15 wins in a row brought to a halt. Billy Briscoe was now given the ride as the lead up to the Melbourne Cup, and on 2 November 1946 Bernborough had his last race in the MacKinnon Stakes. Challenging for the lead just after entering the home straight, he suffered torn sesamoid ligaments and had to be pulled up. The great mare FLIGHT, who had finished second to Bernborough on many occasions, went on to win.

After recovering from his injuries, Bernborough was sold to famous US movie producer Louis B. Mayer for 93,000 guineas for stud duties in the USA, where he went on to moderate success as a stallion at Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, Kentucky. He sired the winners of more than $4,500,000. Bernborough's progeny included; BERSEEM, a champion American sprinter who established a new world record, 1 min. 33.8 seconds for a mile. FIRST AID, won the Whitney Handicap and $223,527. HOOK MONEY, sire of SHANDON BELLE (won Irish 1000 Guineas)

A bronze sculpture commemorating  Bernborough is located in the town of Toowoomba. As a life size replica, it is the largest bronze sculpture cast of a horse in the southern hemisphere, dedicated to a horse affectionately known as the "Toowoomba Tornado."

RACE RECORD - 37: 26-2-1
EARNINGS - £25,504

Villiers Stakes (1945)
All Aged Stakes (1946)
Hill Stakes (1946)
Warwick Stakes (1946)
Rawson Stakes (1946)
Caulfield Stakes (1946)
Chelmsford Stakes (1946)
Chipping Norton Stakes (1946)
Melbourne Stakes (1946)
Futurity Stakes (1946)
Newmarket Handicap (1946)
Doomben 10,000 (1946)
Doomben Cup (1946)