The great grey Surround was one of the most brilliant fillies to have ever raced in Australia

Bred in New Zealand, SURROUND was sired by SOVEREIGN EDITION (IRE), her dam MICHELINE (NZ) by Le Filou (FR). When Surround first went up for sale in New Zealand she was almost overlooked – even by maestro trainer Bart Cummings, who inspected her and was not impressed. However, fellow trainer Geoff Murphy found her strangely appealing and arranged to lease her from breeder Patrick Hogan until the end of her four-year-old season. After a year in the paddock at Cambridge, the filly had grown significantly, so Murphy said, let's get her on the plane.

At stud, her dam MICHELINE's record was superb, almost the equal of her own dam, the great matron DULCIE, producing the same number of stakes winners as her mother, including PURPLE PATCH (Pakistan II), a prolific winner of 20 races, LORD HYBROW (Trictrac) in 1981 (making him a three quarter blood brother to Balmerino) who scored 12 wins including the Doomben Cup, the Brisbane Cup and more than $1.2 million. Two years prior to Lord Hybrow she foaled to SOVEREIGN EDITION the listed stakes winner SOVEREIGN PARADE.

Surround's race performances were such that many racegoers still talk about her amazing fighting qualities fifty years later. She was the darling of Australia and showed a spirit that epitomizes the best of horse racing. By the time she finished racing Surround had won left-handed, right-handed, in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane and had put together 17 wins including five as a two-year-old. Included were five Group Ones and six at Group Two level. She raced hard and often in two and a half all-too-brief seasons, and won the hearts of spectators wherever she went. She was as tough as nails, had a heart bigger than a lioness, and could accelerate away powerfully.

Jockey Alex Trevena was unable to partner the Geoff Murphy-trained Surround in her most famous victory, the 1976 Cox Plate - handing the reins to Peter Cook because he couldn't make the light weight - but was aboard for most of her other significant wins. Trevena had a special bond with Surround but didn't think much of her when first riding the filly. But he changed his mind after jumping from barrier 17 in a 900m jumpout, where she shot forward to reach the fence by the first furlong, going on to win comfortably. Even though the early ability was there, Alex saw her as a bit immature, however, a trip to the warmer climates of Queensland worked wonders. An infamous Cranbourne trial would convince both jockey and trainer they had something special on there hands when she won efforlessly without getting out of first gear.

As a three-year-old, she won 12 out of 16 starts over distances ranging from 1200m to 2500m including the 1976 Cox Plate, 1976 VRC Oaks, 1977 AJC Oaks and 1977 Queensland Oaks. She is the only filly to win the Cox Plate in the history of the race, making the great grey one of the most brilliant fillies to have ever stepped out on the turf in Australia. In a short but spectacular career the filly won 17 of her 28 starts, 10 of them in succession, at distances from sprints to a mile and a half.

SURROUND showed her quality as a two-year-old winning five of her nine starts. As a three-year-old she won the Oaks in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland; the only filly to achieve this treble. She also proved herself at weight-for-age and against the colts with wins in the 1976 Caulfield Guineas, Ascot Vale Stakes at 12/1, Moonee Valley Stakes and QTC Grand Prix Stakes. Altogether she won 12 out of 16 in top company, with 10 of her wins coming consecutively. It was her three length victory in the 1977 W.S. Cox Plate that put the stamp of greatness upon her. Surround would have been a worthy favourite in the race, albeit classy mare HOW NOW had just won the Caulfield Cup in a remarkable performance and hence started the popular elect at 7-4 favourite.

Sadly for connections, HOW NOW knuckled at the start and soon after was badly checked, meaning she was a non-factor in the race. Surround jumped from barrier 10 and jockey Peter Cook pushed forward early and got her into a perfect position running fourth rounding the bend for the first time. Leader UNAWARE had set a solid pace throughout, and the race was set up perfectly for the filly if she was good enough, which she was, overhauling stablemate SAVOIR. It was all over in the twinkling of an eye. She dashed clear in the straight to win by three lengths in a new race record time while creating history. No other three-year-old filly has been able to emulate this achievement and it confirmed her as the Australian Horse of the Year.

Back in training as a four-year-old, her racing was brought to a premature end by an injury to her foreleg which necessitated her retirement. In her short but brilliant career she had 17 wins and 4 placings from 28 starts. When returning for three starts for one second placing, the injury reappeared and she was retired from the race track. Her earnings were an Australian record for a mare at that time. She had made an enormous impact, and no three-year-old filly since has matched her exploits. SURROUND was one of a kind. Trevena retreated to a houseboat after his riding days were over and spent plenty of time, not necessarily by design, near Jye McNeil's family property at Koondrook in northern Victoria.

Seven of Surround's eight foals raced and all were winners but it was her last foal, BOWRAL, a son of Danztore (USA) that provided Surround with her only stakes winner. Two of her foals, WATCHING (Marceau) and FRAME (Sir Tristram) were stakes placed.

Record - 28: 17-2-2

Earnings - A$347, 030

W S Cox Plate (1976)

VRC Oaks (1976)

Caulfield Guineas (1976)

C F Orr Stakes (1977)

AJC Oaks (1977)

Queensland Oaks (1977)

Blamey Stakes (1977)

Alister Clark Stakes (1977)

Australian Racehorse of the Year (1977)