Wiggle was the last horse to win the Stradbroke Handicap as a two-year-old in 1958

The fine young racehorse WIGGLE was foaled in 1955 and was by the sire REGO (Nasrullah - Missy Suntan) out of the mare SWEET NYMPH (by Beau Port). Wiggle's owner was former jockey Bill Godby who is best remembered for taking COMUS out to a massive 45 length lead in the 1926 Melbourne Cup before finishing second last to eventual winner SPEARFELT. Wiggle was breed by Aberdeen Stud NSW, sold for 360 guineas to K.D ‘Bill’ Godby and trained by Ron Shirtliff from Cootamundra. Bill was a fan of Marilyn Monroe at the time and they wanted a catchy name. His wife said, 'You reckon the filly's cute and she wiggles when she walks. Why don't you name her after your girlfriend. When she walks she wiggled. And that's her name - WIGGLE.

REGO, who was well known for having a difficult temperament produced some fine stock, which included WIGGLE , the brilliant BAGUETTE, HEIRLOOM, speedy REISLING, BOEING BOY, MEGALONG, REGOLANO, PRINCE REGOLI and REGO LAD etc, and you could pick them a mile off as they were full of character. REGO LAD sired the '78 Stradbroke winner, INNISFREE and a good filly named IDALIA PRINCESS.

Wiggle was lucky to be racing. As a yearling at Powell's stud in Aberdeen, she tried to jump a fence and got caught in the barbed wire. Her hind legs were badly gashed - and they still showed the scars for a while. Powell was frightened that he would have to destroy her. They held her back as an early 2YO, which allowed Wiggle to grow into a much stronger horse; standing 16.1 hands tall with a powerful frame.

WIGGLE was one of Australia’s greatest fillies and she held a special place in racegoers hearts because she was able to do the undoable. Wiggle arrived at Ron Shirtliff’s stables in 1957 as a keyed-up cranky screwball that lashed out at her own shadow and it took all of her trainer’s horse skills to set the filly straight. Shirtliff transformed Wiggle, a cheap yearling purchase by her owner Bill Godby into a remarkable competitor who broke records winning some of Australia’s best races. Eventually she ended up going to America where she was also successful. Wiggle, was the last two-year-old to win Brisbane’s premier race, the Stradbroke Handicap.

With achievements including her historic victory in the Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm in 1958, Wiggle earned herself a champion tag. Wiggle wrote her name in turf records as just one of five 2yo’s to win the Gr.1 Stradbroke and one of a pair of juvenile fillies that have succeeded in the Group 1 feature. Wiggle was the first, and remains the only of her age and gender to win the Stradbroke over 1400m with all previous 63 run over the 1200m distance. SKYLINE would go on to win the Golden Slipper after connections refused to pay the £1,000 late entry fee to secure a start for the Rego filly. Wiggle wasn’t eligible to start in the A.J.C. Sires’ Produce Stakes a fortnight later either and possibly could have won both.

In mid-June, the flying REGO filly outclassed top older rivals in the Stradbroke to win by 2-1/2 lengths. With Bill Camer in the saddle, Wiggle was almost put out of the race when checked behind front runner YAHABEEBE, but Camer kept his cool and sent Wiggle rocketing forward. The 2yo carrying just 46.5kg swept past Yahabeebe and drew clear. Yahabeebe (57kg), a gun Kiwi sprinter was 2nd with locals DUCHESNE and GRIFITE dead-heating for 3rd. The only other 2yo filly to win the Stradbroke was SWEETHEART, who won in 1899, with the race first run in 1890. Other successful 2yos were FITZ GRAFTON (1903), LINE GUN (1913) and AMBERDOWN (1916).

WIGGLE won three two-year-old races in Sydney by big margins before winning the Champagne Stakes (1200m) by six lengths. At her first try against older horses she won the Ahern Stakes (1400m) at Doomben en route to the Stradbroke. At three, Wiggle beat the Golden Slipper & AJC Derby winner SKYLINE in the Hobartville Stakes (1400m) then in Melbourne, ridden by Ted Preston, Wiggle won the Edward Manifold Stakes by six lengths and the Caulfield Guineas & Linlithgow Stakes. Shirtliff then tried Wiggle over a middle distance and she won four times at 2000m, including three at WFA - Queens Plate, CM Lloyd, Kewney and the Alister Clark Stakes.

Before she returned from Melbourne to Sydney for the Autumn Racing Carnival, WIGGLE was within £1000 of the £30,774 won by the famous EVENING PEAL. FLIGHT, that other celebrated filly, won £30,627. But now Wiggle was off to live in Chicago and to conquer new worlds in the United States. The idea of an American home for Wiggle brought an indignant response from one Wiggle admirer. She wrote to the newspapers and proposed a Wiggle Club, whose members could put in £1 each, buy the filly, and race her here for the benefit of Australian racegoers.

Bill Camer won four on her in Sydney and the two at Eagle Farm including the Stradbroke to make it six straight. Edward, ‘Ted’ Preston would take over the ride when, as a three-year-old, she travelled to Victoria from October 1958. He would be successful on the filly five times in Melbourne before Bill came across to claim the Alister Clark at Moonee Valley which would turn out to be her last win on Australian soil. The diminutive newsboy turned jockey, Ted Preston was apprenticed to the Late H. R. Telford, the trainer of the immortal PHAR LAP. Preston had previously won the 1939 Caulfield and Melbourne Cups on RIVETTE.

In Australia, Wiggle raced 26 times, winning 14, then after the 1959 autumn she was exported to America where she raced as Wiggle II, having 29 starts for 6 wins including the prestigious Matron Handicap. She won the 6 furlongs Interborough Handicap at Aqueduct (New York) on October 24, 1960 where she was ridden by the champion jockey of the time Eddie Arcaro winning by 2 lengths. She broke the track Record 1:21:2 at Arlington Park over 7 furlongs (1400m) and the Track Record 1:08:3. At Del Mar at 6 furlongs (1200m). At the conclusion of her American career she sent to sent to France.

Records are sketchy, however Wiggle had about 10 foals, and her winners included: BROWN GRAVY (Bold Reason), LADY WIGGLE (Pretendre), NICE BALANCE (High Echelon) winner of Gr.3 Delaval Stakes. He stood in Australia but was sparsely used. His winners included COMMERCIAL BALANCE winner of the Canterbury Cup and SIR WIGGLE (Sadair) winner of Westchester Stakes and 5 times stakes-placed. He was a reasonably successful sire, his best son being DIAGRAMATIC who won twice at stakes level with seven stakes placings and stood at stud in NZ where he sired about 10 stakes-winners including TIDAL LIGHT, winner of the NZ Derby.

RACE RECORD - 55: 21-4-2

AUSTRALIA - 24: 14-4-2

EARNINGS - AUS £29,774 - US$116,305

Champagne Stakes

T.M Ahern Stakes

Stradbroke Handicap

Hobartville Stakes

Edward Manifold Stakes

Queens Plate

Caulfield Guineas

C.M Lloyd Stakes

Linlithgow Stakes

Sandown Guineas

A.V Kewney Stakes

Alister Clark Stakes

Marton Handicap (USA)

Interborough Handicap (USA)