ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF QUEENSLANDThe 2008 Heritage Toowoomba Royal Show will be held from 10 - 12 April 2008 - Thursday night featuring "White Fire Spectacular" - Friday night featuring "Extreme Night" - Saturday night featuring "The Royal Queensland Tattoo"

 STRAWBERRY ROAD

Bay Horse 1979 by WHISKEY ROAD from GIFTISA by RICH GIFT.

 The story of Strawberry Road is truly one of international triumph.  The bay colt that began his career in Queensland raced on to fame and fortune in six countries.  He was named the Queensland Horse of the Year for 1982-83, Australian Horse of the Year in 1983, Champion Older Horse in Germany in 1984 and represented the United States in the 1984 Japan Cup.

 Strawberry Road was bred in New South Wales by J. Pantos and G. Georgopoulos and had a number of owners in a racing career that spanned six seasons.  He was a multi-million dollar winner of 17 races from 1100 metres to 2500 metres.  His Group 1 victories were the A.J.C. Derby, M.V.R.C. Cox Plate, Queensland Derby and Rosehill Guineas in Australia, and the French Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and the German Grosser Preis von Baden.  He was also placed at this highest level of racing in the USA Breeders’ Cup Turf Stakes, the Santa Anita Luis Rey Stakes, the Belmont Turf Classic and the Washington D.C. International Stakes.

 Queensland trainer Doug Bougoure prepared Strawberry Road before a half share in the horse was purchased by Ray Stehr and John Singleton.  The horse was transferred to Sydney trainer John Nicholls and sent to France to take on the worlds best in the Prix de L’Arc De Triomphe.  He finished a gallant fifth after charging to the lead at the top of the long Longchamp straight.

 Strawberry Road then commenced barnstorming raids across the Northern Hemisphere for new owner Daniel Wildenstein, competing with distinction every time he stepped out. Plans to return him to Australia for a stud career never eventuated, and he was sold to prominent US owner Allan Paulson with a view to standing him at Brookside Farm in Kentucky.

 Strawberry Road transmitted his ability and will to win to his progeny and has sired more than 37 Stakes winners to the year 2005.  They include six Group 1 winners and four champions. He was the third on the USA Sires Premiership in 1998. His sire sons include the successful Queensland-based stallion Admiralty (USA), and his daughters are proving to be outstanding broodmares.

 In 1995, Strawberry Road died as an indirect result of peritonitis and pneumonia.  In his weakened state, he fell and fractured a leg.  Veterinarians had no option but to humanely end the life of this great Australian Thoroughbred ambassador.

Equine Hall of Fame
Colin McAlpine
Marion Sharman