Darley's Central Kentucky shuttler Lonhro was recognized as one of Australia's greatest racehorses with his induction into the nation's Racing Hall of Fame during ceremonies March 9 in Canberra.
An 11-time group I winner known as the "the Black Flash" during his racing career, Lonhro was among four horses, joining Rain Lover, Dulcify, and Surround in the induction class of 10.
Lonhro joins his sire, Octagonal, in the Hall of Fame after winning 26 of 35 starts and earning $5,790,510 (Australian funds). His 11 top-level wins came at ages 2 through 5, and 24 of his victories came in group stakes. Lonhro's racing career concluded with titles as Australia's Horse of the Year and champion miler for the 2003-04 season. He has since become a leading sire, topping Australia's general sire list in 2010-11, and began shuttling to Kentucky for the Northern Hemisphere season beginning in 2012.
Legendary trainer Colin Hayes believed Dulcify to be the best horse he ever trained, the Australian Associated Press reports. He won 10 of 21 starts, including the 1979 W. S. Cox Plate (Aus-I), and was a champion 3-year-old the previous season.
Rain Lover is a member of an elite group to have won the Melbourne Cup (Aus-I) more than once, capturing Australia's most famous race twice in succession, in 1968 and 1969.
Surround holds the distinction as the only 3-year-old filly to win the Cox Plate, Australia's premier weight-for-age race, winning in 1976 en route to Horse of the Year honors.
Among six other honorees are jockeys Shane Dye and Jim Munro, trainers Frank Dalton and Leon Macdonald, owners-breeders the Tait family, and race caller Eric Welsh.