As a seven-year-old he won nine races, and as an 8yo, one over the mighty Phar Lap

Amounis is an Australian Thoroughbred Hall of Fame racehorse, who was a big powerful beast of a horse that dominated the 1920s and early 1930s. He won an impressive 33 races over distances ranging from 6 to 12 furlongs (1200 to 2400m). Of these wins, 27 were in "Principal Races", 16 of which have since been promoted to Group One status. In winning the AJC Epsom Handicap he established a new Australasian record time. He was by the sire Magpie out of the mare, Loved One (Duke of Melton GB). There have been few more impressive or influential stallions ever imported into Australia as Magpie who stood at Kia Ora Stud near Scone. At the time of his death, 210 individual winners of around 840 races and £269,000 in prize money had represented him.

Amounis was sold as a yearling to a Sydney trainer, J.W. Cook. He started twice as a two-year-old, without success. During a spell while he was recuperating from a leg injury he was gelded. Amounis then developed into a good type of three-year-old and was sold to Paddy Wade for 2500 guineas. Wade then raced him for a short season when he ran fourth to Manfred in the AJC and Victorian Derby's. Amounis was sold again when Wade left Australia. This time he was purchased by trainer, Frank McGrath on behalf of William Pearson for 1800 guineas.

As a three-year-old in 1925-26 he started 13 times for 6 wins including the AJC Hobartville Stakes and Rosehill Guineas. As a four-year-old in 1926-27 he started 12 times for 6 wins including the Epsom Handicap (in Australasian record time), VRC Cantala Stakes, Chipping Norton Stakes, W. S. Cox Plate and 1926 Linlithgow Stakes. As a five-year-old in 1927-28 he started 19 times for 3 weight for age (WFA) race wins, including the W. S. Cox Plate and 1927 VRC Linlithgow Stakes. As a six-year-old in 1928-29 he started eight times for four wins including the Craven Plate, AJC Epsom Handicap, Tatt's NSW Tramway Handicap and Williamstown Cup.

At the end of his six-year-old days, he had 19 wins including the Cox Plate, but Amounis came back better than ever for his next two seasons. As a seven-year-old, he won nine races finishing no worse than third on just one occasion in 16 starts. Amounis had to compete as a seven and eight-year-old, against Phar Lap in great form, as a powerful three-and four-year-old. As a seven-year-old in 1929-30 Amounis started 16 times for 10 wins including the CPRC Canterbury Stakes (with a record weight), VRC CB Fisher Plate, VRC Cantala Stakes, VRC Linlithgow Stakes, Rosehill Stakes, VATC Futurity Stakes, VATC St George Stakes, 1930 VRC C.M. Lloyd Stakes, VRC Essendon Stakes and 1930 AJC All-Aged Stakes.

As an eight-year-old in 1930-31 he started eight times for four wins including the 1930 Warwick Stakes, VATC Caulfield Cup, carrying 9 st 8 lbs (61 kilograms), VATC Caulfield Stakes and VRC October Stakes. In the 1930 Warwick Stakes, he defeated Phar Lap by a short head to deprive Phar Lap of 24 successive victories. Before this race, Phar Lap had won nine consecutive races. Phar Lap then went on to score another 14 consecutive wins. Following that historical moment, Amounis started seven more times. Competing against the cream of Australian thoroughbreds, he notched three straight wins, concluding with the Caulfield Cup, where he beat outsider Solution by half a length. The Cup was run in brilliant sunshine and before an enormous crowd. Amounis achieved the crowning triumph of a wonderful career when he flashed up on the outside of five horses turning into the straight and went on to score a great victory. Amounis received a reception that possibly has not been equaled in Melbourne before. He was the idol of the hour, and justly deserved the ovation.

Through this win Amounis raised his winnings to over £48,000, which easily beat the previous record of £43,100, held by the New Zealand horse Gloaming. Phar Lap was scratched the Monday before the race and Amounis went off as the favourite. He concluded that season unable to once again derail Phar Lap, this time on two occasions, the VATC Melbourne Stakes and the VRC Linlithgow Stakes. Amounis finished the season with four wins, one second and one third placing, and two unplaced. He was not seen in the 1931-32 season and it would have been reasonable to conclude that his racing days were done. He did put the lie to that conclusion, however, by jumping once as a 10-year-old, but he was unable to rekindle the old magic. After running unplaced in the AJC Warwick Stakes, he was retired.

RACE RECORD - 79: 33-11-8
EARNINGS  - £48,297

Hobartville Stakes (1925)
Rosehill Guineas (1925)
Epsom Handicap (1926, 1928)
Cantala Stakes (1926, 1929)
Linlithgow Stakes (1926, 1927, 1929)
Chipping Norton Stakes (1927)
W. S. Cox Plate (1927)
Essendon Stakes (1928, 1930)
Craven Plate (1928)
Williamstown Cup (1928)
C.B.Fisher Plate (1929)
St George Stakes (1930)
Futurity Stakes (1930)
C M Lloyd Stakes (1930)
All Aged Stakes (1930)
Warwick Stakes (1930)
October Stakes (1930)
Caulfield Stakes (1930)
Caulfield Cup (1930)