The Wingatui grey turned up at Melbourne in 1970 and caused a big upset in the Cup

BAGHDAD NOTE foaled in 1965 and sired by KURDISTAN (GB), his dam FAIR NOTE (NZ) was by FAIRS FAIR (GB). His broodmares sire, Fairs Fair was the father of the grand New Zealand champion EVEN STEVENS, who won the 1962 Caulfield and Melbourne Cups. The stayer was owned Stuart Falconer of Dunedin and trained by Bob Heasley at Wingatui in Otago. He was bred by William ‘Bill’ Hazlett who was an All Black's loose forward on the tough South African tour of 1928 and against the British touring team in 1930. Bill Hazlett was a dominant figure in farming, thoroughbred breeding and racing in Southland for more than 30 years. His father, William Thomas Hazlett, a merchant with extensive land holdings, had married Kate Stephenson, a daughter of one of the founders of the stock and station agency Wright Stephenson and Company.

Following the death of his brother in WWII and then his father, Bill acquired the Chelandry thoroughbred stud at Taramoa, near Invercargill, which had been established by his father in 1918. Most of Hazlett's racehorses were bred at the Chelandry stud, where Kurdistan sired BAGHDAD NOTE, as well as such famous steeplechase horses as KUMAI, the legendary KORAL and the great, EIFFEL TOWER. A highly motivated and astute individual with a proven track record of success in the high country farming industry, Bill made significant and pioneering contributions to the thoroughbred breeding sector in New Zealand. Hazlett bred and trained his horses to be tough and versatile, capable of winning at any distance. Never afraid of adopting an innovative practice, Hazlett trained his horses to jump at an early age; they were entered in hurdle and steeplechase races when in their prime for flat racing.

As a two-year-old Baghdad Note ran only four times. He won a juvenile maiden at Riccarton in July of 1968 and had one start in Australia at Warwick Farm for a 2nd. Turning three he had two further starts in Australia before returning home. Out of 12 starts Baghdad Note ran five second placings and at the end of that campaign in July of 1969, winning two Handicaps at Trentham over 1600m.

1970 would be Baghdad Note's year, beginning with a 2nd at Wingatui in February, then defeating PRETENTIOUS in the Great Autumn Handicap at Riccarton, a third in the Gloaming and Waterloo Stakes at Trentham before winning the Mahora Stakes at Hastings and the Whyte Stakes back in Wellington. A 2nd in the Palimentary Handicap in July would be one of his last runs in New Zealand. In October Baghdad Note would pull off a victory at Flemington in the Navy Day Handicap over 2400m, then run 2nd to BEER STREET in the Herbert Power at Caulfield. He now had the miles in his legs to take on the prestigious staying feature - the Melbourne Cup.

Given most of his previous wins in New Zealand had been on wet tracks, Baghdad Note was dismissed before the 1970 Cup as predominantly a 'mudlark'. Despite his solid dead-heat third in the Caulfield Cup, (won by the Tasmanian, Beer Street), and a fifth placing in the Mackinnon Stakes, he was sent out by punters a 25/1 chance in the Melbourne Cup. Bart Cummings had VOLEUR favourite for the Melbourne Cup and he had MOOMBA FOX in the field to ensure the pace was on. A pinpoint ride from top Kiwi jockey Midge Didham showed just how very wrong that assessment was. He duly won the race over VANSITTART by ¾ of a length in a time of 3:18.7, carrying 54kg and becoming just the third grey to win the race after TORYBOY in 1865 and HIRAJI in 1947. He was strapped by young New Zealander, David Newman. Ernie ‘Midge’ Didham, who rode a great race on the grey, had a grin from ear to ear as he trotted the horse back into the enclosure after the cup presentation.

In praise of the horse's performance he dismissed his own efforts, although he received wide acclaim for a brilliant ride. "I followed TAILS, and at the four and a half furlongs I got round him and came in again and ran the field down,"

"She was a great race."

Falconer, who had suffered a severe heart attack the previous Christmas, turned down an offer of $15,000 for his champion on the day before the cup. The next day his share of the $75,000 cup stake was $51,000. The colourful cigar-smoking, Rolls-Royce-driving Dunedin businessman had not originally planned a Melbourne Cup campaign for his horse and had to be talked into it by the grey's Wingatui trainer, Bob Heasley.

Baghdad Note's win is arguably the most impressive feat notched by a horse trained in the Wingatui and Taieri region. The area has contributed so much to Australasian thoroughbred racing that it was due reward when the cup was sent to the deep South courtesy of Baghdad Note's win. The whereabouts of the trophy won by Baghdad Note in 1970 is unknown. The Cup was stolen from the owner’s house in Dunedin. At the age of six Baghdad Note's best result was a 3rd to GAY ICARUS in the 1971 Underwood Stakes. He would have 17 starts as a seven-year-old in the 1972/73 season and finish 13th in the Melbourne Cup won by PIPING LANE.

After a lengthy break from racing due to injury, Baghdad Note was leased by young trainer Terry Millard at Kilmore, (65km north of Melbourne) who gradually returned the horse back to race fitness. As an 8-year-old years old Baghdad Note turned back the clock and returned to the racing spotlight as the oldest winner of the Sandown Cup. A stirring win at Sandown in 1973 was Baghdad Note's first metropolitan success since the Melbourne Cup victory. The horse featured in the 1973 Adelaide Cup, running second to TAVEL, and then went to Queensland where he won the O'Shea stakes, defeating RUNYON. He then started in the Brisbane Cup, when, despite breaking down again nearing the home turn, he still finished into third place. After retirement he became a clerk of the course horse at Flemington, then later a police horse. He spent his twilight years at the farm of former jockey, trainer Jim Lawrence, and at his passing had been the oldest surviving Cup winner at 27.

Midge shifted to Australia from Wingatui after he rode IGLOO to finish second to SILVER KNIGHT in the 1971 Melbourne Cup. He rode Igloo to win the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington and Coongy Handicap at Caulfield in his lead up races that year. Igloo was trained at Wingatui by Midge's father, Arthur, who made many successful forays to Australia. Arthur was a top class jockey. Midge won the Caulfield Cup on MING DYNASTY in 1980 and SILVER BOUNTY the following year. He won the Wellington Cup on EIFFEL TOWER in 1965 and the Auckland Cup in 1971 on ARTIFICE, trained by Jim Didham at Otaki. He was the leading NZ jockey in the 1969- 70 season with 99 wins. He rode his first winner, DALRIADA at Warwick Farm in 1960 at the age of 15 when apprenticed to his father.

Dog trials were another of Bill Hazlett's interests. He competed for many years with considerable success, and as he grew older these often took precedence over his racing activities. He was competing in a trial near Gore when he collapsed and died on 13 April 1978. Strong-willed and shrewd, he had been a successful and innovative high country farmer and had made a rich contribution to the history of the thoroughbred in New Zealand. In BAGHDAD NOTE he produced a champion stayer who was the pride of the South.

RACE RECORD - 64: 13-15-7

EARNINGS - $115,068

Melbourne Cup (1970)

P.J. O'Shea Stakes (1973)

Sandown Cup (1973)