Racing in the 1940s and early 50s, Chicquita was a great filly, however one horse stood in her way

Chiquita was a great racehorse and an excellent broodmare. If she had not run up against Comic Court at the peak of his career, the mare would have been rated amongst the all-time champions. As it was, her courage and will to win made her the darling of crowds in the post war years. When offered for sale by her breeder, Sir Gordon McArthur, Chicquita failed to reach her modest reserve price of 400 Guineas. Young trainer, Tony Lopes and his business partner, Frank Dimmatima, then approached Sir Gordon with an offer to lease the horse, an offer that was accepted as it would enable Sir Gordon to retain ownership of Chicquita for breeding purposes at the end of her career. Chicquita, was the daughter of the imported Foxlaw stallion Blank (GB) and her dam was Starr Faithful (by Equator).

In her single start as a two-year-old, Chicquita ran unplaced and showed no signs of the brilliance the filly was to exhibit in her next season. In August 1949 she began a dazzling sequence of eight consecutive wins, including a clean sweep of the fillies' triple crown, the 1000 Guineas, Wakeful Stakes and the VRC Oaks. In the autumn of 1950, she twice engaged in losing battles with Comic Court, beaten a neck in both the St George Stakes and the Alister Clark Stakes. In the spring of 1950 Chicquita won the Feehan and Craiglee Stakes, finally defeating Comic Court, and then ran a courageous 2nd to Grey Boots in the Caulfield Cup. Two more seconds followed in the McKinnon Stakes and the Melbourne Cup, defeated on both occasions by the scintillating Comic Court.

The brilliant Comic Court proved himself a mighty horse by smashing the Australasian record held by Spear Chief to win the Cup, but the gallant mare Chicquita ran the race of her career and again found Comic Court too good, finishing three lengths away in second place. Billy Williamson who rode Chicquita said he thought he would win when the mare moved up quickly at the turn. She finished in great style, but had no chance of catching Comic Court. In one of the most sensational Melbourne Cups ever run, Playboy and Bruin were pulled up, and Indian Chief and Gold Bar fell heavily at the home turn with the field scattering to avoid the carnage. Jockey George Moore, the rider of Indian Chief fractured his left collarbone, and Harold Mckenzie, of the other fallen horse, suffered a fractured skull and was left in a serious, life threatening condition.

In 1951 Chicquita returned to her best form, winning the Alister Clark Stakes, Liston Stakes and her second Craiglee Stakes. Three weeks later she broke down in the Turnbull Stakes and was immediately retired. Chicquita's greatest rival, the champion Comic Court and her meet seven times, with both horses either running 1st or 2nd in feature races. Chicquita went on to become a great broodmare, her offspring including the 1964 Golden Slipper winner Eskimo Prince as well as 1962 Melbourne Cup runner-up Comicquita, and her legacy is evident still through last year’s Brisbane Cup winner Lights Of Heaven.

RACE RECORD - 36: 16-11-1

EARNINGS - £56,570

VATC Thousand Guinea

Edward Manifold Stakes

VRC Oaks

Wakeful Stakes

1950 J.F. Feehan Stakes

1950 & 1951 Craiglee Stakes

1951 J.J. Liston Stakes

Alister Clark Stakes.