He travelled to Royal Ascot and at 33/1 blew away the best in the world

A little unknown Aussie flew in from down under and won two races in four days at Royal Ascot in 2003. Trainer Paul Perry, formally attired in a morning suit and top hat, had the distinct honour of receiving the trophy from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II herself. It was an extraordinary and unique experience for the Broadmeadow team from Newcastle. Their pioneering efforts paved the way for future champions to venture northward and engage against the most formidable opponents that the Northern Hemisphere has to offer.

Choisir was a $55,000 2001 Inglis Classic yearling bred by Ross Daisley and foaled in 1999. Choisir was from the second Australian crop of Coolmore shuttle stallion  Danehill Dancer, (Danehill) out of the mare, Great Selection (Lunchtime). The breeder had kept the older brother (Danny Dancer) and sold the younger colt to Perry, whose interest was sparked when he had seen Danehill Dancer win a race at The Curragh on a previous overseas trip. Danny Dancer ended up with a career of five wins from 43 starts and $87,000 in stakes, last seen at Bathurst, and Choisir, for the record, seven from 23 and $2.25m in stakes before Coolmore Stud outbid Sheik Mohammed's Darley Stud with $10m after the Royal Ascot double - not the $22m sometimes reported. Newcastle Miner, Terry Wallace owned the horse in conjunction with Paul Perry. The Wallace family had been with Perry since the 1980s, had as many as 70 in work solely with him at times, the deal being the Wallace family owned two-thirds, Perry the other third.

Choisir had campaigned well as a juvenile in Australia, won a Skyline, placed in each of the Sydney 2YO Triple Crown, came back at a three-year-old in good form and scored more headlines in a controversial Flemington protest featuring Blur and Planchet. However, he had previously secured a spring Emirates victory at Flemington and an early autumn Lightning triumph before Perry considered international opportunities. He'd noted the David Hayes-trained North Boy winning a then rich Kris Flyer International Sprint in Singapore and said to Wallace that Choisir was a better horse, so why not take on the world. Perry and Choisir plotted the most audacious of upsets. He arrived at Royal Ascot with no fanfare or expectations, modest at best, flying under the radar, and impossible to assess his chances as nothing like this had ever been tried before.

Johnny Murtagh, who had done time as a youngster riding in Sydney and having ridden for Perry said his instructions were the horse only had two speeds, – slow and very fast – he was twice the size of any other horse. Europe's finest at the time (and have stood the test of time since), Acclamation and Oasis Dream were left lamenting - the next star, Airwave, left chasing. And remember Choisir was a southern hemisphere three-year-old weighted as a northern hemisphere four-year-old and then had an added Group one penalty.

Choisir was paying around 33-1 in the Gr 2 King's Stand and 7-1 in the Gr.1 Golden Jubilee Stakes. Choisir blew Airwave off the course with an historic win in the Golden Jubilee Stakes, becoming the first horse since Stanerra in 1983 to win twice at the meeting, having made all in the King's Stand Stakes. On firm ground, it was not in the least surprising to learn that Choisir had broken the course record. Trainer Paul Perry was brave enough to bring Choisir on a 32-hour plane ride from Australia to take on the cream of British sprinters and give them a double thumping. A huge bull of a horse, Choisir was not inconvenienced by his draw out in stall 20 as he blasted from the traps under Johnny Murtagh to challenge for the early lead with another globetrotter, Morluc, from the United States. But by halfway, Morluc was left trailing as Murtagh edged Choisir left to take a clear lead on the stands' rail. The 11-8 favourite, Airwave, bravely came out of the pack to try to mount a challenge but, edging to her right near the line, she was never able to reach Choisir, who won by half a length but with far more authority than that small margin implies.

Terry Wallace had sent his son John down to the betting ring to put on a bet. The old bookies would write the odds in chalk on their boards and not lay every horse. They put a fair bit down and John returned with thousands of pounds and when they paid him out it was all in small notes. He was getting five-pound and ten-pound notes and there was so much, some blew away, people put their feet on it to help him out before he got back to our table, so we stashed it into the top hats. The rest of the team had money stashed everywhere.

Choisir's pioneering endeavour established a precedent for Australian sprinters, enabling them to consistently achieve great success at Royal Ascot. Achieving such a feat, securing victories in both races, is truly exceptional and comparable only to the accomplishments of Blue Point, who did not have to endure the arduous journey from the opposite side of the globe. It was a remarkable training performance and changed the face of Royal Ascot. Wallace enjoyed subsequent success with Perry via Stratum in a Golden Slipper, but eventually reduced his racing interests until enticed into small shares with horses she had interests in like Spaceboy and eventually Sejardan.

Choisir, a retired stallion, has proven to be a lucrative investment for Coolmore. After a successful 17-year stud career, he was pensioned to the paddocks. He has sired stakes winners from each of his 14 southern hemisphere crops and 11 individual Gr.1 winners among 97 stakes winners worldwide. Among those top-level winners are Caulfield Guineas Gr.1 heroes Divine Prophet and Starspangledbanner -the latter who followed his sire as a Golden Jubilee Stakes winner. Four-time European top-level victor Olympic Glory, juvenile Gr.1 winners The Last Lion , Choice Bro, and The Mission, and Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) conqueror Obviously. Choisir passed away in 2021 aged 22 but his legacy will continue to flourish.

RACE RECORD - 23: 7-5-6

EARNINGS - $2,258,545

2003 Ascot Golden Jubilee Stakes

2003 VRC Lightning Stakes

2003 King's Stand Stakes

2001-02 Champion 2yo colt in Australia

2003 Champion older sprinter in Europe