Heroic was one of the great sprinter-milers in history and was so good, he even won a Derby

Heroic was an exceptionally gifted, yet temperamental racehorse, demonstrating remarkable versatility and possessing a captivating physical presence. He was rarely out of the headlines in the mid to late 1920's. Heroic, a stunning thoroughbred horse, was foaled in 1921 at Arrowfield Stud, and acquired as a yearling by prominent owner Jack Corteen. Heroic’s ancestors from the five previous generations were all British. His sire was Valais. This horse raced just seven times, all in England, winning once and finishing second once, then transported to New South Wales in 1919. In addition to Heroic, he also fathered Manfred and nine-time winner Valicare. The progenitor of Heroic was the British mare Cheronese. There is a lack of detailed information regarding her performance as a racer and her subsequent breeding history in the available historical records.

During his two-year-old year of racing, Heroic displayed remarkable prowess, achieving six noteworthy triumphs, including the prestigious AJC Champagne Stakes, the Maribyrnong Plate and the Ascot Vale Stakes. At the age of three, he achieved success by securing victories in the Chelmsford Stakes, setting a new Australian record for nine furlongs and beating the formidable Gloaming in the AJC Derby, and the Caulfield Guineas.  These victories propelled him to the forefront of contenders, garnering significant favouritism for the highly anticipated 1924 Victoria Derby/Melbourne Cup double.

Fate then intervened to bring Heroic's career to an inglorious halt. Corteen, and part-owner George Tye, trainer Godby and jockey Cairns were all disqualified for 12 months for not allowing their horse, Purser, to run on its merits in the Coongy Handicap, where it finished down the track in 11th place. Three days later, Purser emerged victorious in the Caulfield Cup, having garnered substantial backing from the betting community. The ineligibility of Heroic's connections resulted in the rejection of his application for the Derby and Melbourne Cup. Heroic's career only resumed when he was put up for public auction and bought by well-known sportsman, Charles Kellow, who bid the then record price of 16,000 guineas for a horse in training. With Jack Holt his new trainer, Heroic raced for a further two years, winning 11 races ranging from six furlongs to two miles. In 1927 Heroic was retired to stud where he was seven times in succession Australia's leading sire.

In comparison to Black Caviar's entire career, Heroic had a substantial number of starts as a four-year-old, with a difference of only seven starts. However, it is important to note that the circumstances and eras in which they competed were distinct. Heroic demonstrated remarkable consistency, with only five unplaced finishes in 18 starts. His versatility was evident, as he secured victories in the 1925 VATC Memsie Stakes and the weight-for-age Caulfield Stakes, both at a distance of nine furlongs. In the 1926 portion of the season, he won the six furlong Newmarket Handicap, and then won the WFA, AJC Cumberland Stakes, where he beat 1925 Melbourne Cup winner Windbag. Heroic started his five-year-old campaign strongly in the 1926-27 season. It is possible that he was beginning to show signs of aging, as his victories in his first six races and that season were limited to distances of 10 furlongs or less. However, it is important to note that one of those 10 furlong victories was none other than the W.S. Cox Plate, which is widely regarded as the most challenging and prestigious weight-for-age race on the Australian racing calendar. Earlier, he had won the 1926 Memsie Stakes for the second time, in which he beat his half-brother, Manfred.

In 1926, Heroic achieved victory in the Underwood Stakes, followed by further triumphs in the William Reid, C.F. Orr, and St. George Stakes in 1927. He failed to defend his win from the previous year in the Newmarket Handicap. He then ran second to Spearfelt in the Governor’s Plate, before winning for the final time in the VRC King’s Plate. In Sydney, the horse underperformed in four consecutive races, leading to the decision to retire him from all racing. Heroic was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2003.

Record - 51: 21-11-4
Earnings - £38,062

Maribyrnong Plate (1923)
Breeders' Plate (1923)
Australian Derby (1924)
Caulfield Guineas (1924)
Champagne Stakes (1924)
Chelmsford Stakes (1924)
Ascot Vale Stakes (1924)
Caulfield Stakes (1925)
Memsie Stakes (1925, 1926)
W. S. Cox Plate (1926)
Newmarket Handicap (1926)
Underwood Stakes (1926)
William Reid Stakes (1927)
C F Orr Stakes (1927)
St George Stakes (1927)