The 71 Melbourne Cup winner was black when younger but turned grey

Silver Knight, (1967−1992) was a dark grey New Zealand Thoroughbred racehorse stallion. He was by Alcimedes (GB), his dam Cuban Fox by Foxbridge. He was bred by Seton Otway at the Trelawney Stud, in Cambridge, New Zealand. It was here that Polo Prince, Hi Jinx, MacDougal, Foxami and Hiraji were bred before going on to win Melbourne Cups. He was a dark steel grey as a younger horse but became greyer as an older stallion. As a yearling Silver Knight was bought for $7,500 by Awapuni trainer Eric Temperton on behalf of Sir Walter Norwood. He was trained by Temperton at Awapuni, a low-key character, but a masterful handler of horses. Temperton, who first had success as a jumps jockey began training in the 1940's, and was amongst the leading trainers for three decades. He was the third New Zealand trainer to win 1000 races, and won more races in the 1960's then any other North Island trainer.

Silver Knight's New Zealand form was impressive enough to earn him a 55kg weighting for the Melbourne Cup, though he nearly missed the race. The stallion had won both the St Leger and Great Nothern St Leger (2800m) in a busy three-year-old season, and had set himself up as a long range stayer based on his pedigree. The Achimedes entire was the third ranked 3yo on the New Zealand free Handicap, behind Kirrama and Panzer Chief, in a vintage crop. He only just managed to get on the last flight available after another horse cancelled. Even then, there were further concerns after he became unruly and upset enroute to Australia. Sliver Knight did settle in though and ran 2nd in the McKinnon Stakes prior to the Cup, viewed as an excellent lead up run.

A strong field lined up for the 1971 Melbourne Cup, including the Bart Cummings champion, Big Philou, who had stunned the big crowd in 1969 when sensationally scratched from the Cup only minutes out from the start. It was subsequently discovered that an unidentified malicious party had administered a substance to Big Philou, with the intention of preventing his participation in the race. Gay Icarus was 7/4 favourite and was trapped three wide early, so pushed forward towards the leading bunch, much to everyone's surprise. Skint Dip, the 2nd favourite, took up a beautiful position on the pace. On the turn in, fellow Kiwi star Igloo challenged hard and looked the winner by the time they reached the clock tower. However, Sliver Knight then appeared on the scene with Bruce Marsh driving the horse hard on the outside of Igloo with 200m to go. His staying credentials allowed Silver Knight to sweep past Igloo with a daunting finish and win stylishly at the line.

The 1971 Melbourne Cup turned out to be a survival of the fittest. 5 of the 21 runners broke down and another lost his rider. Some of the injuries were caused by the hard surface of the Flemington track, baked dry by the hot sun prevailing at the time. New Zealand horses filled three of the first four positions. Silver Knight was the seventh product of Trelawney to win the Melbourne Cup and the sixth to be bred from a mare by Foxbridge. On this occasion it was Cuban Fox, a direct descendent of Persis, one of Seton Otway's 2 foundation broodmares. 1971 also marked the first year the Melbourne Cup was shown live on Television in New Zealand allowing Kiwi's around the country to watch the 12th New Zealand-bred horse win the great race in 18 years.

A punter from New Zealand, who remained anonymous, placed a significant wager of $2,200 approximately three months earler. This bet involved coupling Silver Knight with eight other horses, including Gay Icarus, in an attempt to win both the Caulfield Cup/Melbourne Cup double. Remarkably, this audacious wager yielded a substantial return of $100,000, matching the prize money offered for the Melbourne Cup itself. In due course, this mysterious punter presented his winning vouchers to bookmakers Griffith and Attridge. He asked that his $100,000 be paid in Australian currency - fair proof that he was from New Zealand as it would never have occurred to an Australian that he could be paid in any other way. Silver Knight's Cup victory win was obviously the career highlight for Temperton and rider Bruce Marsh, however a year later they went close when Magnifique ran 2nd behind the lightweight, Piping Lane. The early seventies were a lucrative period for the Awapuni trainer, as his other star in the stable, Young Ida ran 3rd in a Caulfield Cup and started favourite in a Cox Plate. Purdie and Koiro Trelay were other class performers that were consistently winning.

Silver Knight was later bought by Robert Holmes A'Court, (who also owned Trelawney for a short time in the late 1980s), for A$300,000 to stand at Heytesbury Stud near Perth. Silver Knight went on to sire Black Knight, winner of the 1984 Melbourne Cup for owner-breeder Holmes A'Court. At stud he sired four stakes winners. His son, Black Knight by the mare, Brenta, was sent into training with the veteran George Hanlon at his training base at Leopold, Victoria. Black Knight was gelded early in his life and usually raced in blinkers. The stayer established himself as a contender for the 1984 Melbourne Cup when finishing placed behind Chagemar in the Geelong Cup and The Dalgety. In the build-up to the race the gelding was the subject of a major gamble, being backed down from odds of 50/1 to 11/1 shortly before the event. Black Knight, carrying 50kg started at odds of 10/1 in a field of nineteen runners. Cook sent him into the lead 250 metres from the finish and he stayed on to win by two and a half lengths from Chagemar. His success gave Hanlon his third success in the race following Piping Lane in 1972 and Arwon in 1978.

Silver Knight

RACE RECORD- 49: 7-8-3

EARNINGS- $95,440

ARC Great Northern St. Leger

WRC New Zealand St. Leger 

Melbourne Cup (1971)

Black Knight

RACE RECORD - 60: 9-4-7

EARNINGS - $454,850

Melbourne Cup (1984)