A dead-heat after a grueling four miles would seem almost impossible…until it happened

There are many great staying events in the world, but few come close to the challanging 6400m, Great Northern Steeplechase held at Ellerslie Racecourse each winter. Three iterations of the racecourse, each encompassing three traverses of the renowned hill and featuring a double stand and water jump situated at its midpoint are the ultimate test of horse and rider. The event serves as a definitive assessment of physical and mental fortitude, widely regarded as the most arduous race within the Southern hemisphere. The Melbourne Cup is generally considered a testing stayers race, but the Great Northern presents an even greater test of extreme endurance and skill. This race covers double the distance of the Melbourne Cups 3200 metres or two miles, and includes 28 obstacles, including three trips over the debilitating Ellerslie hill. Additionally, the race is typically held on a heavy track, further increasing the difficulty for both horses and jockeys, sapping their strength jump by jump, metre by metre. Only the famed Velka Pardubicka steeplechase over 6900m held in the Czech Republic and the English Grand National over 6400m are comparable as the supreme jumping test.

The magnificent jumper Hunterville won the race three times in 1983/84/85 with consecutive victories, Brockton was a legend, winning the chase twice in 1971/72, Hypnotize with Issac Lupton won the race in 2007/10/11, Effiel Tower the 1957 victor also won the Wellington Cup and the famous jumping machine, Brookby Song triumphed in 1947/48 carrying 76kg.

But nothing could beat the remarkable dead-heat in June 2001 between Smart Hunter, a 9yo horse trained by the legendary Cambridge team of Ken & Ann Browne, and Sir Avion an 8yo trained by Kevin O'Connor from Waipa. After sharing a solid pace together for almost the entire journey, Smart Hunter was under extreme pressure coming down the hill with 700m to go. Sir Avion pushed on with two jumps left and Wayne Hillis angled the horse wide, closer to to grandstand and grabbed hold of the lead. After navigating the final jump, somehow, Michelle Hopkins on Smart Hunter just kept on gradually drawing in Sir Avion stride by stride, and right on the line the two horses bobbed heads almost simultaneously.

There were scenes of confusion as the judge took an eternity to finally make the call, but eventually the prize was split - the two could not be separated after four miles of rugged steeplechasing. When the stoic Ann Browne was interviewed while waiting for the result she was asked if she ever believed a dead-heat could happen in a race such as the Great Northern. Her response was, "Well, yes because it just did." Not one for too many words, Ann was soon embraced by Kevin O'Connor as the two jockeys slowly returned to scale, hands joined, arms raised victoriously. It was even more remarkable by the fact that Michelle Hopkins had ridden Smart Hunter to with the Great Northen Hurdles over 4200m on the Saturday, with only three days between scoring a rare double for the Browne's.

It was an incredibly emotional day as Ken Browne MBE had been left a quadriplegic after a recent jumping fall on his property after 50 years as an amateur jumps jockey. A legend in the sport, Kenny rode from 1951 to 2001, 156 winners (54 hurdles, 102 steeplechases) over fences from a total of 1482 rides. As an owner and trainer Ken was even more successful, preparing more than 500 winners over jumps, initially in his own right and then, from 1983, in partnership with Ann. The brown silks with a single red hoop were synonymous with classic equine jumpers.

Ken and his wife, Ann, produced some of the finest hurdlers and steeplechase competitors to ever race in New Zealand, including; Smart Hunter, Ascona, Crown Star and Sydney Jones, Tom's Myth, Brother Bart, Lord Tennyson, Drops O'Rain, and Wanderlust. The Browne stables have claimed the prestigious Great Northern Steeplechase 9 times and the Pakuranga Hunt Cup 11 times. His death in 2006 leaves us treasuring our memories of a master horseman, a consummate professional and a humble man. But we will always remember the famous 2001 Great Northen that delivered one of the most remarkable results in steeplechasing history. The hill is now gone, sold to property developers, so the chase will never quite be the same, but this one memorable moments will last a lifetime.