Always the bridesmaid never the bride, but The Filbert did snare Group one glory in NZ

He was from the Central Districts and built as tough as old boots, which is why in part this gelding could foot it with the best Australasia had to offer. The Filbert was trained by Don Couchman and Paul Belsham at Hawera. Couchman, who trained for the best part of three decades is known for Group One success with the likes of Regal Band in the late 70's, Wellington Cup winner, Cubacade, Auckland Cup winner Kerry Lane and WFA star, Pinson. The Taranaki horseman began working as a stablehand in the late 1940s and also rode for a short time. He worked as a school caretaker and at the Patea freezing works before committing to training full time.

The Filbert, foaled in 1980 was by the sire Souvran (GB)(Sovereign Path) out of the Zamazaan mare Fauxzaan. The Filbert, after securing three consecutive victories in the early stages of his New Zealand racing career, embarked on a triumphant journey to Australia. In October 1984, he claimed victory at Rosehill, followed by another remarkable triumph at Flemington in November of the same year. The Filbert won seven stakes races and was a Group One performer in three countries. He won the Gr.1 Air New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie in 1985 and the following spring recorded four successive Group One placings at the Melbourne carnival, before becoming the first New Zealand horse to be placed in a Japan Cup, when third.

Couchman was joined by Paul Belsham in a training partnership, and the following year The Filbert finished third in what was dubbed the "Race of the Century" – the 1986 running of the Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) behind Bonecrusher and (Our) Waverley Star. The Flibert actually finished brilliantly and lost no ground charging late at the two juggernauts. In those days, Australian racing did not actually recognise training partnerships, so The Filbert had to race solely under Couchman’s name. Don took Paul on as a partner because he was taking The Filbert to Aussie a fair bit and it worked out well that he could go over there and not have to worry about coming back and forth to tend to his team. After the Cox Plate, The Filbert was entered for the Melbourne Cup but he pulled a shoe on the way to the races that morning and was late scratched. He came back to New Zealand and won the Gr.3 Waikato Gold Cup (2400m) and the Gr.2 Japan-International Trophy (1600m).

Gary Phillips (now a race starter) rode The Filbert in the $AU1.1 million 1985 Japan Cup won by Symboli Rodolf of Japan. When you review The Filberts' career it reads as a who's who of the era, with some great horses, but boy, this gelding ran exceptionally well against some high class competition and deserves respect for his fortitude and depth of character that made him so competitive within this era of racing.

RACE RECORD - 68: 11-13-11

EARNINGS - $669,430

G1 Air New Zealand Stakes

G2 Japan International Trophy

G3 Waikato Gold Cup

1985/86 season

3rd in the Caulfield Stakes behind Tristarc

4th in the Caulfield Cup behind Tristarc

4th in the Cox Plate behind Rising Prince

3rd in the Mackinnon Stakes behind Rising Prince

3rd in the Japan Cup behind Symboli Rudolf 

1986/87 season

2nd in the Feehan Stakes behind Dazzling Duke

4th in the Underwood Stakes behind Bonecrusher

4th in the Caulfield Stakes behind Bonecrusher

3rd in the Cox Plate Bonecrusher and Waverley Star, known as the "Race of the Century."