She won 15 races now classified as Group races, then a record by an Australian mare

During the early 1960s, as John, Paul, George and Ringo were establishing the Beatles and revolutionising the music industry, a significant event occurred that had a profound impact on the racing landscape. In the spring of 1959, Newhaven Park stud master John Kelly experienced remarkable success when his inaugural crop sire of the French stallion Wilkes, produced a triumphant winner with his very first runner. Golden Chariot was one of the first mares that John Kelly mated with his new stallion in the spring of 1956, and the eye-catching filly on offer at the 1959 Easter Sales. A handsome chestnut with a flaxen mane and tail. She certainly took the eye at the Sales as Lot 468 in the Inglis catalogue and was knocked down to STC chairman Bill Longworth for 2100 guineas. The juvenile in question, Wenona Girl showcased her exceptional talent by securing a decisive 2.5 length victory in the Gimcrack Stakes. This achievement marked the commencement of an illustrious career that would establish Wenona Girl as one of the most formidable and celebrated race mares to grace the Australian turf.

Wenona Girl, trained by NZ born Maurice McCarten, demonstrated her potential with two preliminary trial victories before jockey Neville Sellwood guided her to triumph over On Wave at Randwick. This marked the first of her five juvenile successes, including notable achievements such as the Kirkham Stakes, VRC Sires' Produce at Flemington, and AJC Sires' Produce at Randwick. In the latter, she surpassed her formidable rival Sky High, who had previously defeated her in the Golden Slipper. Wenona Girl also secured second place in the Merson Cooper Stakes at Caulfield, narrowly missing out to Impulsive. Notably, Impulsive later became the dam of the celebrated Gr.1 winner Reckless, trained by Tommy Woodcock who continued to produce successful horses from this lineage.

Wenona Girl concluded her inaugural season as Australia's champion juvenile and continued racing until the 1963-64 season. During her six-year career, she achieved notable victories, including the George Main Stakes, Linlithgow Stakes, George Adams Handicap, Lightning Stakes, Rawson Stakes, and All-Aged Stakes. Her final race marked the culmination of an impressive career that saw her win 27 races across various distances, ranging from 900 metres to 2400 metres, and amassed a record $141,650 in stakes earnings.

Wenona Girl's accomplishments include winning the Hobartville, Rosehill Guineas, Flight Stakes, the 1000 Guineas (defeating Impulsive by a narrow margin), Wakeful Stakes, Rawson Stakes, Adrian Knox Stakes, and a Canterbury Flying Handicap at the age of three. Additionally, she was the runner-up in the Canterbury Guineas during the same year. At the age of four, she secured victories in the Tramway Handicap, C.F. Orr Stakes, and Liverpool Handicap, defeating Martello Towers. She also achieved a runner-up position in the Oakleigh Plate, narrowly losing to New Statesman in a race that featured notable participants such as Elated, who later became the dam of another champion sired by Wikes, named Vain.

During her five year old season, Wenona Girl achieved further success. Her notable victories included the Challenge Stakes, Lightning Stakes, Futurity Stakes, and Malayan Racing Association Cup. Additionally, she was the runner-up in several prestigious races, such as the Canterbury Stakes, Epsom Handicap, George Main, and C.F. Orr. Throughout her illustrious career, Wenona Girl accumulated an impressive total of 15 Group one equivalent race wins. Neville Begg, the former foreman of McCarten and a pivotal figure in Wenona Girl's career later became a renowned champion trainer after inheriting his mentor's stables. He described Wenona Girl as a unique individual, placid in nature, and an excellent feeder, making her relatively easy to manage. However, she had a tendency to pace restlessly in her stall and exhibited some nervousness during travel, but she was aesthetically pleasing and a remarkably resilient thoroughbred.

The great mare was sold privately to Lloyd Foyster, who was the studmaster of Gooree Park. Wenona Girl left seven foals, including Special Girl, a chestnut filly 1966 by Todman, 8 wins and $21,075. As an 18yo broodmare in 1976 she sold for for $33,000 to Wrightson NMA, NZ, acting for the Chittick family who were then setting up Thornton Park Stud near Palmerston North in New Zealand, but these days own Waikato Stud. She left her only live foal in NZ, the unraced filly Pilmuir in 1978. A daughter of the royally-bred sire Super Gray (Nijinsky), Pilmuir left 10 foals, five winners, and became the saviour of Wenona Girl’s line. Her daughters bred by Gary Chittick were Belle Promenade, Mrs Clayton, Back to Back, Lake Lucerne, Ausjewel, Last Lady and her son Kinjite, a triple Gr.1 winner of 10 races and $2.2m, including the 1992 Epsom Hcp and the George Ryder Stakes. Kinjite left nine stakes winners to Gr.2 level and a son of smart sprinter Centaine.

RACE RECORD - 68: 27-19:7

EARNINGS - A£70,825

VRC Sires Produce Stakes (1960)

AJC Sires Produce Stakes (1960)

Hobartville Stakes (1960)

Rosehill Guineas (1960)

Flight Stakes (1960)

One Thousand Guineas (1960)

Adrian Knox Oaks Stakes (1961)

Rawson Stakes (1961,1964)

Tramway Handicap (1961)

C F Orr Stakes (1962)

Challenge Stakes (1963)

Futurity Stakes (1963)

George Adams Handicap (1963)

George Main Stakes (1963)

Linlithgow Stakes (1963)

Lightning Stakes (1963,1964)

All Aged Stakes (1964)