1924 - 2024
Sasanof. Five of the seven Caulfield Cup winners from 1915 to 1921 were British imports. Clark and Robinson owned two of them, King Offa and Lucknow. Lionel Robinson died in early 1922. His younger brother, William S. Robinson, undertook to take a share in Backwood, but on the very evening of the purchase—or so he recorded in his memoir—over a convivial business dinner in London, he offloaded his portion to his associates William L. Baillieu (visiting from Australia), seated on his left hand, and shipowner Allan Hughes, on his right. The specific goal, he told them, was the Melbourne Cup. The Baillieu, Clark and Robinson families were linked through marriage, but not Allan Hughes. He never figured in the ownership of any other of their thoroughbreds, but when he heard news of the Melbourne Cup victory, he joked that the purchase validated his judgement of horseflesh. Backwood on arrival was described as belonging to Clark and ‘the Messrs Baillieu’. It was W.L.’s brother, Edward Lloyd ‘Prince’ Baillieu, along with trainer Bradfield, who guided the horse’s progress. He was well placed to do so, a committeeman and treasurer of the Victoria Racing Club and a man who had raced many good horses. Backwood won the Cup in the ownership of W. Clark, E.L. Baillieu and A. Hughes. ‘Prince’ Baillieu, alone of the owners, was at Flemington to see the win. In the VRC Committee Room today hangs a framed photograph of Baillieu joyfully receiving the gold Cup trophy from his old friend, VRC Chairman, LKS Mackinnon. Looking on with satisfaction is the grey-bearded 85-year-old VRC Secretary, Henry Byron Moore. They shelter from the downpour that has just hit Flemington (you can see their wet umbrellas) outside the Members’ Grandstand, in use that year for the very first time. Overseas raiders—but a home town celebration. Hoofnote: Backwood remained in Australia but fell in the 1925 Sydney Cup, and was retired to Widden Stud until his death in 1934. The best of his offspring was the sprinter, Parkwood, who brilliantly won the 1931 VRC Newmarket Handicap at Flemington.
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