Courage Under Fire Chariots of Fire

The Courage Under Fire Chariots of Fire is the second biggest event on the Harold Park racing calendar each year – proudly being runner-up to the $500,000 SEW Eurodrive Miracle Mile.

Like the Miracle Mile, Australasia's premier harness race, the Chariots of Fire is of important significant to the Australasian calendar as being the single richest four-year-old race with $200,000 in prizemoney.

First run in 1995, the Chariots of Fire has grown vastly in the pursuing years and is a race that has been contested by a number of future Grand Circuit starts. The next running of this prestigious race will be on the 31st July 2009.

CHARIOTS OF FIRE HONOUR ROLL

YEAR	HORSE (Driver)	Distance	Mile Rate
1995	GINGER MAN NZ (AG Herlihy) 1	960m	1:59.9
1996	BEEFY T NZ (AG Langdon)	2160m	2:00.7
1997	KENTUCKIANA NZ (RB Byrnes)	2160m	1:57.9
1998	FRANCO HAT TRICK NZ (AG Herlihy)	2160m	2:00.4
1999	HOLMES D G NZ (B Purdon)	2160m	1:58.4
2000	LOMBO RAPIDA (Kerryn Manning)	2160m	1:58.0
2001	SMOOTH SATIN (AS Turnbull)	2160m	1:57.7
2002	MANIFOLD BAY (Gavin Lang)	2160m	1:58.7
2003	OAXACA LASS NZ (JF Curtin)	2160m	1:59.5
2004	ELSU NZ (DJ Butcher)	2160m	1:57.8
2005	SLIPNSLIDE (LA McCarthy)	2160m	1:58.5
2006	INNOCENT EYES (Gavin Lang)	2160m	1:57.6
2007	NOT CONDUCTED DUE TO EQUINE INFLUENZA
2008	EBONY GEM (JJ Caldow)	2160m	1:57.4

CHARIOTS OF FIRE STATISTICS

SEX OF CHARIOTS OF FIRE WINNERS:

• 3 Mares - (Last winner – Innocent Eyes 2006)
• 2 Horses - (Last winner – Elsu 2004)
• 8 Geldings - (Last winner – Ebony Gem 2008)

WINNING CHARIOTS OF FIRE BARRIERS:

• 1 – 1 (Last winner, Ebony Gem 2008)
• 2 – 1 (Last winner, Beefy T 1996)
• 3 – 1 (Last winner, Elsu 2004)
• 4 – 1 (Last winner, Franco Hat Trick 1998)
• 5 – 1 (Last winner, Ginger Man 1995)
• 6 – 3 (Last winner, Smooth Satin 2001)
• 7 – 2 (Last winner, Slipnslide 2005)
• 8 – 3 (Last winner, Innocent Eyes 2006)

SMALLEST & FIELDS:

• Due to three scratchings, only seven (7) horses contested the 1999 Chariots Of Fire.
• The Chariots of Fire is an event open to a maximum eight (8) runners, which all commence from the front row.

WHERE CHARIOTS OF FIRE WINNERS TRAINED:

• New Zealand 6 (Last winner Elsu - 2004)
• New South Wales 2 (Last winner Smooth Satin – 2001)
• Victoria 3 (Last winner Innocent Eyes – 2006)
• Queensland 1 (Last winner Slipnslide – 2005)

FIVE FASTEST CHARIOTS OF FIRE WINNERS:

• Ebony Gem (2008) - 1:57.4
• Innocent Eyes (2006) - 1:57.6
• Smooth Satin (2001) – 1:57.7
• Elsu (2004) – 1:57.8
• Kentuckiana (1997) – 1:57.9
• Lombo Rapida (2000) 1:58.0

MOST SUCCESSFUL CHARIOTS OF FIRE TRAINER:

• Barry Purdon (3)
• Barry Purdon also holds the record of (5) winners in the Miracle Mile

MOST SUCCESSFUL CHARIOTS OF FIRE DRIVER:

• Tony Herlihy (2)
• Tony Herlihy also holds the equal-record of (3) winners in the Miracle Mile

MOST DRIVES IN A CHARIOTS OF FIRE:

• Gavin Lang (6) - Last drive Innocent Eyes 2006, 1st
• Tony Herlihy (5) - Last drive Born Again Christian 2005, 6th
• John Caldow (4) - Last drive Ebony Gem 2008, 1st
• Steve Turnbull (3) - Last drive Dinki Di 2003, 2nd
• Brian Hancock (3) - Last drive Playing With Fire 2003, 5th
• Chris Alford (3) - Last drive Tromos 2002, 4th
• M J Langdon (3) - Last drive Cee New York 1999, 7th
• Ted Demmler (3) - Last drive Breenys Fella 1998, 3rd

BIGGEST WINNING MARGIN IN THE CHARIOTS OF FIRE:

• Lombo Rapida – 5 metres (2000)

FAVOURITES:

• 2 Successful - 11 Unsuccessful