Paul Webber pays tribute to Australia Day, who has died aged 23

Australia Day, who holds the course record time for a two-mile chase at Kempton, as well as over the same trip over hurdles at Market Rasen, has died at the age of 23.

The bold front-runner’s career was hallmarked by spectacular jumping that manifested itself when on a Bank Holiday Monday aged 11 he recorded a time of 3 minutes and 43 seconds at the Sunbury-On-Thames track. It took his prize-money earnings past the £150,000 mark.

After Thistle Ask landed the Desert Orchid Chase in 3 minutes and 45 seconds in December, Kempton’s clerk of the course Barney Clifford checked his records and revealed that when Australia Day set his time the course was 33 yards longer, making his performance all the more remarkable.

Paying tribute to Australia Day, whose name derived from the fact he was born on January 26th (Australia Day), trainer Paul Webber reflected: “After Charles O’Brien very kindly send him to us ‘Skippy’ became one of the most exciting front-runners in National Hunt racing.

“His most memorable performances were when winning the Summer Hurdle at Market Rasen and the race at Kempton. But he was also placed at Royal Ascot and won at San Sebastian (in Spain). It was amazing he was able to record that time around Kempton at the age of 11.

“He was one of the maddest but also soundest horses, and looking back it was Jimmy Fortune who after riding him at Windsor said we should make the running with him.

“He was turned out with the young horses here at Cropredy and taught them how to gallop, but recently he started to deteriorate, his head was lower and he had to be put to sleep.”

Race caller and journalist Mike Cattermole owned a share in Australia Day as part of Skippy & The Partners and paid his own tribute, saying: “Paul got to know the mind of this huge character who had the class to make the frame in the Duke of Edinburgh at Royal Ascot as well as show very smart form over hurdles and fences.

“But he was headstrong, and could only go right-handed. He didn’t last long at the Northern Racing College in his first job after retirement as the young riders couldn’t handle him.

“We all loved him, and he gave us so many happy days.”

Australia Day, who was retired in the autumn of 2015, recorded 12 career successes and was placed on 16 occasions from a total of 71 starts.