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Might And Power Lap Of Honour & Bob’s Rainbow

8 May 2020

The late Might And Power will be honoured next Tuesday with a final “Lap Of Honour” before being laid to rest at Living Legends. As a tribute to his incredible career which included winning the Caulfield Cup, Melbourne Cup and the Cox Plate, his ashes will be escorted to Caulfield, Flemington and Moonee Valley before he rejoins his old mates Doriemus and Better Loosen Up in an expanded memorial garden at Living Legends. 

Our friends at Racing.com will broadcast a video package of the proceedings, and the public are invited to participate virtually by leaving a tribute online or making a donation to be part of creating ‘Bob’s Rainbow’ at his final resting place.

Might And Power (aka Bob) passed away in the early hours of 12 April 2020, succumbing to a bout of colic at the age of 26. Widely considered one of the greatest racehorses Australia has ever seen, he was very much the people’s horse during his career and this continued for nearly 13 years as the “Lord Mayor” of Living Legends with countless appearances at racedays, city parades, schools and hospitals.

CEO and Veterinary Director, Dr Andrew Clarke, said great care and planning had been undertaken to give Bob a fitting farewell that the public could feel part of, even during COVID-19 restrictions.

“Bob was a once-in-a-lifetime horse and we want to give him a farewell like no other. We’re incredibly grateful to the Melbourne Racing Club, Victoria Racing Club and the Moonee Valley Racing Club for embracing this opportunity to celebrate the career of Might And Power.”

“Since the huge outpouring of grief and love that we saw in the wake of his passing, we’ve been working behind the scenes to expand and rebuild our memorial garden in time to welcome our champ to his forever home and give the public a chance to be part of his legacy,” Dr Clarke said.

That legacy will come in the form of a rainbow bridge, beside which Might And Power will be buried, and his fans are invited to add their own drop of colour to the rainbow by donating to the memorial garden fund, or by leaving a written tribute. 

“We invite fans of Might And Power to be part of this celebration of his life, by leaving their online tribute in reflection. For those who wish to donate, we’re offering the chance to select a colour of the rainbow to hang on our lovelock bridge and be part of Bob’s Rainbow forever,” Dr Clarke said.

The website for donations and tributes is: https://www.charidy.com/bobsrainbow

Each coloured piece will be individually numbered for each donor, and fans can find their numbered piece on the rainbow bridge when they visit, post COVID-19 restrictions.

If the fundraising campaign is successful, monies raised will also support the establishment of a Might And Power gazebo in the near future – a place for all visitors to enjoy, with wheelchair access and seating areas for reflection.

Media enquiries:

Dr Andrew Clarke

0407 551 289

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Statement on Might And Power

12 April 2020

It is with the deepest sadness that we advise that one of the all-time greats of Australian racing, Might And Power, has passed away at the age of 26.

Late yesterday afternoon he was diagnosed with colic and rushed to Werribee Equine Centre for emergency surgery, but was unable to be saved.

CEO & Veterinary Director, Dr Andrew Clarke, said he and the team were completely heartbroken to lose this very special once-in-a-lifetime horse.

“I am incredibly sad to have to let you know that Might and Power was euthanised in the early hours of this morning,” Dr Clarke said.

“Our hearts are with owner Nick Moraitis and Bob’s many fans, and also to our wonderful staff who cared for him every day. Living Legends will never be the same without our treasured Might And Power.”

“A special thank you to Werribee Equine Centre for their efforts to save his life,” he said.

Might And Power retired in 1999 as a rare winner of the Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate treble, and was one of the longest standing and most popular residents at Living Legends.

Might and Power (foaled 1993) was New Zealand bred, but Australian owned and trained and named Australian Horse of the Year in 1998 and 1999.

Might and Power was rated the world’s best stayer when in 1997 as a four-year-old he won the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup double.

A free striding, front running style of racing made Might and Power an exciting racehorse and endeared him to racing fans across the nation. Might and Power broke course records in winning the Caulfield Cup, the Doomben Cup, and the Cox Plate, and won a number of races by big margins.

Might and Power demoralised and demolished his opponents. Said Les Carlyon: “The horse is a champion in the old fashioned sense of the word, a freak. He does things others can’t do”.

Might and Power had the speed to open up an early lead in a race, and the stamina to maintain it in the middle and closing stages. In the 1997 Caulfield Cup, jockey Jim Cassidy took him to the front at the outset, made the pace for the whole race, and finished seven and a half lengths in front of the second horse, in a record time of 2 min. 26.2 sec. The rest of the field was headed by the 1995 winner Doriemus. Lee Freedman called it “The most amazing race I have ever seen”.

Despite a 3.5 kg penalty in the 1997 Melbourne Cup, Cassidy employed the same tactics, and brought Might and Power home a winner by a short half head from Doriemus. At the end of 1997, Might and Power was named World Champion Stayer.

In the autumn of 1998, Might and Power again exerted his dominance with a crushing 10 ½ length victory in the AJC Queen Elizabeth Stakes. He broke the course record in winning the Doomben Cup.

In the spring of 1998 he destroyed a crack field in Australia’s weight-for-age championship, the W.S. Cox Plate, taking a full two seconds off the course record set the previous year by Saintly. He became only the second horse, after Rising Fast in 1954, to win both Cups and the Cox Plate, and the first reigning Melbourne Cup winner since Phar Lap in 1931 to win the Cox Plate.

Might and Power won 15 of his 33 race starts and $5,226,286 in prize money.

Might and Power was retired after suffering a tendon Injury in 1999. He was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2002.

Media enquiries:

Dr Andrew Clarke

0407 551 289

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Book Launch A Horse Called Mighty

Event Date / Time: Tuesday 13th June 2017, 11am to 1pm.

About

Celebrations of the 20th anniversary of Might and Power’s Caulfield Cup Melbourne Cup double kick off with the launch of an expanded and updated edition of Helen Thomas’ timeless story “A Horse Called Mighty”.

Limited tickets available to this special day which will be hosted by Melbourne Racing’s Chief Race-caller Matt Hill.

The day will commence with Devonshire Tea with Annie’s freshly baked homestead scones. Master of Ceremonies Matt Hill will introduce author Helen Thomas who will speak on the book and this legendary stayer, Might and Power, the only horse ever to lead all the way to win the Caulfield Cup Melbourne Cup double. Matt will host a question and answer with Helen and attendees before officially launch the book with star of the show Might and Power.

Book signing and photo opportunities with Might and Power and Helen Thomas will follow before a light sandwich lunch.

The book launch special event package includes:

  • Your signed copy of “A Horse Called Mighty”
  • Devonshire Tea with freshly baked homestead scones
  • A limited edition Living Legends Might and Power ceramic badge
  • Photo of you with the star of the show Might and Power
  • A light sandwich lunch

Cost

The cost of the package is $55, and a gift certificate can be provided by calling on: (03) 9307 1165.