| Ming Dynasty
was foaled in 1973 at Gooree Stud in Mudgee in New South Wales. He was sired by Planet
Kingdom from Chow Mein. Offered for sale at the Sydney Summer sale in late 1974 as Lot 341
by his breeder Lloyd Foster Ming Dynasty was purchased by Bart Cummings to race with his
wife. By the time the grey gelding hit the racetrack he was owned by Mr & Mrs Bart
Cummings, Mr & Mrs Lloyd Foster and Mr & Mrs RA Websdale. As a 2yo Ming Dynasty showed promise running third at his first in a
Maiden at Canterbury during February 1976. Just under three weeks later he returned to
Canterbury to storm to victory over 1200m winning by 10 lengths. After an unplaced effort
at Randwick Ming Dynasty was second over 1400m at Warwick Farm before running third in the
Fernhill Hcp when conceding over 5kg to the first two placegetters. After a further
placing he went for a spell.
Returning in early September 1976 he defeated Tattenham Lad
in a Graduation over 1280m at Canterbury before an unplaced effort behind Blockbuster.
Stepped up to the 2000m journey Ming Dynasty ran Stadium Star to a half neck in the Trial
Stakes then bolted in by over three lengths in the Graduation Stakes over 2000m at
Rosehill. A trip to Melbourne followed where the grey was third over 2000m at Flemington
on slow ground before a short let up. On December 1 Ming Dynasty was back in Sydney where
he easily trounced the opposition over 1600m at Randwick then repeated the victory over
the 2000m journey 17 days later. Ming Dynasty was then set for his hardest task to date
the AJC Summer Cup over 2400m. The 3yo was up to the task in defeating Lazy Pat by a half
length. Five days later the pair had a rematch over the same track and journey with Lazy
Pat in receipt of a 3 kg weight advantage defeated Ming Dynasty with five lengths to
Maddock in third place.
 A short break followed tp prepare for
the autumn carnival. First up in the Fred Clissold Hcp Ming Dynasty was fourth behind
Tiger Town then fourth again in the Phar Lap Stakes to Blockbuster, Salamander and Duke
Ellington. In the Tulloch Stakes over 1850m Ming Dynasty returned to winning form in a
close fought victory over Leonotis by a head with a nose to Sir Silver Lad third. The
Australasian Champion Stakes (now the Spring Champion Stakes) followed with victory to Sir
Silver Lad from Salamander and Ming Dynasty. Unplaced in the All Aged Stakes Ming Dynasty
then continued to Brisbane where he was second to the odds on favourite in the Clive Uhr
Quality before running third to Surround in the Grand Prix. Ming Dynasty was then spelled
in preparation for a Cups campaign the following spring.
In the Liston Stakes Ming Dynasty was fourth behind Vice
Regal, Scamanda and Maybe Mahal returning two weeks later to defeat Family of Man in the
Craiglee Stakes. Fifth placings to Salamander in the Turnbull Stakes and Nunkalowe in the
Toorak Hcp prepared Ming Dynasty for the Caulfield Cup of 1977. Lining up against a field
of 17 Ming Dynasty put in a burst wide on the track to defeat Unaware by 1 ¼ lengths with
Salamander a short head away third. The field also included the 1976 Melbourne Cup winner
Van Der Hum, champion weight for age and Cox Plate winner Battle Heights and Cox Plate
winning Family of Man. A week later he was unplaced as Family of Man narrowly defeated
another grey in Raffindale in the Cox Plate before lining up in the Melbourne Cup. In a
full field of 24 Ming Dynasty finished 8th as Gold and Black prevented a fairytale result
by racing to victory from the public favourite Reckless with Hyperno third.
Spelled Ming Dynasty returned with a sixth in the CF Orr
Stakes as outsider Hyperno defeated Opposition and Family of Man. A seventh in the St
George Stakes then a fourth in the TS Carlyon Cup followed as Ming Dynasty continued to
the Australian Cup (at that stage a 2000m Handicap). Under 58kg Ming Dynasty defeated the
lightweight Crepellox by a half length with a further 4 lengths to Carl's Gift third.
Returning to Sydney the grey then defeated Hyperno by four lengths in the Autumn Stakes
with Tod Bay a further five lengths away third. Fifth to My Good Man in the Sydney Cup
Ming Dynasty backed up five days later to win the Queen Elizabeth Stakes by a staggering
13 lengths from Unaware with Belmura Lad a neck away third. It was then to Brisbane for a
winter campaign. After running second over 1600m Ming Dynasty was then second to Tod Bay
in the PJ O'Shea Stakes before carrying 60kg into third place in the Sir Winston Churchill
Stakes conceding 8kg to the winner Miner's Inn and 12 kg to second placed Shazoom. Second
under 59kg to Muros (52.5kg) by a short neck followed before he was again in the runner's
up stall in the Tatts Club Cup conceding 6kg to the winner. In his final start for the
season Ming Dynasty was third in course record time carrying 60kg behind Marceau (51kg)
and Lloyd Boy (49kg) in the Doomben Cup.
Ming Dynasty started his 5yo campaign with an unplaced
effort in the Warwick Stakes before winning the Chelmsford Stakes. A third in the Hill
Stakes followed before he won the traditional Metropolitan lead up the Craven Plate.
Lining up in the Metropolitan three days later Ming Dynasty carrying 59.5kg fought back
tenaciously when challenged by the lightweight Arwon (49kg) to win by a head. Ming Dynasty
then headed back to Melbourne to defend his Caulfield Cup title. After a close third in
the Caulfield Stakes Ming Dynasty was 5th under 61kg in the Caulfield Cup as Arwon and
Taksan engaged in their great duel to the line ending with a deceptive finish where Arwon
looked to have won but the photo gave victory to the grey Taksan.
Ming Dynasty was away from the racetrack until the
following spring where he began his 6yo season down the straight 1000m course in Adelaide.
Ming Dynasty was second to Mellow Tint conceding 11kg to the favourite but his effort saw
his return to stakes company in Melbourne. On a slow track Ming Dynasty was defeated by a
half length by Waitangirua in the JJ Liston Stakes before an unplaced effort in the Memsie
Stakes. He was again well back in the JF Feehan Stakes before heading back to Sydney to
attempt a second Metropolitan. Ming Dynasty was eighth of the 21 runners an effort that
saw him head back to Melbourne for the Caulfield Cup where he was again unplaced. He was
spelled after finishing well back in Dulcify's Cox Plate. Returning in the autumn Ming
Dynasty began to find his old form with a fourth behind champion Manikato in the CF Orr
Stakes and fifth behind the star sprinter in the St George Stakes before a fifth in the TS
Carlyon Cup. In the Australian Cup now a WFA race Ming Dynasty surged to the lead in the
final stages as Double Century fought back strongly. But the older horse was too strong
winning by a short head with Minuetto third. Ming Dynasty was 25-1 in winning the race but
in winning he became the first horse to win the race as both a handicap and a WFA race.
Ming Dynasty finished his season with an unplaced run in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Returning to the racetrack as a 7yo Ming Dynasty had a new
rival to contend with the star 3yo and budding champion Kingston Town. Unplaced first up
in the Missile Stakes Ming Dynasty was then unplaced behind Kingston Town in the Warwick
Stakes. Ming Dynasty was then second as Kingston Town raced to victory at 20-1 on in the
Chelmsford Stakes before finishing fourth to the black horse in the STC Cup. Unplaced in
the Metropolitan the now near white gelding headed to Melbourne for his fourth attempt on
the Caulfield Cup. Favourite for the race was Kingston Town, despite his struggle to
handle the Melbourne way of going, with Hyperno, My Brown Jug and Ming Dynasty's half
brother Star Dynasty also engaged. Ming Dynasty was sent out at 50-1 as punter believed he
was a light of other days. The old grey horse proved them wrong racing to a clear victory
by 1 ¼ lengths from Hyperno with Kingston Town third. A week later Ming Dynasty was
unplaced in the Cox Plate behind Kingston Town then well back in the Melbourne Cup. He
returned in the autumn for one last campaign with the Australian Cup his aim. Ming Dynasty
was unplaced behind Manikato in the CF Orr Stakes then 4th behind the dead heaters Hyperno
and My Brown Jug in the St George Stakes. He was then unplaced behind Hyperno in the
Blamey Quality before finishing midfield as Hyperno took out the Australian Cup from Turf
Ruler. Ming Dynasty was then retired and headed back to Sydney.
 Ming Dynasty soon reappeared on the racetracks as
a clerk of the course pony and was a favourite amongst Sydney racegoers during the 1980s
as Subzero is in Melbourne today. After nearly 10 years in his second career Ming Dynasty
went into semi retirement only being used on the big racedays before finally retiring
entirely by the mid 1990s. Sadly early this week aged 28 years of age Ming Dynasty was put
down after it was found he was suffering from inoperable cancer in his sinus area.
In a career that spanned six seasons he had 76 starts for
17 wins including six at Group 1 level and 21 placings. He raced against the best of the
era in Kingston Town, Manikato and Dulcify plus the magnificent stayers Hyperno (who is
still alive at Harry White's property in Victoria), Arwon (retired at George Hanlon's
property in Victoria), Salamander and the champion fillies Surround and Maybe Mahal. |
