Il Tempo (horse)
Encyclopedia
Il Tempo was a champion New Zealand
thoroughbred
racehorse, by Time and Again out of Timing. He is probably New Zealand
's greatest ever stayer, having won the Auckland Cup
two times, and also the Wellington Cup
once. The Wellington Cup was over 2 miles and he won it in a World Record time of 3:16.2, a record which still stands today.
Il Tempo also won the Chalmers Handicap over two miles, plus being placed over the two mile distance several times. He was trained by Mr Bruce Prescott, a butcher by trade. Normally he was ridden by jockey Noel D Riordan.
He had a fantastic fresh up record. Il Tempo also won a weight for age over one and a half miles. Normally a powerful finishing back runner, in a very small field he eventually took up the running and then was passed by the whole field and then came again to mow them down.
Il Tempo was top-weight and hot pre-post favorite for the 1970 Melbourne Cup
, but did not race. In his preparation for the cup, he broke down after running a 1 min. 39.0 sec. mile in a training gallop. He never raced again.
, with a time of 3.19.1, set in 1968. The Melbourne Cup distance was changed to 3200 meters (about 20 metres shorter) in 1972, and the record is held by Kingston Rule at 3.16.3. The equivalent metric time for Il Tempo's run would be about 1.2 secs quicker than for two miles, or 3.15.00. In April 2006 the Japanese champion Deep Impact won the 3200m Tenno Sho (Spring) in 3.13.4, smashing the world record for that distance.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse, by Time and Again out of Timing. He is probably New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
's greatest ever stayer, having won the Auckland Cup
Auckland Cup
The Stella Artois Auckland Cup is an annual race held by the Auckland Racing Club . It is an Open Handicap for thoroughbred racehorses competed on the flat turf over 3200 metres at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. The race is graded as a Group One and was first contested in 1874...
two times, and also the Wellington Cup
Wellington Cup
The Wellington Cup is a Group 2 Thoroughbred horse race in New Zealand held annually in late January at Trentham Racecourse in Trentham by the Wellington Racing Club....
once. The Wellington Cup was over 2 miles and he won it in a World Record time of 3:16.2, a record which still stands today.
Il Tempo also won the Chalmers Handicap over two miles, plus being placed over the two mile distance several times. He was trained by Mr Bruce Prescott, a butcher by trade. Normally he was ridden by jockey Noel D Riordan.
He had a fantastic fresh up record. Il Tempo also won a weight for age over one and a half miles. Normally a powerful finishing back runner, in a very small field he eventually took up the running and then was passed by the whole field and then came again to mow them down.
Il Tempo was top-weight and hot pre-post favorite for the 1970 Melbourne Cup
Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is Australia's major Thoroughbred horse race. Marketed as "the race that stops a nation", it is a 3,200 metre race for three-year-olds and over. It is the richest "two-mile" handicap in the world, and one of the richest turf races...
, but did not race. In his preparation for the cup, he broke down after running a 1 min. 39.0 sec. mile in a training gallop. He never raced again.
World record
The Wellington Cup was over 2 miles and he won it in a World Record time of 3:16.2. To do this he beat a top class field including Highland Rebel, who finished second and also broke the previous world record, and champion race mare Honour Me who finished third. This world record still stands as an imperial World Record today. To put this into perspective, the record holder of the two-mile Melbourne Cup is Rain LoverRain Lover
Rain Lover was a champion Australian Thoroughbred racehorse. He was one of the very few horses to win the Melbourne Cup more than once. Rain Lover was sired by the good racehorse, Latin Lover his dam Rain Spot was by Valognes .He was owned and bred by Clifford A. Reid, who won the 1945 Melbourne...
, with a time of 3.19.1, set in 1968. The Melbourne Cup distance was changed to 3200 meters (about 20 metres shorter) in 1972, and the record is held by Kingston Rule at 3.16.3. The equivalent metric time for Il Tempo's run would be about 1.2 secs quicker than for two miles, or 3.15.00. In April 2006 the Japanese champion Deep Impact won the 3200m Tenno Sho (Spring) in 3.13.4, smashing the world record for that distance.