Paleface Adios was an Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

n harness racing

Harness racing

Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait . They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, although racing under saddle is also conducted in Europe.-Breeds:...

 horse which competed as a pacer throughout the 1970s and early 1980s. He raced from 1972 to 1981, (from two-years-old until he was retired at 11 years-old) when there was top competition from the likes of the Hondo Grattan

Hondo Grattan

Hondo Grattan was a Standardbred pacer from Bathurst, New South Wales known as the "Bathurst Bulldog". He won the Inter Dominion Pacing Championship in both 1973 and 1974, becoming the first horse to successfully defend an Inter Dominion title. Hondo Grattan was the first horse in Australia to win...

, Robalan

Robalan

Robalan was a champion New Zealand pacer Standardbred horse, known as "Robbers". He is notable in that he won two NZ Trotting Cup races, the richest harness race in New Zealand, for his epic contests with champion pacer Young Quinn who he more than often beat and is particularly well remembered for...

 and Pure Steel

Pure Steel

Pure Steel is the only pacer to win the A G Hunter Cup, a race over 3,050 metres and the richest handicap race for pacers in the world, three times, in 1977, 1978 and 1980. He was the first Standardbred horse to win A$500,000 in Australia. Pure Steel also won the WA Benson & Hedges Cup four times...

.

He was a chestnut Standardbred pacer with a white blaze and feet, and a golden mane. Paleface Adios was foaled on 1 November 1969, at Temora

Temora

Temora may refer to:* Temora, New South Wales, a town in Australia* Temora , listed on the NRHP in Maryland* Temora , a 1763 poem by James Macpherson* Temora , a genus of copepods in the family Temoridae...

, NSW and was by Deep Adios (by Adios

Adios (racehorse)

Adios was a champion harness racing sire.The son of Hal Dale and the mare Adioo Volo, the horse named Adios was born on January 3, 1940 at Two Gaits Farm, in Carmel, Indiana. Trained and driven by Frank Ervin and for a while owned by Harry Warner of Warner Bros. film studio, Adios was a multiple...

) out of Rayjen by Brigade Command. Rayjen was the dam of several full siblings to Paleface Adios, but they failed to match his ability as racehorses.

Racing record

Paleface Adios was trained and driven throughout his career by Colin Pike, and was owned by Colin's wife, Shirley Pike. He was nicknamed The Temora Tornado, in honour of the town where he was bred and trained. He raced with a 'daisy cutting' action which gave the impression that his feet were not touching the ground with each stride that he took. Paleface had brilliant early speed and when drawn from the front row of the mobile barrier

Starting gate

A starting gate is a machine used in horse racing and dog racing to ensure a fair start in a race.-Thoroughbred/quarter horse racing:...

 or in a standing start was rarely headed at the start of his races. He did however win many races coming from back in the field with a sprint in the last lap.

The colt however made an inauspicious debut at Sydney

Sydney

Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...

's Harold Park as a two-year-old when he fell, as a short priced favourite. He started in an incredible seven consecutive Miracle Mile's at Harold Park (one of Australia's Grand Circuit races which is invitation only) winning once in 1976 in a time of 1.58.4. The 1974 Miracle Mile will live in the memories of those that saw it as Paleface Adios and Hondo Grattan contested the last lap with victory going to Hondo Grattan over his arch-rival to the applause of the crowd. He never won Australasia's biggest race, the Inter-Dominion but did win eight heats of the event including two heats in 1980 at Harold Park at the ripe old age of 10! He had the distinction of competing in the Sydney series with his full brother Jacraig Adios, a rare feat.

At one time he held the world record for 1,000 metres following a time trial at Hawkesbury, New South Wales. He became known as the 'Nellie Melba' of trotting as he was retired to stud on several occasions only to be brought back to racing agaim successfully at the top level. He raced throughout Australia - from Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Brisbane and across to Adelaide and Perth! He won many feature races other than the Mircale Mile such as the Sir Clive Uhr Championship at Albion Park in Brisbane and a host of Cup races at Harold Park. He was voted Harness Horse of the Year.

During the 1970s, Paleface Adios became a household name in Australia, especially in Melbourne

Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

. Harness racing was featured weekly on Saturday night TV as part of the popular live variety show The Penthouse Club

The Penthouse Club

The Penthouse Club was a weekly variety program produced live to air from the studios of HSV-7 Melbourne from October 10, 1970. It was originally hosted by Michael Williamson and comedian Mary Hardy....

. His clashes with Hondo Grattan

Hondo Grattan

Hondo Grattan was a Standardbred pacer from Bathurst, New South Wales known as the "Bathurst Bulldog". He won the Inter Dominion Pacing Championship in both 1973 and 1974, becoming the first horse to successfully defend an Inter Dominion title. Hondo Grattan was the first horse in Australia to win...

 (the Bathurst Bulldog) were legendary.

Summary

Paleface Adios had 240 starts, for 108 wins (second to Cane Smoke for the all time most wins in a lifetime [bred in Australia]), 43 seconds and 25 thirds over his career for more than $500,000 in prizemoney.

In the early 1990s Paleface Adios was included in a satirical song honouring Australian sporting legends presented by Graham and The Colonel on ABC

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...

 TV's The Late Show

The Late Show (Australian TV series)

The Late Show was a popular Australian comedy show, which ran for two seasons on ABC from 18 July 1992 to 30 October 1993.-Cast:The Late Show has its roots in the 1980s comedy group, The D-Generation...

.

Paleface Adios died at Temora

Temora

Temora may refer to:* Temora, New South Wales, a town in Australia* Temora , listed on the NRHP in Maryland* Temora , a 1763 poem by James Macpherson* Temora , a genus of copepods in the family Temoridae...

, NSW, on 11 December 1989. It is believed that this was a result of a snake bite but this was never confirmed. He is commemorated by a life-sized monument in Hoskins Street, the main street of Temora.