His very name stirs memories of champion NZ gelding Bonecrusher whose nine Gr 1 wins in the 1980’s made him a headliner on both sides of the Tasman. Bonecrusher’s epic struggle with Our Waverley Star in the 1986 Cox Plate is still described by veteran fans as a race for the ages.
Sydney trained gelding Coal Crusher has a way to go to reach Bonecrusher’s level but he’s the kind of horse every owner dreams about - genuine, tenacious and innately talented. His gutsy win in Saturday’s BM88 at Newcastle brought his CV to 7 wins and 6 placings from just 17 starts for $349,000 in prize money. He’s raced by trainer Joe Pride’s wife Kylie in partnership with Stevey Arena, and a small partnership registered as Surfing Cowboys. Joe never ceases to be amazed by the deeds of the pony sized chestnut gelding.
“He weighs only 470kgs but is all heart and has an amazing cardio function,” says the trainer. “He likes to lead or race very close to the lead and can get a bit keen on occasions. On Saturday he led at a brisk gallop in a pretty strong race and I wasn’t expecting a really big kick. Many horses with a high cruising speed can’t find that extra kick. He got to the 200m and dropped into another gear. He’s been a real surprise packet.”
Glyn Schofield has ridden Coal Crusher in 6 of 7 wins. Here they are winning the BM88 at Newcastle on Saturday - courtesy Steve Hart Photographics.
Part owner Stevey Arena is the daughter of former legendary music entrepreneur and marketing whiz Chris Murphy who lost his battle with lymphoma in January of last year at just 66 years of age. Best known as the long term manager of the iconic rock band INXS, Chris had a passion for horses which rivalled his love of the entertainment industry. He concentrated principally on the breeding of polo ponies from nineteen home mares, but usually had around five thoroughbred mares on his well appointed Sugar Beach Ranch at Ballina on the NSW north coast.
Chris actually bred the unraced Media Academy whose three foals to date have all been colts by the dual Gr 1 winner Turffontein. The first was African Academy who won a Hawkesbury maiden and registered six minor placings including one at Randwick. Then came Beach Baby who won races at Goulburn, Grafton and Ballina and also recorded six placings. Joe Pride was the trainer when the gelding won his BM66 at Goulburn. “Beach Baby had his share of natural talent but niggling issues held him back,” said the trainer. “We definitely didn’t see the best of him.”
Joe explained that simple alliteration has been used to name Media Academy’s three Turffontein colts - both words of their names begin with the same letter. Chris Murphy started the trend with African Academy and Beach Baby while Kylie Pride came up with Coal Crusher’s name when she decided to take a share in the chestnut. Several unforeseen issues have prevented Media Academy from delivering another live foal since Coal Crusher’s arrival in 2017. The mare is currently in good health and was recently covered by former talented racehorse Pierata.
Stevey Arena with her late father Chris Murphy whose passion for show business was exceeded only by his love of horses.
Coal Crusher has far exceeded the deeds of his older brothers, although it did take him a while to open his account. Following four consecutive seconds on provincial tracks the chestnut finally cracked it for his maiden win at Orange in Oct 2021 with apprentice Zac Wadick in the saddle. Wadick had the ride again when Coal Crusher beat all but Sachello at Kembla two weeks later. Then came a fourth in a BM64 at Wyong with Tim Clark on board.
Next assignment was a 1300m BM 64 in heavy ground at Hawkesbury. Joe enlisted the services of veteran Glyn Schofield who hadn’t long been back in the saddle following major arm surgery. Trainer and jockey had enjoyed success together previously with several horses including the brilliant sprinter Ball Of Muscle. Schofield in fact rode Ball Of Muscle in ten of his thirteen wins including two at Gr 2 level. Coal Crusher made a statement with an effortless 4.3 length demolition job on his rivals. “Not only did we discover a definite affinity between Glyn and Coal Crusher, but this was the day the horse came of age,” said Joe. “I turned him out straight away.”
Glyn Schofield's first ride on Coal Crusher resulted in an effortless win at Hawkesbury 05/12/2021 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
On resuming from that spell in April the gelding reeled off an impressive hat trick of wins at Wyong, Warwick Farm and a Saturday metro meeting at Gosford. Glyn Schofield was the jockey in all three wins but was unavailable when Coal Crusher contested a 1400m open event on a Heavy 9 track at Randwick three weeks later. With Jay Ford substituting he looked a touch disappointing when sixth (5.8 lengths) from impressive winner Art Cadeau, but he had been caught in a frantic four horse speed battle in the early stages.
He gave lie to that run two weeks later, when he strolled home in a 1300m BM94 at Randwick on a very rare Good 4 track. Glyn Schofield gave him the tick of approval, and Joe Pride opted for another short break. On resuming as a spring five year old Coal Crusher ran consecutive fifths at Randwick, not far away on either occasion. He showed the benefit of those two runs with a cracking second to Oscar Zulu in the Goulburn Cup. He led as expected with the winner tracking him every step of the way. Oscar Zulu beat him just on a length with the others well astern.
With 61 kgs in a very strong BM88 at Newcastle on Saturday, Coal Crusher was facing his toughest test to date. It was no surprise when he got out to $18 at post time. The John O’Shea duo Cotehele and Waihaha Falls were strongly fancied as was Democracy Manifest from the Waller stable, and John Thompson’s Jojo Was A Man. Coal Crusher took little notice of his more fancied rivals. He quickly assumed his favourite role of pacemaker but looked vulnerable for a few strides when James McDonald loomed large on Cotehele at the top of the straight. As he’s done so many times before, the little chestnut gelding got his second wind and put them away in a few strides. He easily held Waihaha Falls with Democracy Manifest a closing third. Joe Pride’s winning streak continued thirty five minutes later when he won the NZB Jack Newton Legend Mile with Redwood Shadow.
Brave Pride was Coal Crusher's strapper at Newcastle. The 16yo is a keen racing student and a prospective trainer - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
The trainer is acutely aware that Coal Crusher has nowhere to hide from this point on. “The time has come for the little bloke to go up a notch,” says the trainer. “He’s now a fully seasoned five year old reaching peak fitness. He can lead or sit off the pace if necessary. We’ll nominate for the Gr 3 Festival Stakes at Rosehill on November 26th. If he runs the 1500m strongly we might look at the inaugural Ingham Stakes of 1600m at Randwick on December 10th. If he shows us he’s not quite up to stakes company, we can always look for something easier. He’s certainly earned his chance.”
As this story is posted Joe has just arrived home after a lightning trip to Auckland where he inspected a large number of entries from the New Zealand Ready To Run Sales Catalogue. “My plan was to fly over and personally inspect the many I’ve marked in the catalogue,” he said. “When the actual sale is being conducted I’ll be watching online in Sydney and talking to my agents at Karaka. In the old days trainers had to stay a week or more.”
The year 2022 has seen Joe celebrate his 50th birthday and his 1000th winner as a professional trainer in the brutally tough Sydney arena. Throw in more than 100 stakes wins and 15 Gr 1’s and you can see he hasn’t wasted a moment of his 21 years in the business. He humbly credits much of that success to the lessons learned during a four year learning stint as stable foreman for master horseman John Size. Joe’s 2022 highlights have come in recent months with Private Eye’s second placings in the Stradbroke and The Everest, and his breathtaking win in the Nature Strip Stakes.
Private Eye was explosive in winning the Nature Strip Stakes - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Horses like Coal Crusher have performed on a totally different level, but Joe makes no secret of the fact that he’d like another half dozen just like him. Coal Crusher has given veteran jockey Glyn Schofield an exciting ride in 2022. Glyn’s not a keeper of statistics but believes he’s nudging 2000 career wins, 800 of which have been recorded since his arrival in Australia in 2008. He’s won 18 Gr 1’s in this country alone. His decision to return to race riding in his mid fifties wasn’t taken lightly. “I knew my opportunities would be very limited but I love the job and hoped my experience might appeal to some trainers,” said Glyn. “I’ve won six races on Coal Crusher and have obviously grown fond of the horse. I’m looking forward to riding him in the Festival Stakes shortly.”
He’s a unique little horse is Coal Crusher. He first saw the light of day at Coolmore Stud in the Hunter Valley. The initial appraisal given to his owners was simply “average foal lacking quality.” This was a quote something akin to a talent scout’s report on a young Fred Astaire in the early 1930’s. He said the emerging superstar “can’t act but can dance a little.”
TheTurffontein colt was raised to weaning stage at the Murphy’s Richmond property Archerfield Farm before being shipped to Ballina for breaking in. Here at Sugar Beach Ranch Chris Murphy watched as the “average foal” started to look more like a racehorse. You can be sure he allowed his imagination to create visions of future racetrack glory. How proud he would have been of the little guy’s achievements thus far. How excited he would have been as the time draws near for Coal Crusher’s stakes debut. The Aussie entertainment icon will be in the thoughts of family and friends when the chestnut colt who didn’t warrant a second glance at birth, takes on the bluebloods in the Gr 3 at Rosehill Gardens.
Chris Murphy loved nothing more than a canter on the golden sands at South Ballina.
(Banner image - There's not much of him but Coal Crusher is a very serious racehorse - courtesy Steve Hart Photographics.)