Lonhro

Lonhro
Farewelling the crowd at Eagle Farm
Sire	Octagonal
Dam	Shadea
Damsire	Straight Strike
Sex	Stallion
Foaled	1998
Country	AUS
Colour	Brown
Breeder	Woodlands Stud
Owner	Woodlands Stud
Trainer	John Hawkes
Record	35:26-3-2
Earnings	A$5,790,510
Major wins
Australian Cup (2004) C F Orr Stakes (2004) George Ryder Stakes (2003,2004) Caulfield Stakes (2002,2003) George Main Stakes (2003) Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2003) Chipping Norton Stakes (2003) LKS MacKinnon Stakes (2002) Caulfield Guineas (2001)
Awards
Australian Racehorse of the Year (2004) Australian Middle Distance Champion (2004) Australian Champion Three Year Old (2002) Leading sire in Australia (2011) Timeform rating: 128
Honours
World Champion Miler (2004) Australian Racing Hall of Fame (2014)
Last updated on 10 March 2014

Lonhro (foaled December 10, 1998) was a champion Australian racehorse who is now standing at stud. Nicknamed "The Black Flash", he was from the first crop of the champion Octagonal out of the Group One-placed Shadea (by Straight Strike), who also produced the Group One winner Niello (a younger, full-brother to Lonhro). Lonhro raced from two to five years of age and won 26 races, including 25 stakes races, ranging in distance from 1,100 to 2,000 metres. These included 11 Group One wins and 18 wins at weight-for-age. He was bred and owned by Woodlands Stud and trained by John Hawkes. Lonhro's name is based on the stock exchange code of the London Rhodesian Mining and Land Company, LONRHO. This arose from his foaling description as "tiny but perfect", a label ascribed to Roland "Tiny" Rowland, CEO of the company. The horse's name is deliberately misspelt.

Lonhro had his first start in November 2000 in a restricted two-year-old race at Rosehill, where he finished second. A short spell followed, and he resumed in January 2001 over 1,100 m at Rosehill, starting favourite for the first time and winning by 2½ lengths. Two weeks later, Lonhro was in Melbourne at Caulfield for the Blue Diamond Prelude. In the straight, he strode well clear to win by two lengths from the fast-finishing Neiwand with Tosamba third.

It was then on to the Blue Diamond Stakes, where Lonhro started the $3.50 favourite. Settling near the rear of the field, hecame wide in the straight, making ground on the leaders but unable to catch the eventual winner, True Jewels, finishing 1½ lengths fourth. Instead of pressing on to the Sydney carnival, Lonhro was spelled as another near-black Woodlands colt called Viscount won the AJC Sires Produce and Champagne Stakes.

Lonhro returned for the 2001 Spring in the WFA Missile Stakes in July, when he was still officially a 2yo. Settling last of nine runners on a heavy track, he stormed home to finish third to Sportsbrat. This was the only time that Lonhro was defeated in consecutive races.

A rematch with Sportsbrat in the WFA Warwick Stakes-Gr2 (1,300 m) followed two weeks later. This time, Lonhro settled closer to the lead and registered his first win as a 3yo. For his next start, he went back to his own age group in the Ming Dynasty Quality-Gr3 (1,400 m) and held on to win by a short half-head after being sent out a very short-priced favourite. An easy win in the Heritage Stakes-LR (1,200 m) followed before he took out the Stan Fox Stakes-Gr2 (1,400 m) against a small but quality field.