When Carbine, born and bred at Sylvia Park stud south of Auckland, ran in the Melbourne Cup the Herald office was besieged by punters who had backed him to favouritism. They were not disappointed. He came from behind to win the race in record time, carrying 65.8kg, the most of any Cup winner.
"Great horses there have been on the Australian turf; but I think it will now be fairly admitted that to New Zealand belongs the credit of having bred the greatest horse that has yet graced colonial courses," wrote Phaeton, the Herald's racing writer.
Carbine is our New Zealander of the Year for 1890. But with hindsight he was even more influential than that brief, heady moment in November 1890 might suggest.
After his racing career he was put out to stud and his name is to be found in the bloodlines of many great champions around the world; winners of the Epsom Derby in England, the Belmont Stakes in the United States and numerous Melbourne Cup winners, including Phar Lap.
From the Herald archives:
'Carbine wins the cup', New Zealand Herald, 5 November 1890
