Chariot Supreme

Breeding: SIRE: Waverly Supreme DAM: Mixed Blessings

Whelped : 01/07/1981

Trainer : Kevin Richards

Owners : Robyn Richards. Studmaster: Kevin Richards – Blue Gums Stud, Neerim South, Victoria

Career Race Record : 30 starts: 19 wins, 7 placings

Career Prizemoney : Over $30,000

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENT:

• Winner Victorian Sires’ Premiership 1987-1992

Kevin and Robyn Richards’ Blue Gums Stud was the “Home of Champions”. The husband-and-wife team bred, reared and raced a host of future stars from their picturesque 35-acre greyhound complex nestled among the rolling hills of Neerim South. But one greyhound, in particular, still tugs at their heart strings – Chariot Supreme. The Richards’ first laid eyes on Chariot Supreme as a pup, rearing a July 1981 litter for the Rounds family of Pearcedale. But little did they realise Chariot Supreme would eventually make his way back to Blue Gums Stud.

“He injured his hock shortly after winning the Silver Chief and I thought it would be a good opportunity to buy him,” said Kevin Richards. “Alan Lester, a Traralgon businessman, had commissioned me to buy a dog, so I approached Ray Rounds. “He cost $25,000, and I later bought him for $20,000 as a stud dog as he had a good cross with the Temlee line.” Richards had Chariot Supreme’s damaged hock assessed by famed greyhound veterinarian Dr Jim Gannon, who gave him a racing ‘green light’.

“We took a punt on him, and he went on to win a Sale Cup and Warragul Cup, and make an Australian Cup final. In all, he won 19 races from 30 starts,” Richards said. Richards rates National Star and Tangairn as the best sprinters of Chariot Supreme’s era. “He wasn’t a good beginner, but he had unbelievable mid-race acceleration. He was a speed dog,” Richards said. “His greatest win was the Silver Chief, but for me it was the Warragul Cup as I was a director of the club for more than 20 years.”

Initially, Chariot Supreme wasn’t all that popular with breeders and Richards had to promote him heavily at stud to get him off the ground as a sire. But the ever astute Richards had mated his brood matron Shining Light with Chariot Supreme while he was recuperating from his hock injury. And the resultant progeny – Shining Chariot, Chariot Of Gods, Chariot Of Light, Chariot Power and Supa Dupa – set him on a path to stud stardom. “He went to stud for a $250 fee, then to $300 and $500, we were receiving around six calls a day, and eventually his fee went to $1500 with a full book each month,” Richards said. “Quite simply, he threw early pace into his pups.”

Chariot Supreme topped the Victorian Sires’ Premiership for six consecutive years (1987-92). Known as the “Sire of Sires”, Chariot Supreme sired numerous racetrack stars including Alf, Autumn Chariot, Black Pirate, Bomber Gleeson, Floodgate, Franklin Deano, Freewheeler, Hard Rain, Hay Dinney, Highly Blessed, Hopeful Supreme, Hot Spell, Keystone, Pure Talent, Shining Chariot, Singalong, White Gigolo, Wild Pirate and Val Curl. He also sired the 1990 Melbourne Cup trifecta – Highly Blessed, Singalong and Black Pirate.

Chariot Supreme, who passed away on December 15, 1992, was buried on the Warragul GRC premises. Richards said the induction of Chariot Supreme into the Victorian greyhound racing Hall of Fame was a “great honour”. “It’s fantastic to see him recognised. When Jan Wilson (Greyhound Racing Victoria Chairman) informed us, Robyn cried. In fact we both were in tears.”