Rafferty Rules Makes History with Sixth Consecutive Win at Brunette Downs

In the rugged Barkly region of the Northern Territory, a legendary racehorse named Rafferty Rules has secured its place in the annals of Brunette Downs racing history. The 15-year-old gelding recently claimed its sixth straight ABC Gold Cup, a feat that has stunned local racing enthusiasts.

Rafferty Rules powered down the blacksoil straight this month, with jockeys setting a brisk early pace. “The jockey went out early at the 900-metre mark, put a lead on the rest of the field and just kept that gap. It wasn’t too hard for him in the end,” said race commentator.

Linda Blackwood, secretary of the race club, praised the horse’s remarkable career. “In 115 years of racing at Brunette Downs, Barkly has perhaps never seen a better horse,” she said. “We’ve had some incredible competitors, but Rafferty Rules is a very sporting horse and just so impressive. He leads the field tremendously, and I feel so lucky to have seen him race since his maiden days.”

Born on Headingly Station near Camooweal in Queensland, Rafferty Rules was broken in by country music star Tom Curtain in Katherine. The horse initially worked cattle at Helen Springs Station north of Tennant Creek before transitioning to racing.

He first won the Gold Cup in 2017, and trainer Mr. Lowe noted that Rafferty Rules has only grown stronger each year. “We bring him out once a year for Brunette Downs, and he just loves it,” he explained. “He gets his shoes on and knows it’s game on. He gets excited, and you can see it in his stride.”

Rafferty Rules’s extraordinary achievements continue to captivate the Northern Territory’s racing community, cementing his status as one of the most beloved and accomplished horses in the region’s storied racing history.