Warwarick’s win at Moonee Valley in the colours of pink, yellow cap, brought back memories as they were registered to Ken Cox, a former treasurer of the Victoria Racing Club.

Cox was the supremo in the halcyon era of Stockwell Stud, a wonderful experience at a time when the Victorian bloodstock industry was thriving .

Ken Cox raced quite a number of horses with success, the majority being by Showdown, at that time he was the premier sire in Victoria.

The best by far was Tontonan, he had to be gelded due to increasing weight, his legs would not have carried the strain of arduous racing.

Cox shared the ownership in the gelding with his able stud manager, George Smith, a successful partnership more than 40 years ago.

Tontonan was a great racehorse, he would qualify for championship status in any era, and he was foaled just before the resurgence in prize money.

After winning his first race at Flemington by six lengths, and three lengths at Caulfield,, the Blue Diamond Stakes, worth $12,000, was by passed in favour of the Golden Slipper Stakes with prize money of $50,00,Tontonan won the Golden Slipper, he won the Oakleigh Plate, the Doncaster Handicap, besides nine other wins earning $245,150 in stakes.

That Doncaster Handicap win was among the most unprecedented incidents seen on an Australian racecourse.

When the field of 23 runners were released from the starting gate, an almighty roar followed racegoers had been watching the race and ignoring the action further down the track.

As the field raced to the 1200 metres there was action a plenty, in the opposite direction a male, and his female accomplice, had stripped, jumped the picket fence from the flat reserve and were heading towards the mounting yard, with the grandstand in the back ground.

Attendants rushed forward shedding their coats giving the couple some respectability.

Warwarick in Tontonan's colours