Sire Le Filou Dam Pink Lady Foaled 1965 Trainer Bart Cummings | Grandsire Vatellor Damsire Contact Country New Zealand Sex Stallion | |
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Big philou beating rain lover
Big Philou (foaled in 1965) was a notable New Zealand bred Thoroughbred racehorse. He was by the good sire Le Filou (imported from France) from Pink Lady by Contact and he was trained by Bart Cummings.
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He is best remembered for the controversy surrounding his withdrawal from the 1969 VRC Melbourne Cup when as the hot favourite he was the victim of a doping scandal and was withdrawn from the race 39 minutes before the start.
Jockey Roy Higgins believed that the horse was a certainty to win the race.
Rain Lover went on to win the Cup and created history as the first back-to-back winner since Archer in 1861 and 1862.
Although he missed out on winning a Melbourne Cup the horse did record wins in the 1969 VATC Caulfield Cup, 1970 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Autumn) and the 1970 VATC Underwood Stakes.