Cruising to Greece and back.

Tobin Bronze (1961 - 1994) was a champion Australian thoroughbred racehorse who raced with great success during the 1960's. A chestnut son of Arctic Explorer from the Masthead mare Amarco he proved to be a crowd favourite due to his stunning good looks and winning 24 of his 44 Australian race starts. His record in weight for age races was impeccable, starting 16 times for 12 wins, 3 seconds and 1 third.

This did not preclude him from also winning many races under handicap conditions, with quality races such as the 1967 VATC Caulfield Cup carrying 9st 10lb (61.5kg) as well as the AJC Doncaster Handicap with 9st 5lb (59.5kg) amongst his great wins. Only the champion stayer Redcraze has ever carried more weight to victory in a Caulfield Cup.

After three seasons in Australia, he was sold to American interests but not before winning his final race start in Australia, the 1967 W.S. Cox Plate, much to the delight of the huge crowd that attended to bid him farewell. He was moderately successful overseas where he won a further four times from 16 starts. However, he failed to properly adapt to the dirt tracks used in America. Following a successful stud career, he died in California at the age of 34 in 1996.

Peter has many fond memories of Tobin Bronze, the horse, backing him for victory at odds of 7 to 1 in the 1967 Caulfield Cup. TB won 7 of his last 8 starts in Australia and I backed him each time. Didn't win much in the Cox Plate though as TB started at 5 to 1 on but I had to have a token bet!

Tobin Bronze won the following major races:
1965 SAJC Bloodhorse Breeders Stakes (6f)
1965 VATC Trenton Stakes (6f)
1965 VRC Gibson Carmichael Stakes (1m)
1965 VRC Victoria Derby (12f)
1966 VRC Blamey Stakes (10f)
1966 VATC J J Liston Stakes (7f)
1966 VRC Craiglee Stakes (1m)
1966 VATC Underwood Stakes (10f)
1966 VRC Turnbull Stakes (12f)
1966 MVRC W.S. Cox Plate (10f)
1966 VRC L.K.S. MacKinnon Stakes (10f)
1967 VATC Orr Stakes (7f)
1967 VRC Blamey Stakes (10f)
1967 VATC St George Stakes (9f)
1967 AJC Doncaster Handicap (1m)
1967 AJC All Aged Stakes (1m)
1967 VATC Toorak Handicap (1m)
1967 VATC Caulfield Cup (12f)
1967 MVRC W.S. Cox Plate (10f)

Tobin bronze - the metal.
Tobin bronze is an alpha-beta brass containing tin. Resistant to sea water, Admiralty Metal is a trademark. Also known as Naval brass. Tobin bronze is used in welding rods for oxy-acetylene welding and Tig welding for bronze.