Tributes to Protectionist have been flooding in

Saying goodbye to a horse that has produced the goods for punters with various online betting sites is always tough to do but Protectionist is etched into the hearts of most Australian horse racing fans. 

Heralding from Germany, Protectionist proved to be one of the best Melbourne Cup performers in recent history and his legacy is sure to live on.  

Any horse that manages to win the Melbourne Cup is held in the highest of esteem with both punters and Aussie bookmakers alike and very few horses endeared to the general public in the way that Protectionist. 

Very much the blue print for the now prolific Australian Bloodstock syndicate, Protectionist came over from Europe to start a period of dominance within the Australian horse racing sphere. 

Trail Blazer 

Whilst acquiring horses from other countries and bringing them over to Australia and immersing them into the racing culture is now common place, Protectionist was one of the first to break the mould. 
 
Originating from Germany, Protectionist was brought over to ruffle a few feathers within the Australian horse racing landscape, and it managed to do just that. 
 
Where it was unique however was that Protectionist raced in both Australia and in Europe, enjoying Group 1 success seemingly everywhere he went for a period between 2014 and 2016. 
 
In an age where horses and jockeys make their way fleet-footed around the world, chasing the biggest races and the biggest purses, it was horses such as Protectionist that paved the way for that generation of horse to come through. 
 
Melbourne Cup folklore 

The Melbourne Cup remains the biggest draw in Australian horse racing and by winning the race back in 2014, Protectionist has secured its place in history. 
 
Acquired for just $6,500 at a German auction, Protectionist very much upset the form book back in 2014, overcoming much fancied Red Cadeaux to clinch the famous trophy in the fastest time for over a decade. 
 
Winning the contest at $8 put Protectionist into the very select band of single figure winners at the famous Flemington race, making it a firm favourite for punters in subsequent contests, both in Australia and further afield. 
 
Legacy to live on 

Although Protectionist hasn’t been racing competitively in Australia for about 5 years, there has still been plenty of public interest in his wellbeing since stepping away from day-to-day racing. 
 
A horse that broke the mould, upsetting all of the established owners and trainers to win the Melbourne Cup, is always a story that all levels of punters can buy into. 
 
In addition, Protectionist’s Melbourne Cup win gave his owners, the Australian Bloodstock syndicate both the confidence and the capital to continue to invest in the sport. 
 
With a business model now revered across the horse racing world, the syndicate from Newcastle now purchase the majority of their horses from the Northern Hemisphere, transport them back to Australia and help them acclimatise to their new lives. 
 
And it is the Melbourne Cup where the syndicate continue to do their best work, with Gold Trip winning the race in 2022 and Ashrun firmly in the mix in 2023 too. 

The passing of horses always shocks the horse racing fraternity, but Protectionist was something special, a horse that transcended beyond the monotony of the track. 
 
A Melbourne Cup winner, who came from Germany and continued to win races at the highest level in both Australia and Europe, Protectionist will long be remembered as one of the best in the business.