(264) Chipping Norton Stakes-G1

Warwick Farm. February 23. $252,100. SWFA. 1600m.

1. TIE THE KNOT (P Payne 58) trainer: G H Walter.

2. Freemason (R Quinn 58) b g 5 Grand Lodge (USA) - Sashed (NZ), by Sir Tristram (IRE)

3. Universal Prince (D Beasley 58) b h 4 Scenic (IRE) - Biscay Bird, by Bluebird (USA)

3/4 len. Short 1/2 head. 1m 37.33s. 9 strs.

TIE THE KNOT (18)

Chestnut gelding foaled 1994

Breeder: Mr O P Tait & Mrs S S Nivison, NSW.

Owners: O P Tait & Mrs J G Nivison.
Click here for Tesio pedigree

Werk Nick Rating: A

GP Inbreeding: Nil

Age	Starts	Wins	2nds	3rds
2	3	1	-	-
3	13	5	3	1
4	14	5	1	5
5	15	6	4	-
6	10	3	1	1
7	5	1	-	1
	60	21	9	8

Sire: NASSIPOUR (USA) - Chestnut 1980. Stakes winner; 7 wins, US$838,817, Woodbine Rothmans International S-G1, Pimlico Dixie H-G2, 2d Sword Dancer H-G1, Bowling Green H-G1, 3d Pan American H-G1, twice. Half-brother to NISHAPOUR (Poule d'Essai des Poulains-G1). To stud in NZ 1986. Died 1994. Champion Australian Sire, 1991-92. Sire of 210 winners of $25.8 million - 26 SWs inc TIE THE KNOT, LET'S ELOPE, REDDING, SHIVA'S REVENGE, GROOMING, LORD REVENIR, MARBLE HALLS, BLUSHING BIJOU, ROSE OF MARIZZA, RUNAWAY GROOM, RESTITUTION, TOP RATING, NASSA ROCKET, REDDLAN, NASSIRICH, NASSABIDI, CONCRETE CRUSHER, I'M WAITING, HE'S CLASSIC, BRIDAL LIMO, HIGH FINANCE, JIMINEATE, GRINDLEY, STEEL PHOENIX, etc.

Dam

WHISKED (1987). 3 wins, $549,688, 1200m-1600m, VATC 1000 Guineas-G1, STC Tea Rose S-G2, AJC Light Fingers S-G3, 2d VRC Oaks-G1, STC Orlando Wines Classic-G1, AJC Gimcrack S-G3, Widden S-LR, 3d AJC Champagne S-G1, Surround S-G2, Silver Shadow S-G3, Tatts (NSW) Furious S-LR, 4th AJC Sires' Produce S-G1, STC Storm Queen S-G2, Sweet Embrace S-G3. Dam of 8 foals, 4 raced, 3 winners -

93 Kilgarvin, ch c by Imperial Prince (IRE). Unraced.

94 TIE THE KNOT. Champion A'asian Older Horse, twice; 21 wins, $6,184,775, STC Mercedes Classic-G1, twice, AJC Sydney Cup-G1, twice, Chipping Norton S-G1, 4 times, Spring Champion S-G1, VATC Underwood S-G1, STC Ranvet S-G1, twice, Rosehill Guineas-G1, Hill S-G2, Gloaming S-G2, AJC Expressway S-G2, St Leger-G2, Craven P-G3, Dulcify Quality H-LR, JRA Plate-LR, Wood Coffill H, 2d AJC Australian Derby-G1, MVRC W S Cox P-G1, VATC Caulfield S-G1, VRC Derby-G1, STC Ranvet S-G1, Peter Pan S-G2, Tatts (NSW) Chelmsford S-G2, AJC Warwick S-G2, Bill Ritchie H-G3, 3d VATC Caulfield Cup-G1, Caulfield S-G1, Tatts (NSW) Chelmsford S-G2, AJC Warwick S-G2, Apollo S-G2, twice, Expressway S-G2, VATC Norman Robinson S-LR, 4th STC Mercedes Classic-G1, AJC Apollo S-G2.

95 Buena Vista, br c by At Talaq (USA). 2 wins at 1400m, 1600m, AJC M&S Smallgoods H.

96 Paraway, ch g by Marauding (NZ). 4 wins, 1400m-1900m, AJC 4up Restricted H.

97 Jadeite, ch f by Jade Hunter (USA). Placed.

98 Oblique, c by Spectrum (IRE). Unraced.

99 La Zabaglione, b f by Zabeel.

01 (Unnamed) ch c by Grand Lodge (USA).

Missed in 2000.

2nd Dam

THAT IS A SHAME. Unraced. Dam of 8 foals, all raced, 5 winners inc -

WHISKED. See above.

SHAME ON YOU. 2 wins at 1400m, 1600m, Gosford Classic-LR, AJC Commissionaire H, 2d Gosford Guineas-LR, 3d Tatts (NSW) Chelmsford S-G2.

Gomulka. 11 wins, $77,245, 1100m-1400m, STC Punchbowl WBC H, St Patrick's Day Cup.

Songlines. 2 wins at 1200m, STC Pick Six H.

Native Goer. 7 wins, 1000m-1620m.

3rd Dam

NOT ENOUGH. 6 wins at 1200m, 1400m, AJC Greenacre H, Leslie G Rouse H, Sackville H, Camp Cove H, STC Camellia H, Tatts (NSW) Gladsome H. Sister to Billion. Dam of 6 foals, 4 raced, 3 winners inc -

Hardly Red. 3 wins, 1000m-1400m.

Gold Award. 2 wins at 1000m, 1200m.

4th Dam

OODLES (NZ). Placed. Sister-in-blood to MR PRESIDENT. Half-sister to Ternarius (3d ARC Great Northern Oaks). Dam of 11 foals, 8 raced, 5 winners inc -

Billion. 4 wins, 1300m-2020m, STC Strathfield H, BATC Graduation S, Novice H, 3d BATC Koomeela S.

Ample. 4 wins, 1200m-1600m, STC Harbour City H.

Plenty. 11 wins, 1000m-1400m. Dam of -

Ted's Advice. 1 win at 1350m, BATC Maiden H.

Tie the Knot should be given the keys to all of the Chipping Nortons after collecting the race for the fourth straight year. Nassipour's best son galloped himself into history at Warwick Farm, the western Sydney track he calls home. The much-loved cult figure has 13 Gr.1 wins. In charging past the line almost a length ahead of Derby winners Freemason and Universal Prince, the Knot sparked a huge celebration. Chipping Norton, the suburb and this 77-year-old wfa contest, are named after a town in Yorkshire.

There are few Australasian precedents, the best run up by Manikato. The fabulous sprinter extended his William Reid Stakes victories to five straight in the 1980s. Now run on race day as the Australia Stakes, the William Reid was then a Gr.2 and promoted mainly on Manikato's performance back to Gr.1 in 1987. From 1909, outstanding wfa performer Trafalgar swept four Randwick Plates - the race the spring equivalent to the AJC Plate (now AJC Queen Elizabeth Randwick Stakes) and a definite Gr.1 in its day. The also magnificent wfa horse, Lord, won four straight Memsies in the 1950s. There is also a NZ precedent, Sleepy Fox collecting all of the Easter Handicaps at Ellerslie from 1944-47. Patrick Payne, his rider for this grand occasion, is no stranger to Tie the Knot and the heavyweight jockey rode him perfectly to run away from the field in the straight.