TRAINER PROFILES

WALTER HICKENBOTHAM

Walter Hickenbotham was born in 1848 in Victoria. He started his career in horse racing working for renowned Sydney owner/trainer John Tait. In 1886 after a successful career as a jockey Walter Hickenbotham obtained a trainer licence with the VRC. He soon formed an association with Donald Wallace for whom he trained Mentor to win the 1888 Melbourne Cup. Hickenbotham also trained Carbine for Donald Wallace who had bought the horse from his winnings. Carbine won the 1890 Melbourne Cup and almost every other race in which he was entered.
Walter Hickenbotham won 136 feature races including two further Melbourne Cups in 1896 and 1905. He was known as ‘The Prince of Trainers’, a man completely devoted to his horses, which was demonstrated on the night Carbine won the Melbourne Cup. Instead of celebrating his victory Walter Hickenbotham tended Carbine’s injured hoof.

Some Achievements:

- winner of 136 feature races
- winner of 4 Melbourne Cups
- winner of 3 VRC Oaks
- winner of 2 two Newmarket Handicaps
- winner of Victoria Derby
- winner of Adelaide Cup
- winner of 7 Champion Stakes
- winner of 3 Sydney Cups
- winner of 6 Goodwood Handicaps
- winner of Grand National Hurdle
- winner of numerous major handicaps
- winner of numerous weight-for-age races

Some of the Horses Hickenbotham trained:

- Carbine
- Mentor
- Newhaven
- Blue Spec