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By Bill Poulos

Champion stayer Poitrel, the 1920 Melbourne Cup winner with close historical ties to Moree, has been inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame – one of the Australian racing industry’s highest accolades.

Poitrel was bred by William and Fred Moses who stood the Melbourne Cup winner’s sire St Alwyne at Combadello Station, west of Moree.

St Alwyne and Flavius stood at Combadello Station, one of the Moree district’s most historic farming and thoroughbred breeding enterprises, alongside Jacmar, a brother to 1906 Melbourne Cup winner Poseidon – also bred by William and Fred – before transferring to Arrowfield Stud, the famous breeding nursery founded by the brothers in the early part of the 20th century.

Valais went on to head the sires’ list for five years and produced a veritable honour roll of great horses, including Heroic, Fuji San, Vaals and Manfred.

William and Fred Moses receive the 1920 Melbourne Cup trophy won by Poitrel under a back-breaking 10 stone

Now, nearly 100 years after carrying 10-stone (63.5kg) to beat Erasmus and Queen Comedy by half-a-length in the race that stops a nation, Poitrel will join a pantheon of greats when inducted at a Racing NSW-hosted gala dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney on Friday night.

Fred Moses’ grandson, well-known Mallawa farmer and grazier Henry Moses, will attend the gala evening with fellow family members Tim Moses, Fred Moses, Peter Moses and Jimmy Moses, whose grandfather was William Moses.

“It’s a great honour and an absolute privilege to be even asked to go down and attend the function,” Henry said.

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