The memories and pride, though, will be strong in the Lees family and across the Hunter thoroughbred community when Luskin Star is inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame on Friday night at Adelaide Convention Centre.

Luskin Star and Newcastle-born trainer Neville Begg are among 10 2016 inductees and join record-breaking Cessnock jockey Robert Thompson and Newcastle-trained international champion Choisir, who were honoured last year. 

Kris Lees, who has carried forward his late father’s successful Newcastle stable, was pleased to see Luskin Star join the elite group.

“Growing up, his triple crown photo had pride of place in our house,” Lees said. “He’s got a special place in our family.”

Lees said he was only six when Luskin Star blitzed his rivals in the 1977 Golden Slipper to win by seven lengths in a race record time.

“I can’t remember him as a two-year-old, but I’ve got very vague memories of his next season when he raced,” he said. “He won the Cameron Handicap at Newcastle, I can just remember that day.

“I got a phone call a few months ago from [Australian Racing Hall of Fame chairman] Bob Charley to say he was being inducted, so it’s very pleasing.

“A lot of old people from that era around the traps and even press blokes have still got very fond memories of him. It was only the other day – everyone’s got their own opinion – but some were saying he’s the best Slipper winner ever.”

Luskin Star was bred by Jim and Marea O’Neill at their Luskintyre property. The Kaoru Star-Promising colt was passed in for $6500 with a reserve of $8000 at the 1976 Sydney Easter Yearling Sales and was later bought by Max Lees for Mr and Mrs John Balcomb, Don Ninnes and Barry Barnett. The O’Neills also retained a share. The legendary Bart Cummings trained Luskin Star for his last five starts and said he was the greatest two-year-old he had seen.

After his Golden Slipper (1200m) win, Luskin Star set an Australian record time in a three-length AJC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) win before completing the triple crown with a six-length victory in the Champagne Stakes (1600m).

As a three-year-old, Luskin Star won the Caulfield Guineas, the Expressway and Phar Lap Stakes and The Galaxy to finish with 13 wins and three seconds in 17 starts and $280,900 in stakes. In the spring of 1977, the largest crowd of the modern era at Broadmeadow watched Luskin Star win the Cameron Handicap.

The chestnut colt was retired to Newhaven Park Stud at Boorowa, NSW. He died in 2002.

Other 2016 inductees are Melbourne Cup-winning jockeys Pat Hyland and Noel McGrowdie, trainer Cecil Godby, journalist and historian Les Carlyon, broadcaster Joe Brown and horses Sydeston, Merman and Leilani.

* with Gary Harley