DESPITE our growing dependence upon data to quantify individual achievement across myriad sporting landscapes, nobody has found the formula for what quintessentially qualifies a champion.
Among the criteria are longevity at the elite level, dominance over a particular period, excellence in overcoming adversity, capacity to perform on the big stage and some degree of indefinable genius.
Very few are worthy of the title; Chris Alford is one of them.
And for those that needed a reminder of ‘Puppet’s’ precocious skill-set, Saturday night’s staggering drive on Max Delight in the Italian Cup at Melton was the masterclass they required.
Let’s return to those aforementioned criteria for a moment.
Longevity has been one of Alford’s greatest strengths; not only is he the winningest driver in Australasian history with 7456 successes, he’s been smashing his rivals at the top level for 30 years.
Alford has also enjoyed two prolonged periods of dominance, winning every Victorian driver’s championship from 1993 to 2000 and eight of the last nine from 2011 to the present day.
As for adversity, for reinspeople have suffered more injuries than Alford yet he bounces back bigger and better every time, while his big-race record speaks for itself; he has won well in excess of 100 Group 1 events.
When you achieve that level of consistency over time it’s that ‘genius’ factor, however, which often gets forgotten.
And Alford is absolutely a genius, as he confirmed when making a mid-race dash from last-to-first with Max Delight on Saturday night and ending the race as a contest courtesy of his creativity.
Max Delight was one of two feature winners from Melton’s 10-race card, the other being Keayang Livana in the La Coocaracha free-for-all.
Despite having her own issues to contend with Keayang Livana has looked like an open-class star in the making for some time and her first-up success certainly whetted the appetite for what lays ahead if she stays sound.
CHRIS ALFORD ON 'THAT DRIVE":
AUSTRALIAN harness racing boasts a handful of living legends, but none would boast a lifetime resume with more depth, breadth or significance than Elizabeth Clarke.
That’s why it was so satisfying to see her recognized among the Queen’s Birthday honour roll earlier this week.
A Gordon Rothacker medallist in partnership with husband Bruce back in 2008, Clarke’s mantelpiece is replete with silverware recognizing her enormous lifelong contribution to the sport she loves.
Among her other accolades are the Commonwealth Government Sporting Achievement Award for services to Harness Racing and the VHRC Achiever of the Year award.
She has also served on the Harness Racing Victoria board and spent countless hours working to improve her community in Victoria’s Western Districts.
But those that know her best credit Clarke’s commitment to people above business as her greatest strength and most enduring attribute.
The opinions expressed in The Forum are those of the author and may not be attributed to or represent policies of Harness Racing Victoria, which is the state authority and owner of thetrots.com.au.