Sport
6 August, 2025
Is 'Hank' on the way to becoming Australia's greatest sprint horse?
The Normanton quarter horse is making history every time he steps out onto the track.
With nine straight race wins and three consecutive time trial victories, Mr Hanky Panky could well be on his way to legend status in the annals of Australian sprint horse history.
Affectionately known as “Hank” by Normanton trainer and owner Troy Gallagher, the speedster was the reason behind the Melbourne Cup’s visit to the Gulf last month.
“Amanda (Farraway) at the council wrote a story and it was basically based on what Hank had achieved in the last 12 months,” said Gallagher.
“That was why we got the Melbourne Cup in Normanton. With Hank winning all those races she used him as part of her submission to the Victoria Racing Club when applying for the Melbourne Cup Tour to visit.”
To look at the quarter horse, there is nothing that stands out about Mr Hanky Panky.
Perhaps the only thing that does separate him from his rivals is his demeanour on race day, where he is the ultimate professional.
Hank first stepped onto the track two years ago at Eureka Creek near Dimbulah.
He ran fourth and was taken to Richmond, where he finished third as a rising three-year-old.
“Hank got a kick in the knee at Richmond so I didn’t race him at Normanton and saved him for Georgetown,” Gallagher recalled.
“He jumped out and won the Maiden by a couple of lengths and it was like ‘oh my God, where has this come from?
“He then had a break and we brought him back at Eureka Creek where he ran second in his Classic Heat before going on to win his Progressive Heat.
“And that’s where it started.”
In the last 12 months, Hank has built up an impressive streak of wins, including last year’s Mailman Express at Mount Isa, the Sedan Dip Cup, the Classic Final at Normanton, the Open Heat and Cup at Georgetown, and a time trial victory in Winton.
After a spell over the summer, he has resumed with victory in the prestigious Merrie Elliott Breeders Cup at Richmond, won the time trial at Normanton in record time, and just saluted again at Eureka Creek, where he missed the start and still won, despite 11 hours of travel from Normanton.
Gallagher admits he’s starting to feel the pressure of maintaining the massive winning streak.
“I think he’s on nine race wins and three time trials,” he said of the hot run.
“In the back of my mind I think of Black Caviar and Winx and their streaks, but every time we go to the races I think it’s closer and closer to coming to an end.
“On the weekend it got awfully close.”
Mr Hanky Panky will be the horse to beat in tonight’s Mailman Express, but Gallagher thinks he might have some stiff competition in the time trial.
“The Mount Isa Race Club has lifted the prizemoney and I believe all of the nominations are filled so I think we’ll see some stiff competition down the straight,” he said.
“When you’re racing over 200m, you have to be perfect ... you can’t afford for anything to go wrong.”
Mount Isa’s Courtney Gray will once again partner Hank after they combined to win last year’s event.
“I think Hank has had about seven different jockeys over the time but he’s an easy horse to ride because he tries,” Gallagher said.
“Courtney knows what she’s doing and did a great job on him last year so I was more than happy to stick with her.”
The heats of the Mailman Express will be run under lights at the Mount Isa Race Club following this afternoon’s race meeting at Buchanan Park.
The fastest 10 horses enter the Calcutta for auction before they return to the track for another 200m dash against the clock, with the quickest crowned champion.
Gallagher said he was blessed to be the owner and trainer of such a talented horse and believed that Hank’s place in history would take care of itself.
“In racing terms, especially sprint racing, he’s still a very young horse that might not have peaked yet,” he said.
“He’s still got a way to go to be considered one of the greats. But I’m hopeful that’s where he ends up. We just take it race by race.”
After the Mailman, Hank will head to Sedan Dip on August 16.
