Might and Power

Might and Power made his debut late in his two-year-old season, and won his first race on 24 July 1996, at his third start. Spelled after one more start, he returned in the new year, and, once stepped up to 1,900 metres, won back-to-back restricted races at Canterbury. Up in grade, he finished second to the multiple Group One winner Intergaze in the Canterbury Guineas, seventh in the Rosehill Guineas, and was defeated by just over a length when fourth in the AJC Derby after suffering severe interference. Seven days later, as a short-priced favourite, he won the Frank Packer Plate by six lengths.

Might And Power resumed in the Show County Quality, over 1,200 metres (6 furlongs) and came from near the tail of the field to defeat the Caulfield Guineas winner Alfa and the stakeswinning sprinter Armidale. He then finished second to Galactic Valley in the Tramway Handicap and Quick Flick Shannon Quality and was beaten less than three lengths in the Epsom Handicap, but Brian York lost the ride to Jim Cassidy. Stepping up from 1,600 to 2,400 metres for the Caulfield Cup, Cassidy rode Might And Power and allowed him to stride freely and at the home turn he was well clear of his opposition. In winning by the extraordinary margin of 7+1⁄2 lengths, he broke the course record. The rest of the field was headed by the 1995 winner Doriemus.

After such an emphatic win, betting markets for the Cox Plate and the Melbourne Cup were hastily rearranged, with Might and Power being installed as a short-priced favourite for both events. His trainer, Jack Denham, who had Filante set for the Cox Plate, elected to bypass the Valley feature with Might And Power and go into the Melbourne Cup without another run. At Flemington, Might And Power was to carry 56 kilograms (8 st 11 lb) having received a penalty of three-and-a-half kilos (a modern record) for his win in the Caulfield Cup. This placed him just one kilo below weight-for-age for a four-year-old male horse at 3,200 metres, and within 1.5 kilograms of Doriemus, who had won the race in 1995. If Might And Power were successful, it would be the highest weight carried to victory by a four-year-old since Gurner's Lane in 1982.

Despite these obstacles, as well as several European stayers and tackling the extreme distance for the first time, several large bets were placed on Might And Power on the day of the race. Starting favourite, he led, and withstood three distinct waves of challenges – Crying Game at the 1,600-metre point, Linesman on the home turn, and Doriemus over the final 200 metres. After seeing off Linesman, Might and Power led by more than two lengths with 300 metres left to run, but Doriemus emerged on the outside. Edging closer and closer, Doriemus appeared likely to score with 50 metres to go, but Might And Power found again in the final strides. In the tightest of finishes, after which Greg Hall, on Doriemus, waved his whip in salute, the photo showed Might and Power had held on.

At the end of the year, Might and Power was named World Champion Stayer.

Returning in the new year, Might And Power ran third behind the Group One winning sprinters Special Dane and Al Mansour in Orr Stakes, but was beaten as favourite by the reigning Cox Plate winner, Dane Ripper, in the St George Stakes, and a minor injury forced him out of the Australian Cup (also won by Dane Ripper). Back in Sydney, Might And Power ran second to the Australian Guineas winner Gold Guru in the Ranvet Stakes, but connections were unhappy with Jim Cassidy's ride, and Brian York again took over.

Back to full fitness, and well-rated by York, Might And Power recorded fast time and defeated Gold Guru and Doriemus by five lengths in the Mercedes Classic. This was the beginning of a patch of remarkable form, where he won four weight-for-age races in a row by a combined margin of more than 22 lengths. At Randwick, three weeks later, Might and Power faced a field of six in the AJC Queen Elizabeth Stakes, which included the multiple Group One winners Juggler, Champagne, Catalan Opening, and Intergaze, but it was a one-act affair as he won by 10+1⁄2 lengths. Taken to Queensland, he defeated the Group One winner Summer Beau by 5+3⁄4 lengths in the Hollindale Cup, and beat Intergaze by just over a length and broke the course record in winning the Doomben Cup.

Might And Power's winning run came to an end when beaten on a heavy track in the Warwick Stakes, but, stepped up to 1,600 metres, defeated Juggler second-up in Chelmsford Stakes. Three weeks later, Might And Power started favourite in the George Main Stakes but faded badly in the straight. The poor run resulted from a virus, and his spring campaign appeared to be in jeopardy. Brian York was again replaced by Jim Cassidy, however, and the horse's campaign continued in Melbourne, in the Caulfield Stakes. Shane Dye led on the multiple Group One winner Tycoon Lil, but Cassidy bided his time on Might And Power, in second place, and surged to the front over the closing stages to win by just over two lengths.

マイト アンド パワーは最高の状態に戻り、コックス プレートの11/8のオッズ（約1.70ドル）で一番人気に推された。調教師のジャック デナムは、フィランテで過去2回の同レースで2位につけており、勝利すればマイト アンド パワーは歴史に名を刻むことになる。1954年のライジングファストに次いで、コックス プレートとコーフィールドカップ、メルボルン カップを制覇した2頭目の馬となり、1931年のファー ラップ以来、現役のメルボルン カップ優勝馬として初めてコックス プレートを制覇することになる。^{[ 5 ]} その結果、1998年10月24日、ムーニー バレー競馬場には4万人近い観客が詰めかけた。初めて直線に入ると、ライバルの騎手が内側から押し込み、他の馬の後ろに彼を閉じ込めようとしたが、ジム キャシディは直線から出るコーナーでマイト アンド パワーを4頭横並びの位置につけ、コース脇を走って先頭に立った。マイト・アンド・パワーは力強いペースで走り、後方の馬たちは疲れ始め、2馬身差をつけて最終コーナーを回った。AJCダービー入着馬のノーザン・ドレイクが100倍のオッズで猛追してきたが、マイト・アンド・パワーは余裕をもって1馬身強の差をつけてコースレコードタイムで勝利した。

その2週間後、マイト・アンド・パワーはキャリア最後の勝利となるVRCクイーンエリザベスステークスで、格下の馬たちを7馬身差で破った。馬主のニック・モライティスはジャパンカップへの出走を打診されたが、直行便の手配ができず、休養させることを選択した。

新年早々、マイト・アンド・パワーはトレーニング中に腱を痛め、18ヶ月間活動を休止した。

6歳で未出走だったマイト・アンド・パワーは、2000年9月に7歳で復帰したが、2回の出走でいずれも勝利を収めることができず、すぐに引退した。彼は数多くの公の場に姿を現し、ビクトリア州グリーンベールのウッドランズ歴史公園にあるリビング・レジェンズで暮らした。^{[ 6 ]}