Legend status a fitting tribute for harness cult hero Lancelot Bromac

By Jordan Gerrans

Trainer Stewart Dickson would love to see popular pacer Lancelot Bromac follow another Queensland cult figure down to Victoria in retirement and enjoy his days at Living Legends.

The pacer had a short-lived six-week retirement earlier this year, before he returned to trackwork in the hopes of racing again.

But, the veteran trainer has now officially ended the racing days of the standardbred who was renowned for his longevity and toughness on the racetrack.

He holds the record for most ever career starts in Australasia for a standardbred at 551.

Lancelot Bromac compiled one of the great and unique careers in the history of harness racing in the state.

Queensland bush galloping icon Fab’s Cowboy has retired to the Living Legends property in Greenvale in Victoria following his stunning career across the Sunshine State.

Living Legends is more so known for housing the most popular gallopers from across the world, but they have started to take in standardbreds in recent times, including champion square gaiter Just Believe.

‘Lance’ will always have a home at Dickson’s Caboolture property, but he would like to see his celebrated pacer celebrated alongside some of the great equine athletes in the world at the Living Legends facility.

“I think he should go down to the Legends farm in Victoria,” Dickson said.

“They have a few pacers down there at the place now. He is a happy and healthy horse in retirement.”

Fab’s Cowboy bowed out with a record 54 wins, the most of any horse in the modern era of racing in Australia, as well as 46 placings in the middle of last year.

If Lancelot Bromac is to be selected to head to Living Legends, he would join standardbreds Just Believe and fellow trotting great Sundons Gift and around 40 thoroughbred stars at the facility.

The 15-year-old Lancelot Bromac was all set to return to racing earlier this year to add to his record-breaking 551 career starts after a brief retirement.

That was until the weather gods stepped in.

The 75-year-old Dickson takes up the tale from there.

“He was going to have a run the week Cyclone Alfred came and that threw everything out, so we decided to pull the pin on it all,” he said.

“All the wet set me back a bit. I had to shift all my horses when it happened and he never did well after it all.

“He was ready to go and race but we had a lot of rain, he didn’t seem to appreciate the wet weather and the wet paddocks and yards. He just didn’t do well.

“I didn’t want to make a big fuss about him retiring, I was happy for him to bow out on his own terms.”

After four runs across August and October of last year where he did not finish better than fifth, Lancelot Bromac’s trainer and part-owner Dickson made the tough call to retire the gelding with 551 starts and 34 victories to his name.

But, the wily customer had no interest in actually retiring and his actions showed his trainer that he was keen to stay in work.

Following the wet conditions the veteran pacer faced across late February and early March of this year, Dickson says his old mate succumbed to the inevitable at his grand old age.

“I just said ‘that’s it mate, well done’, it is now time for a relaxing retirement,” the long-time horseman said. 

“He has let down pretty well really but the first time I tried to do it; it was not on.

“That is why we brought him back into work because he didn’t seem to want to retire.

“I will keep pressing on with him now as I am, he has a place here with me forever, if he wants it.

“He has got big paddocks here, so he is pretty happy with his feeds and his rugs to keep him warm.”

Dickson has raced Lancelot Bromac in all but five of his career starts which dates all the way back to the middle of 2012 when he was racing as a two-year-old.

They have a much closer bond than what a regular trainer and horse would with Dickson declaring they are more like best mates.

“He has given me everything, I have got a great kick out of him,” he said.

“I have got a real buzz out of him. He gets a pat every day when he puts his head over the fence.

“He is one of those horses that every time you do anything with him, he just turns up for you.

“Even now, he has the run of my place and fits in with it all. I looked forward to going to the races with him every week.”

Lancelot Bromac’s last win came at Redcliffe in May of 2023 while he placed a handful of times in his final racing season.

Outside of the great ‘Lance’, Dickson is having a strong season with his dozen in work and has 15 winners to his name for the term and is going at a better strike-rate than each of his last three campaigns.