Petrina Berry and Glenn Davis
February 20, 2009 - 8:39PM
Fine Cotton, the thoroughbred involved in one of Australia's biggest racing scandals, has died.
Queensland's racing fraternity was rocked when a horse disguised as Fine Cotton won a 1500m event at Brisbane's Eagle Farm Racecourse on August 18, 1984.
Fine Cotton was an average performer and a syndicate substituted him with a stronger performer called Bold Personality.
The schemers painted Bold Personality's feet white to resemble Fine Cotton but the scam was uncovered and claimed the scalp of high profile Sydney bookmaker Bill Waterhouse and his son Robbie for having prior knowledge of the substitution as well as a host of other people, including the ring-in mastermind John Gillespie and his disgraced trainer Hayden Haitana.
Movie producer John Stainton bought Fine Cotton a year after the scandal.
Mr Stainton told AAP that the 31-year-old gelding died from old age on Friday morning at his Brookfield property in Brisbane's west.
"He was the third most well known horse in Australia during the '80s," Mr Stainton said.
"I bought the rights to the story in 1985 and bought Fine Cotton to star as himself in the movie.
"But it was a legal minefield and I had to shelve the movie."
Mr Stainton said he hoped to resurrect the movie idea one day in memory of Fine Cotton.
Fine Cotton was used as a riding horse before being retired about 12 years ago.
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