The horse, a bay gelding, was bred by Oakland Park Stud in Western Australia and was sired by Serheed (USA) from North Bell by Bellewater (FR).

Northerly was a favourite of punters for his ability to win after appearing defeated, and this trait, in combination with his racing colours of yellow, black Maltese Cross and quartered cap earned him the nickname of "The Fighting Tiger".

Following a first-up second in 2001 in the unsuitably short Australia Day Stakes in Perth, Northerly arrived in Melbourne for an autumn campaign aimed at the Australian Cup.

He won his first race in Melbourne, the Carlyon Cup over 1,600 metres, by almost four lengths, in course record time, and began a successful relationship with New Zealand jockey Greg Childs.

Sunline, a champion New Zealand mare, had won the Cox Plate for two years running, and the spring clash with Northerly was now widely anticipated.

The great mare raced clear approaching the home turn, but Northerly rallied in the straight for the narrow, fighting victory that would become his trademark.

In typical style, Sunline led the field to the home turn, but – unlike the previous two years, when she raced clear in the straight – the Sydney three-year-old Viscount refused to give in, while Northerly loomed wider on the track.

Northerly returned to Perth, and his trainer Fred Kersley chose to run him in the Railway Stakes, which had been moved forward on the calendar.

After beginning his campaign in an unsuitably short sprint in Perth, Northerly arrived in Melbourne for the Memsie Stakes, but tried to bite one of his rivals, Fields of Omagh, and was unplaced.

Well-positioned by Greg Childs in the first five runners, the incredibly slow pace helped Northerly overcome the big weight of 58 kilos.

Northerly's weight carrying feat eclipsed Sydeston's modern-day record of 57 kilos (set in 1990), while Fields of Omagh won two Cox Plates over the next four years.

The next week the Caulfield Cup winner returned to Moonee Valley and repeated his feat of the previous year in winning the Cox Plate.

In a high quality year, Northerly raced past Sunline (fourth) at the top of the straight, and held off Defier and Grandera, with Fields of Omagh and equal-favourite Lonhro further back.

Trainer Fred Kersley ruled out running Northerly in the 2002 Melbourne Cup and reasoned that because he would have to carry 60 kilograms over 3,200 metres, and the fact that he possibly might not have stayed the trip, it may have taken too great a toll.

While Northerly had proven himself a champion in Melbourne and Perth he had never been tested in Sydney, or for that matter on any tracks where races are run in the clockwise direction.

It is commonplace for thoroughbreds to prove themselves in both Sydney and Melbourne before being acknowledge as a great champion and this is why trainer Fred Kersley sent Northerly on a three race mission to conquer the final frontier.