Kiwi won the Wellington Cup in January 1983 from the rear of the field in a close finish, with a time of 3 minutes 20.29 seconds.
Kiwi has become a household sporting hero in New Zealand and formed a key example of the underdog winning a horse race against the odds.
[15] The event sparked criticism of the scratching as a potential act of bad sportsmanship, due to the rivalry between New Zealand and Australia.
Kiwi also ran in the 1984 Japan Cup, where he represented New Zealand and finished at 6th place behind Katsuragi Ace.
[4] This historical feat is highly regarded, especially as the Melbourne Cup is esteemed as the premier staying race in Australia and New Zealand.
A life-size plasticine mould of Kiwi, with jockey Jim Cassidy on its back in full flight, was donated to Waverley by New Plymouth artist, the late Fridtjof Hanson.
$155,000 was allocated from Waverley's masterplan arts grant to cover the cost of bronzing the statue at Heavy Metals in Lower Hutt.