The scratching of Anything from a Maiden Plate at Canberra on Sunday turned the clock back half a century.

The name has been repeated nine times in various countries around the world but only twice in Australia has carried that name.

During the late fifties movie producer Stanley Kramer brought a group of stars to Melbourne to film the movie On The Beach.

Among the cast was Gregory Peck, Fred Astaire, Tony Perkins and the queen of Hollywood the sultry Ava Gardner.

Both Peck and Astaire loved the races at every opportunity. They were trackside betting with the bookies and enjoying it to the fullest.

Each commissioned the late Stan Murphy to buy then a yearling at the Sydney Easter Sales.

Both yearlings were by Star Kingdom, one a colt and other a filly. Peck won the toss and without hesitation he selected the colt.

Each owner had returned to America before the horses ever raced and while Murphy corresponded regularly sending photos and press clippings, neither returned to see their horses race.

Astaire named his filly Far Cry and Peck submitted several names but they were all rejected.

In shear desperation Peck phoned Murphy saying “call it Anything” and the name was granted.

The horse won five races including a Ballarat Cup, but not all in the ownership of Peck.

As for Astaire he had a couple of city wins with Far Cry, and on his return to America he married Robyn Smith the leading female jockey on the west coast.

It remains to be seen if the Mark de Montfort trained namesake will achieve similar notoriety.

On Tuesday, two days after his scratching at Canberra, Anything finished second at Gosford in an 1100m maiden plate.