Turf Monthly December 2022

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TURF

December 2022

THIS MONTH

YATTENDON AND HIS PLACE IN HISTORY GIGA KICK DURSTON 1999 CAULFIELD GUINEAS

Editor’s Letter December sees another year about to come to a close, and another Spring for us to reflect upon. It might be a personal bias, but apart from the win of Anamoe in the Cox Plate, the Spring has been something of a disappointment. It is hard to see many of the horses that have won going on to become household names.

The Spring throughout history has been the carnival that, more than any other, has seen the birth of the true Champions. Anamoe confirmed his place among the best after overcoming last year’s disappointment.

I was excited to see the Irish horse, Deauville Legend start a short-priced favourite and he looked the most impressive formline in the race, only to see him fail to overcome the difficulties of travelling to Australia to compete. He loomed as the likely winner but the task proved too much. It was a disappointing field of only 22 runners in the great race, which saw its fair share of moderately performed imports that are now domiciled in Australia. If there is an upside, we do see that NZ stayers do seem as if they are again coming to the fore. If nothing else, this should give us confidence in our locally bred stayers moving into the future.

Until next month

Ross Prowd

Cover Photo 2022 Melbourne Cup winner GOLD TRIP

CONTENTS 4

Giga Kick

12

Durston

16

Yattendon

22

Sir Hercules

26

Black Swan

28

Yatterina

30

Silver Bell

32

Kilboy

38

Dagworth

41

Reprieve

42

Edward King Cox

45

Walter McEvilly

46

1999 Caulfield Guineas

Turf Monthly ABN 64 892 144 940 Phone 0412 712 181

Email editor@turfmonthly.com.au Unit 4/125 West St Menzies Qld 4825

TURF MONTHLY 3

GIGA KICK

EVEREST JUST A STEPPING STONE

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iga Kick is clearly one of the most exciting horses in Australia, and he tells a great story of the fickleness of the industry. We will get to this in a moment, but we should bask in a wonderful performance of the gelding in the Everest. It was an outstanding run, giving the mighty Nature Strip a big lead and yet running him down. Even with the wide run that Nature Strip had, it was no mean feat and few horses in the world have been able to do this over a long period. Giga Kick settled tenth in the run and had only two horses behind him as the field entered the straight. Champion jockey Craig Williams took Giga Kick towards the outside and the horse extended. His win was a dominant one and although the margin was less than a half-length, he was the horse that any punter wanted to be on into the final 100m.

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o start at the beginning of his racing career, Giga Kick faced the starter for the first time on 13 February this year in a 2yo maiden at Sale over 1100m. The big chestnut strolled to the front, and despite racing greenly raced away under hands and heels from Jamie Kah to win comfortably easing down by over three lengths.

Put away for a break, Giga Kick had his next start over 1000m up the straight at Flemington on 16 July. He settled in the leading group but quickly kicked away around 300m from home to maintain an advantage over the Cummings trained Lascar who stuck on well. A month later it was a step up to the Group 3 Vain Stakes over 1100m at Caulfield for the new 3yo. With Craig Williams on board for the first time, the gelding settled towards the rear in the small field. He was taken to the outside and despite again racing quite greenly, he overpowered the Snowden trained Alpha One in the final stages to win by a long neck. Giga Kick started next in the Group 2 Danehill Stakes over 1100m at Flemington on 1 October. The chestnut again was allowed plenty of time to settle, being back towards the rear. Williams let him stride out, and by the 400m he was up with the leaders. Giga Kick hit the front by the 200m and kicked clear to be chased strongly by the promising son of Supido in Buenos Noches who had won the Listed Winning Edge Poseidon Stakes on protest.

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ew were seriously considering Giga Kick as a real challenger in the Everest even though the weight-for-age conditions of the race see the 3yo’s with a good record in the race. Punters looked at the boom colt in Jacquinot who was fresh from a stunning win in the Golden Rose. Jacquinot finished a good fifth in the race,

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beaten a little over a length and a half. Jacquinot had been in front of Giga Kick into the straight, and never looked like catching the other 3yo after he was headed.

The fact that these two top 3yo’s bypassed the time honoured Caulfield Guineas has to be an issue for Australian racing. The Guineas was won by Golden Mile who was impressive, although we must have some real doubts about the quality of the field. It has been a quantum shift in Australian racing to see these two outstanding Melbourne 3yo’s headed to Sydney for the Everest rather than staying in Melbourne to be aimed at the Caulfield Guineas. Prizemoney alone is the main factor, as a 1600m race was always thought to have been the cream on the potential stallion career for the Guineas winner. We saw Yes Yes Yes in 2019 become the first 3yo to win the Everest, and he was retired to stud the following season without having another start. His success will no doubt be a talking point when discussion invariably head towards whether the Everest or Caulfield Guineas is a better stallion making race in the future. With Giga Kick being a gelding, we will get to see whether the effort of winning such a high pressure race against the older sprinters has an impact on his racing career. It would be wonderful to see him take over Nature Strip’s crown as the world’s best sprinter, but realistically, there is little evidence from Everest form to even suggest that he will frank his form against the best 3yo’s in the Autumn. His pedigree offers a much better clue.

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iga Kick is a son of Scissor Kick, an impressive son of the champion sire and galloper Redoute’s Choice. Interestingly, Redoute’s Choice was a winner of the Caulfield Guineas. We know Redoute’s Choice so well that many forget just how special a racehorse he was. He started his career on 20 Feb 1999, just shy of 23 years to the day that Giga Kick made his debut. The big difference is that Redoute’s Choice had his first start in the Listed Veuve Clicquot over 1100m at Caulfield. He won by a half-length having been fifth at the 400m. Remarkably a week later he stepped up to 1200m at the same track in the prestigious Group 1 Blue Diamond. Again settling fourth in the run, Redoute’s Choice overpowered the Magic Millions winner Testa Rossa in the first race of their outstanding rivalry. Such was the opinion of trainer Rick Hore-Lacy that the colt returned as a 3yo against the older horses in the 1200m Group 1 Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley. He beat the good gallopers Marstic and Flavour both of who would end their careers with Group 1 victories to their names. For Marstic he was to win the Goodwood the following Autumn, while Flavour had won the Salinger Stakes the year before. Redoute’s Choice then tasted defeat for the first time when fourth in the Group 2 Ascot Vale Stakes over the straight six at Flemington. The race was won by Spargo with Testa Rossa running second. Next it was a third behind Testa Rossa and Nina Haraka in the Open Group 1 Vic Health Cup (now the Sir Rupert Clarke) over 1400m. Redoute’s Choice had drawn wide at this race at Caulfield and settled well back before storming home in an eye catching trial for the Caulfield Guineas. The 1999 Caulfield Guineas was a race for the ages, and the two colts’ next assignment. We will cover this race in our Great Races feature later in the magazine including video coverage of the epic battle.

After the Guineas, both colts went to the Cox Plate where Redoute’s Choice ran fifth behind Sunline, Tie The Knot and Sky Heights with Testa Rossa finishing fourth.

After a spell, Redoute’s Choice finished second to Miss Pennymoney over the 1200m of the Open Group 1 Australian Stakes at Moonee Valley. Next he led all of the way to turn the tables narrowly on that top mare in the Group 1 CF Orr over 1400m at Caulfield. The champion colt was then to have his last start when running third to Testa Rossa and Miss Pennymoney in the Futurity Stakes over the same course and distance to round out a remarkable career on the track.

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o matter how good a racehorse Redoute’s Choice was, the son of Danehill was to exceed all expectations at stud. He was to be crowned champion sire on three occasions in 2006, 2010 and 2014 to underline his longevity and his continued

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influence. Among his 157 stakes winners were such horses as Lankan Rupee, Miss Finland and Lotteria while his champion sons include The Autumn Sun, King’s Legacy and the dominant stallion, Snitzel. It is important that we spend a little time on the pedigree of Redoute’s Choice at this point, as it is pivotal in the success of Giga Kick. As we mentioned, Redoute’s Choice is a son of the champion stallion Danehill. Danehill was by Danzig, by Northern Dancer, out of Razyana who was a granddaughter of the outstanding mare Natalma. Natalma was the dam of Northern Dancer, and if we look at the six generation pedigree of Danehill that is attached, we cannot but help notice the inbreeding to that mare. This point will become likely more interesting when viewed against the pedigrees of Scissor Kick and Giga Kick we will see a little later. Redoute’s Choice is well documented as being from the female family of the outstanding mare, Best In Show who is also responsible for such stallions as Flying Spur and Encosta De Lago.

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he sire of Giga Kick is Scissor Kick by Redoute’s Choice. Scissor Kick commenced his career quite notably on 5 March 2014, again around the same time as Redoute’s Choice and Giga Kick. This may be important in a time when

Scissor Kick photo courtesy of Georgie Mitchell and Arrowfield Stud

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the Australian thoroughbred sees such importance placed on early 2yo racing. We see the fanfare that surrounds Magic Millions and Golden Slipper winners while none of these stars even competed in those races although Redoute’s Choice was a controversial scratching from the Slipper. Perhaps that decision set him up for his future success but that is something that we will never know. Unlike the others, Scissor Kick ran a moderate seven of eight runners at his first start over 1200m at Canterbury. A break saw him return a different horse, winning a No Metro Win race for 2yo’s over 1250m at the same track in July. He then won the Listed Rosebud Stakes at his first start as a 3yo a little over two weeks later. Next it was a win over 1300m on a heavy track in the Group 3 Up And Coming Stakes beating Panzer Division. Scissor Kick then was second beaten only a long neck by Hallowed Crown in the Group 1 Golden Rose with Shooting To Win in third. The colt had settled back in the field and hit the front inside the last 100m only to be run down in turn by Hallowed Crown. Another second followed, this time behind Shooting To Win in the 1500m Group 2 Stan Fox at Rosehill. Off to Melbourne Scissor Kick was unplaced against the older horses in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes over 1200m at Flemington. Another break saw him return in the Autumn to win the Group 3 Eskimo Prince over 1200m at Rosehill beating Delectation. A fifth in the Hobartville behind Hallowed Crown followed. After a brief let-up Scissor Kick was a close fourth in the Group 1 All-Aged Stakes behind Dissident and Wandjina before heading to Brisbane for the Winter. A fifth in the BTC Cup was followed by a disappointing run in the Doomben 10,000 which saw his campaign brought to a close. A lengthy spell followed and Scissor Kick was to return for only one more start, failing in the Group 1 Futurity at Caulfield behind Turn Me Loose before retiring.

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cissor Kick was out of a US bred daughter of Quest For Fame in Back Pass. She had already produced the stakes winning Sharkbite also by Redoute’s Choice who had won the 2007 MRC Lord Stakes over 1700m. For me, one of the most interesting parts of the pedigree of Scissor Kick is the female family that sees him trace to the mares Sookera and her daughter, Kerali. Sookera produced the full brothers by Known Fact in Bold Fact and So Factual who both won stakes races in Great Britain. Her daughter Kerali by High Line, a son of High Hat by Hyperion, produced Hasili by Kahyasi who in turn produced four individual Group 1 winners by Danehill. Banks Hill was the champion 3yo filly in Europe winning the GB Coronation Stakes, USA Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, and Prix Jacques le Marois in France. Champs Elysees was the Horse of the Year in Canada and won the Woodbine Canadian International. Cacique won seven races including the Group 1 Belmont Man O’War Stakes while Intercontinental won thirteen races including the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf while winning the champion Turf

TURF MONTHLY 8

Giga Kick with inbreeding of 12.11% sets the tone for the pedigrees that we see this month. What stands out though is the close inbreeding to Quest For Fame who appears in a sex-balanced 3x4 cross. The other inbreeding we see though is equally important in that we note it largely features the presence of important females like Natalma, Best In Show and Flaming Page. For those readers who take an interest in these pedigrees, keep this in mind especially when we look at some of the horses from the past we see this month.

There are lessons to be taken from history wherever we look.

Female in the US crown. She also produced multiple Group 1 winner Heat Haze by Green Desert, and perhaps her most important son, Dansili by Danehill who was Champion Older Miler in France and GB but only won to Group 2 level. He went on to become a champion sire producing the likes of Arc de Triomphe winner, Rail Link and Foreteller who came to Australia where he won three Group 1 races in the ATC Ranvet Stakes, VRC Makybe Diva Stakes and MRC Underwood Stakes.

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eturning to Giga Kick, he was withdrawn from the inaugural HTBA May Yearling Sale in 2021. He was out of the imported British mare, Rekindled Applause by Royal Applause. Giga Kick was the tenth foal of the mare who had already produced the stakes placed full siblings Rekindled Power (3rd ATC Royal Sovereign Stakes) and Shuffle Up (2nd ATC Carbine Club Stakes). The mare had also produced Lago Ovation by Encosta De Lago who is the dam of Alabama Express by Redoute’s Choice who won the 2020 Group 1 CF Orr Stakes and is now at stud. This female family traces back to a mare called Stolen Hour who happens to be the dam of Best In Show whose family is that of Redoute’s Choice. Throughout the pedigrees of Redoute’s Choice, Scissor Kick and Giga Kick, the importance of these remarkable female families becomes apparent and is a wonderful lesson for breeders. It is also something that has led to the success of Arrowfield Stud who has been at the forefront of breeding to these amazing families for decades.

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Scissor Kick

DURSTON

CAULFIELD CUP VICTOR

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he new Caulfield Cup winner is another imported stayer to have taken one of our great races. The Caulfield Cup has not necessarily the race that stands out for the imports, as they run the risk of incurring a penalty for the Melbourne Cup. Still, the Japanese horses have had a good record with wins by Mer De Glace and Admire Rakti within the last decade. As far as the Europeans go, Best Solution won in 2018, while Dunaden and All The Good are among the more recent winners.

Few can forget the win by Taufan’s Melody in 1998 which was one of the more controversial winners of our time, although of course in TURF MONTHLY we have written about some outstanding long-forgotten scandals. The first British winners of the Caulfield Cup were among the influx of overseas horses that followed World War I with Lavendo in 1915 being the first. Shepherd King won the following year and King Offa, Lucknow and Violoncello won three of the four Caulfield Cups from 1918 to 1921.

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urston made his racing debut as a 2yo in a Novice Stakes over 2000m at Bath, finishing fifth. Three weeks later he was to finish second, beaten almost 2 lengths in a 1700m maiden at Nottingham. After a break he returned as a 3yo to run fourth in a maiden at Windsor over 2000m. Durston then had his first win on 1 June 2019 at Doncaster over the equivalent of 2900m. He showed his liking for the longer distances by winning his next start over 2500m this time at Chester. Durston then finished a close second to Sir Ron Priestley in a much better quality Class 2 race at Goodwood, over 2400m. He finished off his 3yo season by running third in the Group 3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury behind Technician over 2700m in August of 2019. It was not until the following June that Durston raced again, having been gelded. He returned in a high class Handicap at Ascot but found the field a little strong finishing a disappointing eighth over 2400m. The race actually featured Le Don De Vie who is also now in Australia winning the Warrnambool Cup and finishing a close second in the AJC Metropolitan earlier this Spring. Connections then sent Durston to Australia and he arrived here on 17 August 2020 but it would not be until October 2021 before he raced again. Durston rewarded their patience

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Durston represents a little of an anomaly in modern breeding with 9.77%. Although this is at the lower end of inbreeding of pedigrees we see this month, it is slightly unusual in that Durston is a stayer. While it was common to see stayers in years gone by with heavy inbreeding, it has become less regular in the modern breed. The key to this pedigree though is a duplication of Miswaki, a son of Mr Prospector who had little immediate influence in Australia but was a critical presence throughout many of the world’s great races.

When talking about great stayers within a pedigree, it is likely not a coincidence that we see two lines of the wonderful Sir Ivor within the pedigree of Durston.

by winning over 2000m at Caulfield at his first local run. He was again off the scene for an extended period, not racing again until 20 August this year when he finished last at Randwick in the Group 3 Premier’s Cup. This proved just a hiccup as he stepped out to win the Wyong Cup at his next run two weeks later beating Yiyi. Next up it was an impressive 3.5 length win from Carif over the 2300m of the Newcastle Gold Cup. Back at Randwick for the Metropolitan and Durston finished in sixth place beaten only a length and a half running on strongly. It proved the ideal lead up to the Caulfield Cup that saw the emergency get a start on race day to join an elite group of gallopers who have won the great race.

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he pedigree of Durston is one that is not all that familiar in Australia, although we do know many of the names that appear. He is a son of Sea The Moon, a stallion who stands in Germany who is becoming a top line stallion in the Northern Hemisphere. The German bred stallion won the German Derby by an incredible 11 lengths and was a winner at both two and three. He is a son of the champion stallion, Sea The Stars in turn a son of Cape Cross out of the top mare, Urban Sea who also produced another champion stallion in Galileo. The dam of Durston is Caribana by the underrated Hernando by Nininski. She has also produced the stakes winning daughter Cubanita by Selkirk who won the Group 3 John Porter Stakes and St Simon Stakes both at Newbury in the UK. Cubanita was also named the Champion older mare in Germany in 2014. Durston’s third dam was the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks winner, Key Change.

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YATTENDON

THE ORIGINS OF THE BREED

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attendon is another of those remarkable horses whose name is now well and truly shuffled back into the depths of history. It is sad to imagine that he is unlikely to ever be considered for Hall Of Fame status, simply because he did all of his racing in Sydney. Yattendon was regarded as one of the true champions of the era, and his influence continued to the stud where he made a huge impact on the fledgling Australian thoroughbred. He was described by the Australian Town and Country Journal, an early newspaper from Sydney, as “A dark-brown horse, in fact nearly black, about 16 hands, and one of the best leg horses that ever ran. He was also one of the hardest horses to dress, and caused his attendant many a weary hour to prepare, but was one of the best-tempered and kindliest horses on the turf.”

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he colt was foaled in September 1861 at Ramornie Stud. He was a son of champion stallion Sir Hercules out of the outstanding mare, Cassandra. Yattendon was rather fortunate to have survived at all. A few days after the foaling, the mare was noted in an agitated state, and when it was investigated, the colt was found to be at the bottom of a deep hole. This was in the evening, and the colt would surely have not lasted the night had he not been discovered when he was. Cassandra died in May 1864 but a painting of her by renowned sporting artist, Edward Winstanley was exhibited in the AJC committee rooms. Unfortunately we do not have a complete record of her progeny for this was a time that preceded the Australian Stud Book.

Fowler Boyd Price did publish a Stud Book of NSW in 1859, while William C Yuille published the first volumes of a Victorian edition in 1864. Yuille was to establish the famed bloodstock company of William C Yuille and Company in Melbourne.

William and his son, Archie, were to privately fund the development of the Victorian Stud Book, and in 1878 sold the rights to the AJC and VRC to publish the very first Australian Stud Book. Put simply, until then there was little incentive for breeders to record their progeny, and the Macarthur family of Campden Park were notoriously lax in maintaining their records leading to large gaps in our early breeding history.

What can be determined though is that Cassandra produced at least seven foals, with Yattendon the last of these that we know of. Among her earlier progeny were Camden (1851) who won the AJC Homebush St Leger Stakes, Kyogle (1858) who won the 1861 AJC Randwick Derby Stakes and Ramornie (1860) who won the 1863 AJC Randwick Derby Stakes and 1864 AJC Randwick St Leger Stakes.

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assandra was so well known that news of the foaling of 1861 colt was reported in the Bell’s Life of Sydney. The article was seen by a 41yo parliamentary librarian, Walter McEvilly. He had been transported to Australia for seven years in 1840 for the crime of forgery and he arrived in the new colony on 17 August that year aboard the King William. Like many Irishmen, McEvilly from the County Mayo had a real affinity with horses, and in 1841 was transferred from the Hyde Park Barracks to the offices of the Legislative Council at Macquarie Street. In January 1844, McEvilly was granted a ticket-of-leave. During his time at Macquarie Street, McEvilly became friendly with the Town Clerk of Sydney, Richard O’Connor also from Ireland. He assisted O’Connor in organising the first city council election. When O’Connor was promoted to the colony’s first Librarian, McEvilly was appointed Assistant Librarian at a wage of £109. In 1856, O’Connor became Clerk of the new Legislative Assembly,

TURF MONTHLY 16

and McEvilly was promoted to the position of Librarian. He became prominent within the community and speculated in the Crown land sales of the time. By the time Yattendon was foaled, McEvilly had purchased land around Balgowlah, Manly Cove, and over 430 acres around Grafton and Ulmarra. Around this time he came to meet Charles Tindal, the owner of Cassandra and Ramornie Stud. Being keen to get hold of the progeny of Cassandra, McEvilly purchased a yearling colt out of Amy Tobsart, a full sister to that mare. In January 1842, Charles Tindal and his wife Anne returned to settle in England, and the Cassandra colt was to come on the market.

It was never disclosed what McEvilly paid for the colt but he was to name him Yattendon after Yattendon House in Berkshire where Anne gave birth to the couple’s daughter Jane in September 1863. It was the custom of the day for the gentry to race horses under a pseudonym. McEvilly chose the name “O’Malley” which was his mother’s maiden name and his own middle name. His colours were green with red sleeves, and a black cap.

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hen Yattendon arrived in Sydney, McEvilly stabled his colt in a slab shed at the back of Parliament House that opened up onto the Domain. McEvilly oversaw the training of his small string of horses, but most of the daily work was done by John Riley, a former jockey and drover from Maitland. When in full work, TURF MONTHLY 17

Yattendon was stabled in boxes at the Baptist Garden Stables in Bourke Street, Surrey Hills. The colt however suffered from the affliction of “light, shelly feet” and was noted as being rather lazy in his work. He always showed McEvilly great talent, but he was to have only one racetrack start as a 2yo, and that was not until the Randwick Autumn meeting in April 1864. Yattendon was to win the important Champagne Stakes over a mile when ridden by Samuel Holmes. The colt won comfortably, and it was an important day for the progeny of Cassandra with Kyogle winning the City Handicap and Ramornie the St Leger.

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attendon began his three year old career in September 1864, winning the first race of the Spring Carnival in the Spring Maiden Stakes over a mile. He won comfortably beating a good field with Sir Solomon three lengths from the champion in second. Sir Solomon incidentally was to win the AJC Doncaster in 1867. Again, Yattendon was to rate a mention in the Bell’s Life who called Yattendon, “as fine a colt as has ever been saddled at Randwick.” The following day Yattendon was to start at the prohibitive odds of 6/4 on in the Bruie Stakes over 10 furlongs (2000m), beating Duke of Athol and Colleen Bawn by over three lengths. Colleen Bawn was also owned by McEvilly, and she was to face the colt at his next start on the following day in the AJC Derby. It was to be only the fourth running of the Derby, and two of Cassandra’s progeny in Kyogle and Ramornie had already won the race. The other

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winner was Regno who interestingly was to win the feature race of the day in the Metropolitan in 1864. The Derby had not attracted interest from owners, and the only other entry was the Eteinne de Mestre trained, Ruby who was to be scratched in the morning. This left only the two runners, and McEvilly declared the race for Yattendon, meaning that his two charges cantered over the mile and a half distance.

Over the course of the three day meeting, Walter McEvilly claimed some £426.

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eturning in the Autumn, Yattendon was to was to suffer his first defeat against the older horses in the Randwick Grand Handicap over two miles. The race was to be the only stakes success for Union Jack who was two years older than Yattendon but weighted with two pounds less than that colt. Weight could not be used as a reason for Yattendon’s substandard run as he carried only 7 stone 5 pounds (46.5kg).

Back against his own age, the colt won the St Leger over 14 furlongs (2800m) the following day before winning the Biennial Stakes, also for 3yo’s, over a mile on the last day of the Autumn meeting. After the Spring, McEvilly had sold a half-share in the colt to Thomas Rutledge, a prominent grazier and politician from Carwoola on the Molonglo River. Rutledge then proceeded to become the sole owner of Yattendon for an additional £500.

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attendon’s feet were to prove an issue and it would be another year before he faced the starter again. Randwick was noted a something of a sandy course in those days, and perhaps this had an impact on the fact that he never started at another course. Yattendon lined up in the inaugural Sydney Cup over two miles in April 1866 this time racing in the colours of Mr Merry, the alias of well-known Sydney sportsman, Samuel Jenner. The new trainer, Jenner raced the horse in partnership with Rutledge. Again he was ridden by Samuel Holmes and Yattendon faced a field of thirteen starters as the 4/1 equal favourite with Tarragon. He was well placed in the run, and Holmes took the stallion to the front into the straight, winning by a length from Sultana with John Tait’s Falcon in third. Yattendon had to face a protest from the second placed jockey, Tom Ivory for alleged jostling and for Holmes striking him over his head with his whip. Sam Holmes was not a popular figure with other jockeys and plenty lined up to give evidence against him but the stewards were to dismiss the protest as frivolous. The following day Yattendon won the City Handicap easily despite carrying 60kg (9st6lb). This time he easily beat his stable mate, Safeguard. Despite being heavily backed for both the Queen’s Plate and Randwick Handicap the following weekend, connections scratched the horse to run in the Forced Handicap amidst powerful demonstrations from the crowd who had lost their money with his withdrawals. Holmes did not ride his best race and was surprisingly beaten by Warwick who was getting over 8 kgs from Yattendon. Jenner referred the matter of the scratchings to the AJC committee but there was nothing they could do. The ageing Jenner whose health was failing was to die the following year in his Baulkham Hills home. Holmes was never to ride the horse again.

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t the end of the Autumn Meeting, Yattendon was transferred to the care of the Hall Of Fame trainer, Etienne de Mestre. Given his delicate feet and inability to withstand any sort of long campaign, the softness of land at Terrara on the South Coast where de Mestre was based was hoped to improve his soundness. Yattendon’s return to racing was in the Great Metropolitan Stakes where he was handicapped with 61kg (9st8lb). For the first time he was ridden by John Stone and he was against a field of only six runners. He was up against his stablemate, a young Tim Whiffler who had 32lbs (14.5kg) less than Yattendon. Tim Whiffler’s jockey used cut-throat TURF MONTHLY 19

tactics to force the pace, and despite Yattendon hitting the front in the straight, he was run over by the lightly weighted 3yo Bylong in what was then the fastest two miles ever run in Australia. The race took its toll with a crack appearing in his hoof and Yattendon was forced to miss the Spring despite being favourite for both the Melbourne Cup and the Champion Race. Rutledge though was roundly criticised for scratching the horse following last season’s drama, and the champion received his unfair share of notoriety.

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attendon’s hoof problems though were real, but no doubt the fact that Rutledge was not a racing man put pressures on his trainer that would not have occurred otherwise. De Mestre though was a master trainer and Yattendon returned for the Autumn to start in the Sydney Cup carrying 61kg (9.9) but finished fifth behind the top 3yo Fishhook who carried only 42.5kg (6.10). He then started at weight for age two days later in the All-Aged Stakes over a mile winning in a canter from Rose of Australia. On the last day of the carnival Yattendon with 63.5kg (10st) again found Fishhook too strong in the three mile Queen’s Plate finishing second. Immediately after the carnival, Yattendon was to be sold again, this time to Edward King Cox of Fernhill Stud. Ownership of horses was different to today, and it was not unusual for horses to change ownership in an afternoon, often as the result of an unsuccessful wager. Although we do not know why, it was fitting that Walter McEvilly shared in the ownership for Yattendon’s last campaign and also in his stud career. McEvilly was clearly a wonderful horseman, and his connection with Yattendon was no doubt beneficial. The story is that two weeks prior to his last campaign, the horse injured his hoof again requiring seven days in the stable under the personal daily care of McEvilly. The Randwick Autumn meeting was held in September 1867 and Yattendon’s first race was the Metropolitan where he found Tim Whiffler again too good under the handicap conditions, giving his younger rival over 7kgs in weight and finishing fourth with Rose Of Australia in second, and Birmingham in third.

Tim Whiffler again set the fastest time for the journey in Australia in his win. The following day Yattendon lined up against Tim Whiffler and Rose Of Australia in a three horse field in the wfa Craven Plate. His last race was in the Randwick Plate on the final day of the carnival. It was a race over three miles, and Yattendon was sent out as a short priced favourite in the four horse field. He won hard held by a half-length beating North Australian. Yattendon had been entered for the Port Phillip Stakes at Flemington on New Year’s Day, and McEvilly was keen to speak to leading authorities as to how he could keep the horse sound. Edward Cox though had nominated the stallion for the AJC Sires Produce of 1871, and when Yattendon was scratched from his engagement, it was clear that he had run his last race. He had won eleven of his seventeen starts but his career was remarkable for a number of reasons. Yattendon only ever started at Randwick and was only once ever beaten at weight for age. Nine of his wins were at that level and two in handicaps. He carried top weight in three of his six handicaps.

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Yattendon at 17.97% has a very high level of inbreeding. This pattern is one that is to be expected in a time when the thoroughbred population was much smaller than we see today. Oddly though we see a pattern that has been repeated over the generations. The closest duplication is in the fourth generation through an all-female cross of Partisan. He appears through the female line of his sire in Sir Hercules and also through the female line of his damsire, Tros. We see the presence of a number of siblings and three quarter siblings in the pedigree, but it is worth noting the multiple lines of the stallion Pot-8-O’s who many historians regard as the greatest horse of the 18th century. It is a remarkable part of our thoroughbred history that we can still see the influence of such great stallions who were making their mark before the First Fleet arrived.

SIR HERCULES

A MUCH TRAVELLED INFLUENCE Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 - 1946), Saturday 10 December 1938, page 12 The SPORTSMAN'S SCRAPBOOK Famous Old Sires: Sir Hercules

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N the last century Australia has been blessed with many notable sires, but few have ranked above Sir Hercules, who was the outstanding sire of the sixties. His success was remarkable in every way, and that he possessed exceptional qualities was proved by the fact that his male line carried on for several generations, which is unusual in this country. Sir Hercules sired Yattendon, who was a great sire, and Yattendon left behind him Chester and Grand Flaneur to carry on the male line of Sir Hercules. Chester was the sire of Carlyon, who did wonderfully well at the stud in South Australia, where he did much toward establishing the reputation of the Richmond Park Stud, of which he was the foundation sire. Active, a son of Carlyon, was used as a sire by Mr. G. G. Auchterlonie at Narracan in Gippsland for a number of years, and he sired a few useful horses. When Active died the male line of Sir Hercules seems to have faded out.

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ir Hercules was bred at Clifton on the Hawkesbury in New South Wales by Mr. Charles Smith, but there appears to be a doubt about the year he was foaled.

The first volume of the Australian Stud Book shows that his dam, the imported mare Paraguay, had only two foals, Sir Hercules, by Cap-a-pie and Whalebone, by Speculation, but the year of their foaling is not given. I find I have made an entry in the book beside the name of Sir Hercules giving his foaling year as 1843. Where I got the year I have no recollection, but probably dropped across it during a search through old records.

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hortly after breeding Sir Hercules, Mr. Charles Smith died, and his stud was dispersed. Mr. Thomas Icely of Coombing Park, near Carecar, purchased Sir Hercules. There is no record of Sir Hercules having raced. It is said that Mr. Icely put him into training but as the horse showed no promise, he was not persevered with, and retired to the stud at Coombing Park. There he remained until 1832, when Mr. Icely, who apparently did not set a very high value upon Sir Hercules, sold him with several mares, including Flora Mclvor to the New Zealander Mr. Henry Redwood, who is said to have paid only 25 guineas for Sir Hercules. The horse remained in the Nelson district in New Zealand until about 1811, when he was sent back to New South Wales. When he learned that Sir Hercules had returned to Sydney, and was for sale, Mr. George Lee rode from Bathurst with the intention of buying him.

When he arrived in Sydney he learned that Sir Hercules had in the meantime been purchased by Mr. Tindal and taken to Ramornie. There Sir Hercules remained for some time, and during his stay there he sired Yattendon, the first winner of the

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Sydney Cup. The year after he sired Yattendon Sir Hercules was purchased from Mr. Tindal by Mr John Lee and he was led by Mr. George Lee from Ramornie to Bylong, which was no light undertaking, as Ramornie was in the northern part of New South Wales, and not far from the Queensland border.

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ir Hercules served his first season at Bylong in 1861. Mr Lee did not keep him long, as at the end of his first season Sir Hercules was sold to Mr Tom Tindale, a neighbour at Bylong, and Mr Tindale stood him at Bathurst where he sired The Barb. During the one season Mr Lee owned Sir Hercules he sired that great brood mare Sappho. Then Mr Lee leased Sir Hercules for a season, after which Mr Tindale sold him back to the Bylong Valley, where he remained until his death. There is a doubt about the date of his death. Some of the early records five the date of his death as December 14, 1864, but as there were foals by him in 1866, the date was obviously incorrect. According to Mr. William Lee, who probably was the best informed on the subject, Sir Hercules died in January, 1866. It is surprising that there should be so much uncertainty regarding such a conspicuous individual as Sir Hercules.

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ir Hercules was past his prime when he sired his two greatest- performers - The Barb and Yattendon. As previously mentioned, Yattendon was sired during his stay at Ramornie, but it was after leaving Ramornie that he begat The Barb, Barbelle, and Barbarian, who were fully related. Barbelle and Barbarian, who figures in many present-day pedigrees in the back lines, were sired while Sir Hercules was in the Bylong Valley, but The Barb was sired during his sojourn in the Bathurst district. The Barb was probably his greatest performer and he was beyond question a racehorse of superlative merits. "The Black Demon," as he was known, was regarded as the greatest Australian horse by his admirers until the advent of Carbine, and many of them would not admit the superiority of Carbine.

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he Barb had several great battles with the Fisherman horse Fishhook, and the honours were with him. The extent to which he overshadowed his contemporaries was reflected in the handicaps for the Melbourne Cup of 1869, when he was allotted 11.7, the heaviest weight ever given a horse in the Melbourne Cup. After a brief period at the stud The Barb was out into training again, but did not regain his old form, and he was finally retired. He was in the Tocal Stud for years, but was only a moderately successful sire. He passed into the possession of Mr. Henry Bowler, and was at Mitta Mitta for a time, but ultimately Mr. Bowler presented him to Mr. J. Waters, who in turn gave him to Mr. Wheeler, of Corryong, who was his owner when The Barb died there at the end of 1888. The Barb was the sire of Melody, the granddam of Wallace, and it was due to his presence in the pedigree that Wallace and any of his descendants have been barred from the English Stud Book, as, according to English rules, The Barb was a halfbred, as his ancestress, Cutty Sark, cannot be traced to the General Stud Book, as her pedigree was lost when she was imported to this country.

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attendon was the other great son of Sir Hercules, and, although he was not such a high-class racehorse, he was much the superior of The Barb as a sire.

Yattendon had the distinction of having won the first Sydney Cup, in which he was successful as a four-year old with 8.4 in 1860. At the same meeting he won the City

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Handicap, but Warwick, another son of Sir Hercules, defeated him on the last day in the Forced Handicap. With 9.8 he was second the following spring to Bylong in the Metropolitan. As a five-year-old he won the All-aged Stakes after failing in the Sydney Cup with 9.9. Fishhook defeated him in the Queen's Plate, and the following spring he finished fourth with 9.10 in the Metropolitan. Then he won the Craven Plate and Randwick Plate. It is as a sire, however, that he is best known, and what a host of celebrities he sired, among them being Chester, Grand Flaneur, Barbelle, Bylong, The Barts, Rosebud, Dagworth, Ella, Euclid, Javelin, Respite, Reprieve, Sweetmeat, Viva, Buzz, Calms, Roodee, and Sterling.

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arbelle was a good staying mare and won the Sydney Cup, so Sir Hercules claimed three winners of that race. Bylong, The Barb, and Rosebud were winners of the Metropolitan. When one takes into consideration the manner in which Sir Hercules was moved about during his stud career his record is a remarkable one.

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YATTENDON AT STUD

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attendon’s racing career came to an end within a few weeks of the death of Walter McEvilly who passed away on 16 October 1867 in rather odd circumstances.

Shortly beforehand, the southern extension of the railway line to Bowral had been completed. To mark the occasion, local member, John Morrice MLA had arranged a picnic at his country estate at Sutton Forest. McEvilly joined over a hundred distinguished guests that included most of the NSW Assembly on the Saturday morning trip. The guests were met with a generous spread upon arrival, and allegedly much wine was consumed. Whether that had anything to do with what was to transpire is another story, but McEvilly, in good spirits, challenged another guest to a race up the embankment. Arriving at the top, the two men decided to race back down, but Walter was to fall, landing awkwardly with his leg twisted under his body. Fortune would have it that among the guests that day was a naval surgeon from aboard a French ship that was moored in Sydney Harbour. He set the badly broken left thigh of McEvilly who was carried back to the train which soon departed on the journey back to Sydney. It arrived around 10pm but by then McEvilly’s friends were concerned with his health and another doctor was sought who recommended resetting the bone. The following afternoon, McEvilly’s health continued to deteriorate, and he was diagnosed with pressure on the base of his skull, presumably as a result of the fall. Walter McEvilly was to pass away at his residence in Parliament House at the age of only 47. While it is tragic that McEvilly was not to see Yattendon’s success at stud, he was to leave a lasting legacy on the great stallion’s career.

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uring Yattendon’s racing career, McEvilly had bred a handful of his mares to the stallion. In 1865, the mare Yatterina is recorded as being born and this would have been a result of a mating in the same season as Yattendon had won the AJC Derby. She was by Yattendon out of the Vanguard mare, Kohinoor and was to win the Auckland Easter Handicap Stakes in 1875 as a 9yo. She had been purchased

by William Walters and did all of her racing in NZ, winning an astonishing 50 races during her career. Despite her longevity on the track, Yatterina was to become one of the 16 colonial foundation mares of the Australian Stud Book and was to produce five individual stakes winners. Yatterina was to miss only once in her fourteen years at stud, lost one foal, and produced quality runners by seven different stallions.

Her first foal by Traducer was named Libeller who was to win the NZ Derby in 1881, as well as the 1882 Auckland Plate and 1884 ARC Handicap. In 1881 she foaled Fusilier by Musket who won the Wanganui Derby, but the following year she produced Matchlock by the same stallion who was to become her best performed son. Matchlock won five stakes races in a remarkable year in Australia in 1886 with victories in the Cumberland Stakes, AJC Plate, both the AJC and VRC St Legers and the VRC Champion Stakes. He was later sold to India for £1000. Leorina was foaled in 1883 by Leolinius out of Yatterina and she won the Auckland Easter Handicap in 1889. Yatterina’s last stakes winner was Pinfire by Torpedo who was produced when the mare was 21yo. The colt was to win the 1891 Auckland Cup.

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BLACK SWAN AT STUD

Lady Trenton

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lack Swan is a daughter of Yattendon that holds a special place in history. She was to produce the 1894 Sydney Cup winner, Lady Trenton by Trenton, but what is rare is that Lady Trenton went on to become an even greater broodmare. She produced four stakes winners with her most famous being the 1903 Melbourne Cup winner, Lord Cardigan. He won the Cup as a 3yo but his win was most memorable in that it was the last race for the famed mare Wakeful who was to carry 10 stone (63.5kg) compared to the 6.8 (41.5kg) of Lord Cardigan. Many had argued that the grand old mare was past her best, but she battled gamely with the weight advantage only telling in the last furlong with her young rival who was well fancied in the betting drawing away to win by almost a length. Lord Cardigan had previously won the AJC Randwick Plate again beating Wakeful although he was to fail in the Metropolitan. The following year, Lord Cardigan was to go on to win the AJC and Randwick Plates, Cumberland Stakes and the Sydney Cup. He was also to finish second to Acrasia in the Melbourne Cup in 1904 carrying three stone more than he had in beating Wakeful. Tragically, Lord Cardigan suffered a rupture during the race which was not immediately apparent although the horse, who was then rated the best in Australia, was dead by the following Saturday.

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he full brother to Lord Cardigan in Dividend was another top line racehorse.

He was raced unsuccessfully as a 2yo in Qld where he was owned by wealthy Charters Towers miner, JR Whitehead. Dividend was a large horse and frequently unsound. He was regarded as useless in large fields and his greatest wins were in smaller wfa fields especially over three miles. He was to win the AJC St Leger,

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VRC Essendon Stakes, Champion Stakes and VATC St Helier Stakes in 1905, and struggled the following season to win only one stakes race in the CB Fisher Plate.

In 1907, Dividend won the VRC Essendon Stakes and Champion Stakes both for a second time, as well as the AJC Autumn Stakes and AJC Plate. He was named by his owner, who lived at Moonee Ponds in Melbourne in his later years as he had speculated in mining stocks and purchased the horse after an unexpected £300 windfall, hence his name. In an odd twist, the stallion was stolen from his box at Whitehead’s property after he was retired. He was located shortly after, and it was suspected that the thieves used the stallion to cover their mare for free.

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lack Swan was to produce two more stakes winners in the daughters, Strata Florida who won the 1902 Caulfield Guineas and VRC October Stakes, and Lady Rylstone who won the 1907 AJC Champagne Stakes and the VRC Oaks later that year. It was another daughter though in Lady Lybia who was to ensure that Lady Trenton continued the influence of Yattendon. She was to produce Lord Nolan who was to win the 1908 Melbourne Cup also for owner, Mr J Mayo. The colt was only small but had plenty of supporters when he had run a gallant third behind top colt Alawa in the Victorian Derby. The extroverted Mayo was to give Lord Nolan champagne after the race to celebrate his victory and had to be persuaded by the press to leave the colt to be interviewed about the race. Perhaps even more importantly this line was to produce the 1945 Melbourne Cup winner, Rainbird whose line continues to play an important role in the modern thoroughbred.

Lord Cardigan TURF MONTHLY 27

YATTERINA AT STUD

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atterina, as befitting her role as a colonial foundation mare, continues to play an important part in Australasian breeding. Over the generations it is perhaps fair to say that much of her influence has been in New Zealand where she was sent prior to racing. Her legacy there continues through some remarkable horses including the likes of Rangirangdoo, the ill-fated stallion Fighting Sun and his multiple Oaks winning dam, Irish Darling, Commissionaire by So Vain who won fifteen stakes races in NZ, King Delamere who won the Memsie, Feehan and JJ Liston Stakes before going on to a successful stud career, and Sydney Cup winner, Banderol. We cannot underestimate her legacy in Australia which is perhaps likely to be the most enduring. It is through the branch of the family that gave us horses like Bold Promise, Merlene and Lady Jakeo that the family seems destined to continue its important legacy. For our purposes this month, it is the ever popular Rangirangdoo that deserves at least a brief mention.

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angirangdoo was bred by Longlands Stud in Cambridge NZ, a son of Pentire out of the Kenfair mare, She Wishes who won three races and was placed in the Group 3 Hawke's Bay Gold Trail Stakes, the Listed Avondale Classic Stakes, and Waikato Stud Stakes. Rangirangdoo though was a lesson in patience for his owners, as he did not face the starter until 1 October 2008 as an early 4yo, running second in a maiden at Canterbury beaten 1.5 lengths over 1250m behind a son of King Cugat in Swinging To Win. Three weeks later he ran third, beaten less than a length in a Warwick Farm Maiden over a mile. He then won his next four starts at distances ranging from 1400m to 1600m before heading out for a spell after winning on 3 January 2009. Rangirangdoo returned in the Autumn for two placings before winning a 1500m Handicap at Rosehill. Connections, including the young trainer Chris Waller, stepped him up to the Group 3 Tramway on 5 September running a narrow second to Drumbeats in the G2 Shannon. Another close second followed, this time behind Rock Kingdom in the Group 1 Epsom before the gelding headed to Melbourne to run win the G2 Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley. Stepping up to the 2000m of the Mackinnon, Rangirangdoo disappointed by running seventh behind Scenic Shot before heading out for a break.

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eturning in the Spring, he won the G2 Expressway over 1200m beating Dao Dao before running second to Danleigh in the G2 Apollos Stakes over 1400m Back to G1 level, the gelding ran second over a mile behind Theseo in the Chipping Norton, beaten a neck, and then beaten less than a length by the same horse in the 2000m Ranvet. It was then his finest moment when Rangirangdoo won the G1 Doncaster over a mile beating Road To Rock. Oddly it was to be his last win, although he continued to race well mostly in G1 races over the next couple of seasons. Perhaps his most noted run later in his career was a close second to Shoot Out in the George Main Stakes. He was to tragically break down in the G1 Doomben 10,000 in May 2013. In all, Rangirangdoo was to win ten of his 34 starts and over $2.2 million in prizemoney.

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SILVER BELL A LEGACY OF GREYS

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nother daughter of Yattendon who was to have a lasting influence was Silver Bell. She holds a special place in history as a full sister to the great Chester who we will cover in more detail next month. Silver Bell was bred alongside her famous brother at Edward King Cox’s Fernhill Stud. The family continues to have success across the world, although there have probably been few horses better than the 2001 son of Slew City Slew called Lava Man who was bred by Lonnie Arterburn and Eve and Kim Kuhlmann. A large part of racing in the US relates to their claiming races, and Lava Man holds the record as the claimed horse to have gone on to earn the most prizemoney. He retired winning 17 of 47 starts and stakes of over US$5.2 million. Among his wins were three victories in the Hollywood Gold Cup, and two wins in the Santa Anita Handicap. Lava Man is also the only horse to win Group 1 races on three different surfaces. He was the 2005 and 2006 Californian bred Horse of the Year, and won the CA bred Champion older male title on three occasions.

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ilver Bell herself continues an impressive legacy which includes the Magic Millions winner, Lovely Jubbly and her outstanding son in Chautauqua. Lovely Jubly was bred at by Dan Hayes at Carnation Lodge in the small town of D’Aguilar between Caboolture and Woodford in Queensland. She was from the first crop of the Danehill son, Lion Hunter and went on to help cement his reputation by winning the 2002 Magic Millions 2yo Classic. Lovely Jubly went on to win over $1.5 million in prizemoney from 19 starts which included seven wins. She was retired to stud after suffering an injury to her canon bone in the G3 Tristarc Stakes at Caulfield. Lovely Jubly went on to produce the enigmatic Chautauqua who was her sixth live foal. The son of Encosta De Lago was an outstanding galloper known for his stunning finishes from seemingly impossible positions. He won eleven stakes races including three G1 TJ Smith Stakes, a Lightning Handicap and Manikato Stakes. After finishing fourth in the G1 Darley Classic at Flemington, the gelding was sent for a spell returning to compete in a Warwick Farm trial on 15 February 2018. Chautauqua appeared to have decided that he had enough of racing by that time and stood in the stall refusing to jump. He was suspended from racing by the stewards and despite very public scrutiny of his behaviours, the gelding simply was unable to be persuaded to leave the gates on terms with the other runners.

Chautauqua was officially retired after again failing to compete in a barrier trial on 28 September 2018. He now is making his mark in equestrian pursuits.

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KILBOY

A DERBY WINNER

Kilboy after the AJC Derby 1916

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he horse though that we wanted to look at in this piece was one called Kilboy who we have mentioned briefly in the past when talking of Robinson Crusoe and the career of Hurtle Fisher. While Kilboy sees his third dam as a Robinson Crusoe mare called Campania, she was in turn a granddaughter of the Yattendon mare, Silver Bell. Kilboy was an outstanding horse but was retired young with leg injuries and was a moderate stallion at best. Accordingly, he has been somewhat neglected in racing history which makes it even more important that we spend some time looking at his career. A mare called Cyre by Cyrenian, a son of St Simon, and who traced to Silver Bell was one of the mares at Ellerslie Stud when it was purchased by breeder, Mr JB Reid in 1912. Reid had purchased the stallion, Kilbroney who himself was an early if somewhat highly strung type. He won the National Produce Stakes at The Curragh as a 2yo and ran second to Aviator in the Irish Derby as a 3yo.

Aviator was later to go to stud at Russley Stud near Scone without success. Kilbroney trained on as an older horse, winning the Great Metropolitan Handicap at Epsom and the Goodwood Cup, before being beaten a neck by the top galloper, Lemberg, in the Doncaster Cup. The success of Kilboy from his first crop allowed the stallion to cement himself as one of the best stallions in NZ at the time finishing second in the Champion Sires List on two occasions. Kilboy was recorded as a heavy topped individual who sired big horses, many of which went on to become good stayers.

For whatever reason, Kilboy was never sent to sale, but was retained by his breeder.

Interestingly, Reid offered a colt at that year’s sale that was to race under the name of Sasanof and was to become one of Kilboy’s great rivals.

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ilboy was lightly raced as a 2yo, having only three starts in his native NZ finishing a narrow second in the important Champagne Stakes and three days later was dominant in the Challenge Stakes carrying only 42.5kg (6.10). He was then sent for a spell while Reid plotted to send him to Australia following the Winter. With the War in full swing, bloodstock prices in NZ were low, and Reid had hoped to be able to sell the colt in Australia. This was not to be, so he then went to the second part of his plan which was an ambitious tilt at the AJC Derby. Kilboy had his first start in Australia at the Tattersall’s meeting in Sydney in the Chelmsford Stakes. It was an opportunity for the Sydney public not only to see Kilboy, but also the boom NZ gelding, Sasanof. Kilboy got tangled in the starting strands and was slowly away making up some ground in the final stages, but it was Sasanof that prevailed in a close finish from Woorak meaning that the NZ punters walked away with large amounts of cash having backed the winner heavily from 12/1 into half that quote. Sasanof was something of a plain, mean-spirited type but it certainly did not hold him back on the track. In contrast, Kilboy was proving difficult for veteran NZ trainer Murray Hobbs. His weight was putting pressure on his front legs and his joints were suspect. He had to be galloped sparingly with each hit out seemingly risking injury. Perhaps the wet Spring of that year helped the jarring but it was not enough to allow Hobbs to start the colt again before the Derby as he pulled up sore after most gallops. Perhaps the risk of breaking down was one of the reasons that the colt remained on the market, and His Highness, the Rajah of Pudkota in India offered Reid three thousand guineas for the colt with a further two thousand should he win the Derby. The offer was subject to a vet check and Tom Doyle vetoed the sale by refusing to issue a certificate of soundness. Doyle however did note that Kilboy might remain sound if certain precautions were taken when shoeing the horse.

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nstead, Wilfred Stead who operated Flaxmere Stud in Hawke’s Bay in NZ and who owned the colt’s younger brother Kill ‘Em took up the offer. His father had previously owned an AJC Derby winner in Noctuiform and Stead had ambition to match this feat. Stead offered his close friend, Sydney Luttrell, an architectural engineer, a share in the horse and the deal was completed on the Tuesday before the Derby. Prizemoney on offer for the Derby of 1916 was £4,597 to the winner, making the race worth more than the English Derby which was worth only £2,900 that year. The weather though saw a small crowd of only 28,000 attend, but the rich TURF MONTHLY 33

Kilboy winning the Derby

prize saw a field of sixteen runners. Historically it was an important time as it was the previous year that the NSW Government had introduced a tax and standing fees for bookmakers, and it was to be the following year that the Totalisator was to appear in NSW.

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ack against the 3yo’s in the Derby, Kilboy was well fancied with his main rival the outstanding youngster, Wolaroi by Kenilworth from Widden Lass. The small black colt had been among the countries’ best 2yo’s having won the Breeders Plate at his first race start beating a field of thirty-four runners. The small colt was unplaced a few days later in the Gimcrack Stakes having been asked to lump a penalty. He was also the last colt to attempt the double as the AJC changed the conditions of the two races the following year splitting them into races for colts and fillies. Wolaroi returned in the Autumn to win the VRC Sires Produce and the AJC Champagne Stakes but had been omitted from the AJC Sires due to an oversight in nominations.

As a 3yo, Wolaroi confirmed his quality by winning the Rosehill Guineas in a time that was only a half-second off the track record. In the Derby, both colts had drawn wide and favourite backers were worried when both settled at the tail of the field as they passed the post for the first time. The race was run at a good tempo, but jockey Bill Mc Lachlan surprised most when he took Kilboy from thirteenth to second between the mile and seven-furlong mark. Wolaroi back in the field suffered interference and almost fell when bumped by Irish Comedy largely killing off his chances in the race. Kilboy in contrast coasted to the front as the field entered the straight, and although it looked like he might have been challenged, McLachlan had plenty in reserve kicking his mount away to win comfortably from Eastcourt with pacemaker Colbert in third. The unlucky Wolaroi finished fifth. Again the Kiwi punters had a profitable day although the wet track had unusually dampened their confidence with the colt being such a heavy topped type who they thought may have been better suited in dry conditions. Heavy rain had actually caused the postponement of the Derby from the Saturday to the Tuesday, and although the day had been fine and dry, course curator, Charles Cropper had arranged for more than thirty loads of sand to be piled onto the training track, and a gang of workers filled the indentations and levelled the track throughout the afternoon.

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Wolaroi winning the 1916 VRC Derby

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n Sydney, Kilroy had sweated up noticeably before his runs, but by the time he had arrived in Melbourne he was a far more relaxed individual as he lined up for the Caulfield Stakes. McLachlan had dropped his whip when the colt ran to the lead in the straight and finished second. Kilroy pulled up sore but McLachlan was nonetheless dismissed from his role. It was not officially announced until the morning of the VRC Derby, but newpapers had reported the story for days.

Frank Dempsey took the mount but Kilroy was to be unplaced behind Wolaroi and rumoured to have broken down. He had been ruling favourite for the Melbourne Cup on the Friday, but was unwanted after his run in the Derby. He was found to be lame after cooling down from his Derby run and was scratched from the Cup on the morning of the race. The wet weather had followed the Kiwi horses to Melbourne, and the Cup itself was postponed for only the second time in history.

In fact, it was to be postponed twice in 1916, first to the Thursday to finally be run the following Saturday. Following the poor performance of Kilboy in the Derby, Stead had generously offered Luttrell a share in his other horse, Sasanof before the Melbourne Cup. Sasanof though was found to have swelling in his legs and lameness threatened his place in the field and it was certain that he would not have run had it not been for the postponement of the race. The application of poultices saw Sasanof able to run on the Saturday and both owners had taken advantage of the 12/1 odds on offer. The pair were to finish the season as leading owners in the country with over £14,000 in stakes.

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ilroy was to return to NZ and reappeared at the races the following Autumn. He was to start three times winning all three races. Firstly he won the Great Autumn Handicap at Canterbury before an effortless victory in the St Leger at Wellington on a heavy track. His final start was at wfa in the important Trentham Gold Cup. Although only four runners faced the starter, it was an elite field comprising of Kiboy, The Toff, Desert Gold and Sasanof with Kilboy prevailing. Sadly it was to be his last race start as his chronic unsoundness eventually saw his forced retirement.

Kilboy did travel to Australia again for a tilt at the Metropolitan but soreness meant that he never raced. Sasanof continued to provide plenty of success for Wilfred Stead returning to NZ to win the Great Northern Derby. He was later to win the New Zealand Cup and he was also to become one of very few horses to ever beat the great Gloaming at wfa with victory appropriately in the 1918 GG Stead Memorial Stakes at Canterbury.

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ilboy was sold to stand stud duty in the Hawkes Bay district of New Zealand.

He was considered a failure at stud, and no doubt his leg issues may have caused issues in his progeny. Nonetheless, while Kilboy is not widely found in modern TURF MONTHLY 35

pedigrees, he certainly has his share of descendants who have proven themselves on the racetrack. One such descendant was Mr Cromwell who won the Queensland Derby before being purchased by QTC committee man, the late Bill Stanley whose collection of racing trophies and memorabilia is proudly on display at Doomben racecourse. He won the Dalgety to gain automatic entry into the 1981 Melbourne Cup, starting at 25/1 and giving the top local jockey, Mick Pelling his only ride in that race. Among other notable horses to have traced to Kilboy are Rare Chance, Dignity Dancer, Island Gossip and Arawa. Perhaps his most enduring legacy though is found through a grey NZ horse by the name of Kaaptive Edition by Kaapstad out of Bevcarlyn.

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fter running second at his first start in November of his 2yo season, Kaaptive Edition then went on to win five straight races at that age culminating in victory in the G1 Sires Produce, before being beaten in the Champagne Stakes. After a spell, Kaaptive Edition travelled to Australia for his 3yo Spring. He was to run fourth in the Caulfield Guineas behind Palace Reign and Palace Symphony before a good second to Kenny’s Best Pal in the BMW Vase at Moonee Valley. He returned to NZ after running seventh behind Redding in the VRC Derby. Redding coincidentally traces her female line back to the mare, Silver Bell by Yattendon. In NZ he was to run second a month later in the G1 Bayer Classic and was to run second to The Phantom Chance in the NZ Derby in December. A spell saw Kaaptive Edition back in Australia for the Autumn, this time in Sydney where he was well beaten by the older horses in the Chipping Norton. He was then to win the G2 Phar Lap Stakes against his own age beating Bundy Lad and the champion filly Burst. A fourth in the Rosehill Guineas followed before he was to triumph in the G1 BMW when ridden by Mick Dittman and beating Rough Habit. Kaaptive Edition then had his last start in the AJC Derby where he ran a gallant second to Innocent King. He was to become a quality stallion producing Forest Express who won the VRC Vanity and To Be Fair who won the VRC Yallambee Stud Stakes. He is best known as the damsire of the top gallopers Press Statement and Pressday.

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Kilboy continues our trend of the month of double-digit inbreeding (11.72%). The closest duplications are in the fourth and fifth generations and here we see two key factors. The first to point out is the presence of full siblings Angelica and the champion stallion St Simon. Angelica appears in the sire line of Kilbroney through Orme while St Simon appears in the sire line of the dam, Cyre. Orme is of significance apart from his own success being a grandson of the great Bend Or. Bend Or, the grandson of Stockwell appears in the sire lines of both sire and dam of Kilbroney, as well as appearing through the female line of Cyrenian, the damsire of Kilboy.

DAGWORTH

THE FORGOTTEN SON OF YATTENDON

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agworth and Reprieve are two sons who set Yattendon on the road to stud success. Both were bred by McEvilly while Yattendon was still racing, with Dagworth being foaled in 1868. It was interesting that they raced in a time when country racing was an even more important piece of Australian thoroughbred life. Country clubs would offer rich races that attracted some of the best horses.

Dagworth did not race until January of his 3yo season and was beaten into third behind Prodigal in a mile and a half (2400m) maiden at Goulbourn. His next start was not until the AJC meeting at Randwick in April where at only his second race start, he finished fourth of five runners in the AJC St Leger. Three days later he was beaten a neck by Priam in the Metropolitan Maiden Plate before rounding off the carnival by running third to the same horse in the AJC Rous Handicap. Dagworth was then taken to the meeting at Numba, Shoalhaven where he won three races in the space of two days at the end of April.

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eturning as a 4yo on 14 August 1872, Dagworth won the Hawkesbury Grand Handicap over two miles beating The Quack. Three weeks later he was at the Randwick carnival winning the AJC Spring Stakes beating Pyrrhus. Five days later he set a course record again over two miles in the AJC Great Metropolitan Stakes beating Clansman. The following day he won the Craven Plate over 10 furlongs (2000m) beating Javelin by a short head. Dagworth was then sent to Melbourne where his first start was in the Mackinnon Stakes where he finished fifth behind Contessa. He then finished third in the 1872 Melbourne Cup won by The Quack beaten a little over two lengths. The horse had been unlucky, getting well out his ground early in the race and not getting clear running until well into the straight where he finished strongly. Dagworth lined up again on the Thursday to finish third, this time behind King Of The Ring in the three mile VRC Queen’s Plate.

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break saw him return to Sydney with two unplaced runs in the Cumberland Stakes and Sydney Cup. The runs helped bring him to full fitness and Dagworth dead-heated with another son of Yattendon in the talented Reprieve in the AJC Plate. As was the custom of the day, the pair lined up for a run-off and the two again were always together as they fought out another stirring finish. Most in the crowd thought that they had run another dead-heat although the Judge was to declare Dagworth the winner by a head. Returning as a 5yo in the Spring of

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1873, Dagworth won the Grand Handicap over 2 miles at Hawkesbury first up as the heavily backed 6/4 favourite. Two weeks later at the AJC carnival he beat the odds-on favourite The Ace by a head in the Spring Stakes over 2400m. He then was beaten out of the placings behind Horatio in the Metropolitan over 2 miles before winning the three-mile Randwick Plate two days later beating the only other runner in Hamlet when at almost unbackable odds. Taken to Melbourne, Dagworth was an impressive winner in the Melbourne Stakes which was later to become the Mackinnon. Unfortunately for Dagworth he was to come up against the lightly weighted Don Juan in the Melbourne Cup, and gave the winner almost three stone in weight eventually finishing six lengths away in second place. The pair met again the following day over the same course and distance in the Royal Park Stakes with Don Juan again prevailing although this time by only a neck. Taken back to the mile of the VRC All-Aged Stakes on the Thursday, the efforts of the past few runs were to tell on Dagworth who was surprisingly beaten by filly Atalanta who was in receipt of 2 stone 7 pounds (16kg) from the older horse. Dagworth had only three runs at Randwick in the Autumn. First up he was a moderate sixth of eight runners in the AJC Cumberland Stakes before being beaten a half-length by Speculation in the Sydney Cup after giving the winner over 3 stone in weight. His final run as a five year old saw Dagworth win the AJC Plate over four mile for the second time. In 1874 he beat another son of Yattendon in Fitz-Yattendon by three lengths with 20 lengths back to the third horse.

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s a 6yo, Dagworth started his season again in the Grand Handicap at Hawkesbury but was unplaced carrying the steadier of 10.1 (64kg). Two more unplaced runs followed in the Spring Stakes and Great Metropolitan. He won the Randwick Plate for the third time, again beating Reprieve by 1.5 lengths. Heading to Melbourne, Dagworth won the Melbourne Stakes for the second year in a row before finishing eleventh to Haricot in the Melbourne Cup when carrying 10 stone (63.5kg). The following day he bounced back to win the VRC Royal Park Stakes before an unplaced run in the Flemington Plate when lumbered with 10.4 (65.5kg) saw an end to his Spring. He came back to racing on New Years Day to run second to Lapidist in the VRC Canterbury Stakes over 18 furlongs (2.5 miles). Dagworth did not race again until the following Spring, this time running third in the Melbourne Stakes behind Kingsborough. He missed the Melbourne Cup and was unplaced in the second running of the Canterbury Stakes for the year, this time a week after the Cup in a race won by Richmond. Tragically Dagworth was to have only one more start, falling in the Champion Stakes on New Years Day 1876. He suffered such severe injury that the gallant old horse was humanely put down bringing to a close a remarkable career that set the standard for the other sons of Yattendon that were to come.

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Dagworth at 18.75% is the most highly inbred of our pedigrees this month. Surprisingly again we do not see a duplication closer than 4x5. The closest duplication is that of Partisan, a son of Walton who we saw prominent in the pedigree of Yattendon. What is outstanding is that we also see the presence of a number of full and three-quarter siblings reinforced throughout the pedigree. Again, this is a pattern that reflects the pedigree of Yattendon. One of the more impressive examples of this is through the presence of full siblings Whalebone and Whisker. They appear in the major sire lines of Sir Hercules, the sire of Yattendon, as well as through the female line of the dam, Nutcut.

REPRIEVE

THE COUNTRY CHAMPION

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eprieve was one of Yattendon’s early success stories. He was bred in 1868 by EK Cox of Fernhill Stud out of a mare called Gazelle by Magus. He traced back to a mare called Lady Emily who was one of the earliest thoroughbred imports into Australia arriving alongside a stallion called Whisker. Reprieve was raised on the property of William Cosgrove at Monaro in whose colours he was to race. He was trained early by Matt McAlister, one of two popular brothers in the Wagga region. Reprieve made his first racetrack appearance as a 4yo in the heyday of Country racing. His first start was in the 1872 Wagga Free Handicap, a race that was run the first time the year before over two miles. The following year, 1873, the name of the race was changed to the Wagga Cup. The ambitious Cosgrove and his trainer had nominated Reprieve in the Free Handicap on the first day of the annual Murrumbidgee Turf Club carnival, and in the Town Plate the following day. He was to win them both, and trainer and owner nominated Reprieve for the wfa races and Sydney Cup at the AJC Autumn meeting in 1873.

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nfortunately, fairy tales do not always come true, and Reprieve tried valiantly in the Autumn but failed to win any of the major races. He was second in the Cumberland Stakes, unplaced in the Sydney Cup, and second to The Ace in the All-Aged Stakes. He also dead heated with that other son of Yattendon in Dagworth in the AJC Plate only to be beaten a head in the run-off. Reprieve was then sold to Richard Rouse and he was sent back to the country circuit where he beat another grand performer in Priam in the Mudgee Town Plate, winning by a short-neck in good time. His good form continued on as a 5yo although he was again just to prove a little behind the stars of the time. In the Autumn of 1874 at the AJC carnival, he again found the field in the Cumberland a little strong finishing third behind Speculation and Javelin. Horatio, Dagworth and The Prophet finished outside of the placings to underline just how good the quality of the field was. He was badly weighted in the Sydney Cup, again failing to run a place while the mile of the All-Aged Stakes was against him as he got older. Connections though decided to withdraw him from the rest of his AJC engagments, and took him back to Mudgee.

He met Priam worse off in the weights when finishing second to that horse in the Mudgee Turf Club Handicap, and the following day he ran third in the Town Plate behind Rose D’Amour and Viya. On the third day of the carnival, he again carried top weight when fourth behind a lightly weighted daughter of Yattendon in Ladybird in the Handicap, with Priam finishing third.

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he following season Reprieve still suffered from his treatment by the handicappers finishing third in the Craven Plate and second again in the Cumberland Stakes this time behind The Diver. He also finished second in the Sydney Cup behind Imperial. He then won two races to end the AJC Carnival, beating Ladybird in the City Handicap, and then old rival Priam in the Forced Handicap. Reprieve then went

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back to the country to win the Mudgee Handicap and Town Plate before finishing unplaced in the Wellington Jockey Club Handicap. The following season was to be his last, and although he failed to win a race, he was second to Kingsborough in the Craven Plate. In all he was to win seven of his 29 starts before going to stud where he had limited success, eventually dying in March 1892 at the age of 23. It is difficult to find his name in a modern pedigree, although one descendant in Panzer Chief was to race with distinction in the 1970’s. The NZ bred horse won 18 starts including the Great Northern Guineas, Avondale Guineas, Queen Elizabeth II Plate, Wellington Guineas, George Adams Handicap and North Island Challenge Stakes before being sold to the US. There he was to win the Golden Gate Handicap, and San Francisco Mile Handicap.

EDWARD COX A LEGENDARY BREEDER

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part from Walter McEvilly, there is one other man whose name became synonymous with Australian racing and breeding through his association with Yattendon. That was Edward King Cox of Fernhill near Penrith. He was born at Mulgoa on 28 June 1829 and a grandson of Lieutenant William Cox and the eldest son of Edward Cox MLC. His father had built Fernhill, a grand single storey sandstone house in 1842. His father also owned sheep stations at Rawdon in Rylstone near Mulgoa and also leased runs on the Namoi River. In 1852, in the company of his brother James, Edward travelled to England to further study sheep breeding, inspecting the best flocks throughout Europe. It was there that he also took the opportunity to visit both Newmarket and Doncaster to see the British thoroughbred at close quarters. Perhaps fortuitously 1852 was the year that the great Stockwell won both the Two Thousand Guineas and St Leger. Cox was also to marry Millicent Ann Standish, a daughter of wealthy Irishman Richard in May 1855. The couple shortly after returned to Australia to take charge of the family’s properties.

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ith considerable success in the sheep industry, by the mid-1860’s Cox had decided to follow his passion for thoroughbreds and started converting some of the paddocks at Fernhill. He approached Rutledge and made a generous offer of

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£1300 for Yattendon who was to become a cornerstone of his new venture. Cox took possession of the stallion following the AJC Autumn Carnival. Rutledge though, like McEvilly took the precaution of sending some of his mares to the stallion before he went to Fernhill. By 1867, Yattendon had let down into a magnificent stallion.

He won the blue ribbon for the best thoroughbred at the first Royal Agricultural Society Show in 1869 and was not to lose the title competing for the final time in 1874. Cox started advertising the stallion to a small number of select breeders for a fee of 15 guineas. He recognised that his own broodmare band did not fit with his ambitions and set out to apply the same principles that had served him so well in his sheep herds.

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n February 1871, Cox and his wife sailed from Sydney to England to visit some of the world’s leading studs and source some of their best mares. He remembered seeing the success of Stockwell who had by then become the dominant sire of his time. Cox had ambitions to purchase as much of the Stockwell blood as he could, but he soon found that his budget did not extend as far as he had hoped. While being able to source a few of Stockwell’s daughter, Cox was prudent in his purchase of granddaughters of the great stallion which was ultimately to not only change the fortunes of Fernhill Stud but to reshape the Australian thoroughbred.

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t the June sale of Middle Park Stud yearlings, Cox purchased two fillies by Blair Athol, a son of Stockwell. The dams were Habena who had won the English One Thousand Guineas, and QED who had produced Demonstration. Habena’s daughter was named Atholine who produced three stakes winners by Yattendon in Habena and Narina who both won the VRC Maribyrnong Plate, and Geraldine who won the 1880 AJC Sires’ Produce. From the famed breeder Lord Falmouth, Cox purchased a three year filly called London Pride who was a half-sister to Isoline who had won the 1863 Goodwood Cup. London Pride was later mated with Yattendon to produce the 1883 Caulfield Cup winner, Calma. But it was a chestnut filly by Stockwell who was to prove the most successful for Cox. Purchased from the Merton Stud was a filly who he registered as Lady Chester, who when ultimately sent to Yattendon was to produce the famed Chester who we will talk about at length next month. Not only was Cox fortunate with his overseas purchases, but all were able to return to Australia in good condition which was no mean feat unto itself at the time. Cox also had success with bloodstock he purchased in Australia and the most noted of these was First Lady by St Albans who would produce the remarkable unbeaten Grand Flaneur, a stallion and racehorse we looked at in depth some time ago. Arguably Grand Flaneur may well have been the best galloper ever produced in Australia. The continued influence of Edward King Cox on the Australian thoroughbred remains critical to this day.

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WALTER MCEVILLY McEvilly, Walter O'Malley (1820–1867)

by LA Jeckeln This article was published in the Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 5, 1974 online in 2006

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alter O'Malley McEvilly (1820-1867), parliamentary librarian, was born in County Mayo, Ireland. As a labourer who could read and write he was tried on 24 March 1840 at Tipperary for forgery and sentenced to seven years' transportation.

He reached Sydney on 17 August in the King William. On 23 February 1841 he was transferred from the Hyde Park barracks to the Legislative Council offices as doorkeeper and paid the usual rate of 1s. 9d. a day. He petitioned for a ticket-of-leave; granted on 25 January 1844 it was replaced by a government ticket on 22 March.

In that year he signed a petition to the Queen against the exclusion of 63 Catholics from the special jury list and all Catholics from the jury impanelled for the state trials in Dublin.

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n 1843 Richard O'Connor was appointed as librarian of the Legislative Council library. McEvilly was assistant librarian from 1 July 1850 at a salary of £109 and on 20 May 1856 was promoted librarian with a residence in the parliamentary premises.

He was reported to have 'zealously and well discharged the duties of Librarian'. After his appointment the library more than doubled its 6990 volumes and important administrative changes were made. In May 1860 the library committees of the council and assembly recommended one general parliamentary library and reading rooms for each House in place of separate libraries. The proposal was adopted and in 1862 the management of the parliamentary library was entrusted to a joint committee from both Houses; the duties of McEvilly and future librarians were also set down. In February 1859 McEvilly was a leader in a meeting of Roman Catholics protesting the appointment of Dr W. F. Bassett to the board of the Parramatta Catholic Orphanage. Threatened with excommunication by Archbishop Polding he withdrew but the case went to Rome on appeal.

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n 4 August 1863 a long-standing disagreement between McEvilly and his assistant, Francis Robinson, led to a fight in which both were hurt. A testimonial from 63 of the 72 members of the assembly attested to McEvilly's 'zeal, efficiency, uniform quiet and obliging and peaceful disposition'. Robinson was later dismissed.

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cEvilly was fond of field sports and a sound judge and breeder of thoroughbred bloodstock. As 'Mr. O'Malley', his mother's maiden name, he owned and trained such successful horses as Yattenden, winner of the first Sydney Cup in 1866.

His first off-spring, Yatterina, bred by McEvilly in 1865, was reputed one of the best thoroughbred mares exported to New Zealand. Yattenden also sired Dagworth, one of the best performers of the 1870s, and two Melbourne Cup winners.

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sporting challenge to a fellow guest of J. Morrice, M.L.A., at Moss Vale to race up and down a railway embankment resulted in a broken leg and brain injury to McEvilly. He died intestate four days later on 16 October 1867 at his residence at Parliament House and was buried in the Roman Catholic cemetery, Sydney. He was survived by his wife Mary Anne, née Farrell (d.1907), whom he had married in St Mary's Cathedral on 6 November 1847, and by three sons and four daughters.

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1999 CAULFIELD GUINEAS The 1999 Caulfield Guineas is one of those races that will live forever in the memories of those who were there to watch it. Redoute’s Choice was a champion colt and he was the hot favourite. Like all great races, it takes two to tango and Testa Rossa was the Magic Millions winner who had his own loyal following. He also had a good record against Redoute’s Choice and the battle between the two did not disappoint.

We tend to forget that it was a pretty good field, and apart from the top two, the next eight runners finished within three lengths of each other. There were some pretty good ones among them, and if you have a look down the breeding of the runners, I am sure some names will stand out. One interesting point is that we see three runners in the field by Danehill, but we saw the influence of Snippets emerging.

We should note from a greater perspective that this was a time when Danehill was establishing his dominance, but many of the other stallions reflected the continued search for other outstanding Northern Dancer lines. Perugino and Mukddaam were in fact both sons of Danzig. Night Shift was a son of Northern Dancer, while Royal Academy and Fraar were both grandsons of that stallion. It certainly was a portend to the future of our breeding.

There were certainly some wonderful horses that competed in the race, even if history has ignored them at least on this day. Third in the race was Commands, a younger brother to the remarkable Danewin. He was to retire with almost $500,000 in prizemoney and won only two stakes races in the Missile Stakes and what is now the Listed Poseidon Stakes. In the breeding barn, Commands was to excel producing 74 stakes winners that were able to win over a range of distances. He produced runners like Undue who won the Doomben 10,000 and Oakleigh Plate yet others like Purple won the Queensland Oaks. Testa Rossa was to go on to become an excellent stallion producing in all, 55 stakes winners, while Pins was to become one the most important NZ stallions in modern times. He was another who proved incredibly versatile producing sprinters like Aerovelocity who won two Hong Kong Sprints, the Singapore International and the Takamatsunomiya Kinen in Japan. He also produced El Segundo who won a Cox Plate in a stellar career, and No Compromise who won an AJC Metropolitan and Queen’s Cup. Diatribe, Align and Dangerous were also to go to on to careers in the breeding barn. This field perhaps more than most was the reason that the Caulfield Guineas gained such a reputation as being a stallion-making race and that is even without commenting on the performances of the winner.

The trainers of the runners is also very interesting. John Hawkes who was the trainer for the dominant Woodlands enterprise had three runners in the race. Peter Hayes, the son of Colin and brother of David was among the leading trainers prior to his tragic accident, and the field reminds us of how deep his loss was. Clarrie Connors, Rick Hore-Lace, Brian Mayfield-Smith, Colin Little and even Lee Freedman had runners in the race. All up, it goes to show just how spoiled we are in Australia for quality horse conditioners. The same story can be told from the list of jockeys. The Hall Of Fame includes many of them, and it is hard to see an era that might have had greater depth in these champion riders.

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

REDOUTE'S CHOICE Rick Hore-Lacy Jim Cassidy TESTA ROSSA Dean Lawson Damien Oliver 5-2 0.2 COMMANDS John Hawkes Patrick Payne 25-1 2.5 OVAL OFFICE Colin Little Danny Brereton 66-1 2.6 PINS Clarry Conners Shane Dye 14-1 SUDURKA Brian Mayfield-Smith Jason Patton 16-1 ANAKIE WALK Cliff Brown Grant Cooksley 66-1 DIATRIBE George Hanlon Greg Hall 15-1 4.3 ALIGN John Hawkes Greg Childs 16-1 4.7 DANGEROUS John Hawkes Darren Gauci 16-1 4.9 PRINCE BENBARA Tony Rosolini Stephen Baster 20-1 5.3 MR ENDURANCE Peter Hayes Nash Rawiller 50-1 6.6 HONOUR THE NAME Lee Freedman Chris Munce 33-1 AKA BILK Peter Hayes Brett Prebble 50-1 9.4

10-9 Danehill / Shantha's Choice Perugino / Bo Dapper Danehill / Cotehele House Exploding Prospect / Rumour 2.9 Snippets / No Finer 3 Perugino / My Sparkling Star 3.3 Mukddaam / Brink of Love Brief Truce / Gabbing Gloria Night Shift / Super Trend Danehill / Antwerp Fraar / Benbara Queen Geiger Counter / Taj Bell 7.4 Royal Academy / Lilting Al Akbar / Nantucket Sound

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