TURF MONTHLY February 2023

monthly

TURF

February 2023

THIS MONTH

PETER PAN - IN THE SHADOW OF PHAR LAP JIM PIKE PIKE IN HIS OWN WORDS AN EARLY LOOK AT THE MAGIC MILLIONS

Editor’s Letter Another Magic Millions has come and gone, and again we see an impressive array of first season stallions headlining the show. We also see those whose first crop have made their debuts. While I write this before the Magic Millions for 2023 has been run, unless a first season stallion has had outstanding results, it is probably not going to be a great sign for many of those stallions trying to cement their stud careers. The new sires for the season 2022/23 was a relatively small crop but included some of the biggest names in recent years including the US Triple Crown winner, Justify, and our own superstar in The Autumn Sun. We can also add the talented Trapeze Artist and the Darley shuttle stallion, Harry Angel to the list as well as plenty of other worthy contenders. Another was Bolt d’Oro, a son of Medaglia d’Oro who had limited local opportunity although currently sits at the top of the leading US first season sires’ table. Perhaps the most surprising of the early stallion results is that of Brave Smash who stands at Aquis Farm. While these stallions have good representation in the sale, unless these can have a standout runner by this time next year, their long-term future could be in doubt such is the fickleness of the breeding industry.

As we know, 2yo success is only one good horse away, and to date on this season’s table we see the remarkable Written Tycoon languishing at number 50. It would be brave to suggest that he will not have a couple of good ones that will shoot him up the list by the end of the season.

Still, they would do little if he was relying on them for his success at the Magic Millions. In comparison, last year’s champion 2yo sire, Rebel Dane has yet to have a 2yo runner this season. It is also something of a shock to see that the reigning 2yo champion sire had only one yearling in the Magic Million Sale, and he was withdrawn. With a view to 2024, there are 24 stallions whose first yearlings are making their appearance at Magic Millions this year.

Among these are Yes Yes Yes, the first Everest winner, and some of the Darley stallions in Blue Point, Too Darn Hot and Microphone who are likely to prove popular in some circles. As we will see later, Pantheon, the sire of Peter Pan, had a first crop of yearlings that was largely unwanted in the sale ring, but the champion was to change all of that in the space of a couple of seasons. Arguably buyers are even less forgiving today, but that does not take away from the unique experience of the yearling sales. After all, once the sale is over and the yearlings finally make it to the track, they have no idea of what was paid for them.

CONTENTS 4

Peter Pan

19

Peter Pan At Stud

22

Jim Pike

26

Jim Pike In His Own Words

30

Peter Pan

by Jim

Pike

36

Dark Ksar

40

Sam Sung A Song

42

Rocket To Glory

44

Global Glamour

46

Magic Millions

a

Short Preview

Cover Photo MAGIC TIME The first stakes winner for Hellbent

Until next month

Ross Prowd Turf Monthly ABN 64 892 144 940 Phone 0412 712 181

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

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PETER PAN

IN THE SHADOW OF PHAR LAP

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f it wasn’t for Phar Lap it is likely that Peter Pan might be revered by the Australian public. He was a true champion of the turf who managed to fight his way out of the shadow of Big Red in the hearts and minds of many. Peter Pan was foaled three years after Phar Lap and had his first start a little over a month after the death of the great idol of Australian racing. Perhaps fittingly he did little in his only two-year-old start, finishing a moderate twelfth of eighteen at Randwick behind a horse called Diamond De Rouge who was touted as an exceptional talent. Sadly he was to prove fickle, a horse with undoubted talent but not much heart for racing much to the chagrin of punters. Not long after the race, Peter Pan was to suffer an injury that almost claimed his life as a nail in his hoof caused an infection. The time off though was to help the big colt develop and by the time he stepped out as a 3yo, his trainer Frank McGrath had been telling plenty that he had a new champion in his ranks.

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ut before we get to the racing career of the champion, we need to look at his origins. Peter Pan was a son of the English horse Pantheon who had competed with distinction against local champions Windbag and Manfred. He was out of the unraced St Alwyne mare, Alwina who had been bred by Fred and Will Moses. She had been purchased as a yearling by Mr Rodney Rouse Dangar for 200 guineas and he retained her for breeding. Her full brother in Sir Alwyne had won the 1925 WA Derby. Dangar had Alwina put into training, but she was never to make it to a race. In the breeding barn, her first foal was to be a moderate country performer in Rosabel by Rosewing. Alwina was not to go into foal the following season, but in 1928 she was covered by Pantheon who had been imported to Australia by Joe and Cecil Brien who raced Rampion. He was by the great stallion Tracery out of Scotch Rose, a half-sister to Roseway who had won the One Thousand Guineas. Pantheon, originally raced as Spalpeen, won two of his first three starts in England. William Allison recommended the horse to Joe Brien who was able to purchase him for 2400 guineas. He was to have a limited racing career in Australia winning £15,900 in stakes. Pantheon may have been unlucky not to have won the 1926 Melbourne Cup. He had started the 9/4 favourite when third behind Spearfelt, after a controversial ride by Jim Pike. In 1928 he stood his first season at Kingsfield. Dangar’s friend, Percy Brown had booked four of his own mares to him and suggested to Dangar that he should send a mare to the stallion. Dangar was from one of Australia’s oldest and wealthiest pastoral families, and did not want to be associated with Brien, a money lender and social climber in Dangar’s eyes. Brown was insistent and booked another nomination in his own name for Dangar to use, an arrangement that was reluctantly agreed to.

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he first of Pantheon’s stock did not make an impact at the yearling sales, being notable for their lack of size and character. Most sold cheaply and Dangar refused to sell his colt, preferring to race the big scopey flashy chestnut with the flaxen tail and mane himself. Only three of Pantheon’s first crop were to win during his first season, with Peter Pan another of the disappointments that season. As a 3yo, Peter Pan was to change all that. McGrath brought the colt back into work late in the season, and immediately thought that he had a Derby prospect on his hands which he duly backed at what would later be seen as exorbitant odds. Peter Pan reappeared at Warwick Farm over a mile in a 3yo Handicap to dead heat with Babili, but the manner of his win was to see the public sit up and take notice. He had been at the tail of the field at the 800m with no way through a big field. Jockey Andy Knox finally got clear, and the big colt sprouted wings in the last furlong to catch Babili.

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is next start was an ambitious attempt at the time-honoured Hill Stakes at weight for age. Frank McGrath and his supporters backed the colt into 5/1 in the field of eight, and he had little trouble beating the top galloper Nightmarch and Johnnie Jason. The inexperienced galloper went to the line with his ears pricked looking around at the big crowd. It was then on to the AJC Derby with McGrath confident that his charge had what was needed to record his fourth success in the Blue Riband. Track watchers were also keen on his chances having seen the 3yo match it with McGrath’s top galloper Denis Boy, the reigning Caulfield Cup champion, in his work. The Depression was a hard time for Australian racing. A newly introduced turnover tax came into effect on Derby Day to try and combat the rising growth of the SP Bookmaker that had been aided by the broadcast of prices and results. For many, the mood on Derby Day matched the weather, which was dull and grey, but nonetheless 46,000 turned up for the classic. Prizemoney was low having reduced to £5,000 from the £8,000 the year before.

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leven horses were to line up in the Derby in 1932. The favourite was the NZ colt, Gaine Carrington named after the man who had imported Hunting Song into that country in 1925. The colt was a son of that stallion out of the Martian mare, Left who was also to produce Peter Jackson who won the Moonee Valley Cup and two St Legers in NZ, and Wotan who was to win the 1936 Melbourne Cup. Gaine Carrington had been one of NZ’s best 2yo’s winning two of his five starts at that age including the Champagne Stakes. In Australia, he made a big impression by winning the Chelmsford Stakes at his first appearance, albeit on a bog track after the race had been postponed to the Monday. Peter Pan was second favourite with

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the Rosehill Guineas form accounting for many of the fancies. The Rosehill Guineas was won by Bronze Hawk who was ineligible for the Derby due to being gelded, a piece of history that we will look at more closely later. Oro was third pick in the Derby following a good third in the Guineas, running on strongly from the tail, while Kuvera who had finished second was seen as a doubt at the journey despite being arguably the best presented horse in the paddock prior to the race.

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eter Pan missed the start of the race, and as the field passed the post for the first time, he was caught five wide at the rear of the field. Around the nine furlong mark there was trouble in the field with several horses losing their positions. This enabled the patient Pike to move into third behind Bombastic and Prince Pombal.

Gaine Carrington had gotten his tongue over the bit and was racing ungenerously near the tail. Near the half-mile (800m) Prince Pombal’s jockey took that horse to a three length lead to try and pinch the race but Pike was too clever a jockey for that.

Peter Pan had joined the front runner as the field entered the straight and soon dashed clear, giving no other runners a chance. Oro again ran home gallantly to get within a length and a half at the finish with Kuvera a further three lengths away in third. It was later found that Peter Pan had cast a shoe around the ten furlong mark making his effort even more impressive. Jim Pike had a great day in the saddle on Derby Day also riding Chatham to win the Epsom and Veilmond to win the Spring Stakes.

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onfusion between owner and trainer saw both McGrath and Dangar thinking that the other had nominated the colt for the Caulfield Guineas and Victoria Derby, meaning that Peter Pan missed entry for both races. In the star’s absence, Liberal by Windbag won both while Peter Pan went to the Caulfield Cup. Peter Pan was at sea in his first start at the tricky Caulfield track, hanging badly throughout to narrowly miss a place in the Cup won by Rogilla. He then won the Melbourne Stakes in impressive fashion on Derby Day, turning the tide on Rogilla, while Liberal beat

Frank McGrath TURF MONTHLY 7

Gaine Carrington in the Derby. Then it was on to the Melbourne Cup of 1932, with the colt carrying only 7.6 (47kg) and the hopes on many of the crowd who saw him head out the 4/1 favourite with Billy Duncan in the saddle. Pike was suspended and missed the Melbourne Spring. In an era of outstanding jockeys, Duncan is often overlooked although many insist that it was his horsemanship, and a stroke of luck, that saw Peter Pan prevail. Approaching the five furlong mark (1000m) Peter Pan was bumped to such an extend that he seemed destined to fall. At the same time, his stable mate, Denis Boy cannoned into Peter Pan and this second bump had the effect of tipping the horse back onto his feet. Harold Jones on Denis Boy, Duncan on Peter Pan and Maurice McCarten who was on Lough Neagh and following the champion all told a similar story of the second bump keeping Peter Pan upright. Nevertheless, the colt lost his position, although Billy Duncan did not panic, allowing Peter Pan to regain his balance before attempting to make ground. He had improved to seventh on the turn, but Yarramba by then had kicked clear and looked to have the race in his keeping. A determined run by Peter Pan saw the colt catch Yarramba near the post to score by a neck with old favourite, Shadow King in third. It was that gelding’s third consecutive placing in the great race. Not surprisingly, Frank McGrath won handsomely having coupled Peter Pan in the Cups Double early in the year with the favourite Rogilla when they had intended to run the colt in the Derby.

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eter Pan returned to Dangar’s property at Baroona for a rest after the Melbourne Cup. AJC Handicapper, Fred Wilson left race fans in no doubt as to his opinion of the colt, lumbering him with 9st (57kg) or some 5.5kg over wfa in the Sydney Cup to match the weight that the mighty Carbine had been asked to carry. Connections though chose not to pursue that avenue, restricting his Autumn to the wfa events.

He returned to racing on 18 March to win the Randwick Stakes over a mile beating Rogilla. In the Rawson takes two weeks later, the colt got his mouth tangled in the starting strands to lose considerable ground and the start before finishing unplaced behind Kuvera. No such misfortune befell him when Jim Pike returned to the saddle in the AJC St Leger, winning as the 2/1 on favourite. The reunion was to only last one race as Billy Duncan was back on board for the rest of the Autumn as the colt won the Cumberland Plate, bearing Johnny Jason, and the AJC Plate beating Lough Neagh. The last three wins were to come in the space of seven days. The downside to the Autumn was that the good 3yo Liberal had broken down and so never got the opportunity to test Peter Pan, retiring to stud at his owners Northwood Park Stud where he was to have some good success as a stallion. Dangar was to end the season heading the Winning Owners’ List while Frank McGrath finished Sydney’s leading trainer with 24 ½ wins.

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ike many horses in Sydney that Spring, Peter Pan fell victim to a type of muscular rheumatism that was sweeping the population and it was to be almost a year before he was to face the starter again. On 3 March, 1934 he was unplaced behind Lough Neagh in the City Tattersall’s Stakes and two weeks later second to Rogilla in the Hill Stakes. A week later at Warwick Farm he was again unplaced in the Chipping Norton before finding his form with Jim Pike back in the saddle in the Autumn Plate over 12 furlongs (2400m). He beat Silver Scorn who had won the Chipping Norton and then Peter Pan was to beat Oro in the Cumberland Plate over 2 miles five days later. He finished off his four year old season with a close second behind Rogilla in the King’s Cup with Kuvela a close third. Many were not

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sure whether Peter Pan was back to his best, but his 5yo season was to cement his place in history. He resumed in the Chelmsford Stakes on 8 September to run second to Rogilla. The champion then won the 7 furlong (1400m) Maitland Stakes beating Chatham at Victoria Park before seconds to Rogilla again in the Spring Stakes and Chatham in the Craven Plate. Back in Melbourne, Peter Pan had his first start at Flemington since his Melbourne Cup win when he downed Hall Mark by a length in the Melbourne Stakes. The year, 1934 was the Centenary of Victoria and the VRC lifted the prizemoney back to its pre-Depression level of £10,000 and the Duke of Gloucester was in attendance at the carnival. Sadly, the weather did not treat the club well with heavy rain persisting throughout the day. Burdened with 9.10 (61.5kg) on the quagmire track, Peter Pan drifted in the betting to start at 14/1 with Darby Munro on board with Jim Pike again outed by the stewards. Peter Pan was drawn in the outside barrier of 22 on a track where the outside was much firmer than near the rail. The pace was dawdling, yet Munro chose to keep Peter Pan towards the outside and it was not until the 800m mark that Munro had asked his mount for any effort, moving to around sixth position as the field approached the home turn. Scouting wide, Peter Pan effortlessly took the lead around 300m from home and cruised to a three length victory over Sarcherie who was a neck in front of La Trobe. As testimony to the state of the track, the time of 3.40.5 was the slowest since Glencoe in 1868. On the final day of the carnival, the VRC put on a special race called the Duke of Gloucester Cup over 14 furlongs (2800m) and Peter Pan again won convincingly to keep his unbeaten record at Flemington intact. Peter Pan returned to Sydney where the AJC had also put on a race in honour of the Duke, but the campaign proved too much for the champion as he finished unplaced.

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Rodney Dangar

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fter a break, Peter Pan returned for the Autumn to be reunited with his long time jockey, Jim Pike. The pair celebrated by winning the City Tattersalls Cup over a mile at Randwick beating Silver King. Two weeks later if was victory in the Rawson Stakes beating Sylvandale, and then a win in the Autumn Plate over 2400m beating Rogilla on 20 April. Peter Pan then had one of his best wins two weeks later back over a mile in the All Aged Plate. He won by three lengths from Hall Mark setting an Australasian record of 1.35.5 in the process. Frank McGrath would later claim that the work that Peter Pan had been doing on the Victoria Park track had been the best he had ever seen in his life, prompting him to take on the top horses over a mile. The field of four included not only the Doncaster winner from the week prior in Hall Mark, but also the Epsom winner, Silver Ring. The champion had one more start that Autumn for a win in the Jubilee Cup over 12 furlongs (2400m) beating Akuna. Returning as a 6yo in the Spring, Peter Pan continued his winning Sydney form first up in the Hill Stakes beating Young Idea on 21 September with Pike on board. The Spring Stakes was next two weeks later over 12 furlongs and he beat Berestoi as the 3/1 on favourite. Back to the 10 furlongs of the Craven Plate four days later, Peter Pan was sent out at 7/1 on this time, and again saluted beating his old rival Oro. McGrath then took the old horse to Melbourne for an ambitious attempt at a third Melbourne Cup, but the cold weather in another wet Spring saw his previous condition again flare up. The rheumatism in his shoulders was evident and he was noticeably sore when he lined up in the Melbourne Stakes at Flemington. It was to be his first ever defeat at that track, and the champion was unplaced three days later in the Melbourne Cup amid calls for his retirement. A few weeks rest under the care of his regular attendant, George Phillips at Bacchus Marsh

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before returning for his last preparation in the Autumn. This time he was troubled by lameness in his off foreleg caused no doubt by the strains of racing on the 16.2 hands stallion. After an unplaced run in the City Tatt’s Cup behind Sarcherie, Peter Pan showed signs of his old form by running second to Lough Neagh in the Rawson Stakes two weeks later. He was to start the 10/9 on favourite three days later in the Autumn Plate, but it was clear that he was not the same horse from even a year before as he finished third behind Sarcherie. Long time jockey, Jim Pike had this to say about Peter Pan following the run: Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW: 1931 - 1954), Monday 13 April 1936, page 21 "I KNEW HE WAS GONE," SAYS JIM PIKE TELLS WHY PETER PAN FAILED AT RANDWICK HIS FAREWELL TO A CHAMPION

By JIM PIKE

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WAS very hopeful of Peter Pan on Saturday. He had run a good race at Rosehill to get second to Lough Neagh, and I knew that he had worked well, and by now might be able to win again. Everything was in his favor, too, with the slow pace on early, and the way I felt him going under me in the early stages of the race suggested he would be able to manage this field at any part of the race. I thought he seemed very sound and well, with no sign of any soreness in his leg, and no changing his stride to indicate that there was anything wrong. But, of course, conditions can be deceptive. We were going as slow as a funeral, and that satisfied me. I wasn't going to do anything that would hurry them, I gave him an easy race in the early stages, as soon as I saw the pace was slow. I knew that that was the chance to keep him near enough to the dangerous horses without being in a hurry, and at the same time retaining whatever run that might be necessary for the finish. Really I believed that they were making it to order for the old horse. Down the back I let him take his time. They were running not much better than even time, I should say. When they reached the six furlongs, and I knew that, having run half the race, they might start to sprint at any moment, I began to edge him up towards the front bunch. You know it's my custom to be near the front in a slowly-run race when the pace might be suddenly clapped on.

WAS GOING WELL

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he way he easily improved his position suggested that he would win. He was doing it easily. So at the six I had him fourth, with only Spear Prince, Egmont, and Contact ahead. He still kept going so well when we got to the half-mile that I moved up third. I could see Soft Step being hurried round the field, and I wanted to be in the right position when we got to the home turn. I kept moving forward as we came into the straight, and when we were really straightened up I was practically

Jim Pike on Peter Pan

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level with the leaders, Spear Prince and Egmont. I knew that if Peter asserted that old burst of speed I must soon get on my way, because I could see Silver Ring, hemmed in just behind me, but ready to spurt. I was just beginning to think that Peter Pan was a certainty, and could make his run at any time I wanted him to. So I set off for the winning post, but just as I did I cocked an eye over on the inside at something that flashed through. It was Sarcherie. I never saw a mare make a faster run in my life. You'd have thought she just joined in the race, the way she burst through on the inside, and then set up her winning lead. Just then I had Peter Pan going as fast as he could, but I knew in a moment it was all over. Sarcherie went right away. I could feel that it wasn't the old Peter. I guessed that he could feel that sore leg just sufficiently to stop him from reaching out with the old confidence. The consequence was he lacked that brilliance. There was none of the old dash about his run. Although I could feel that there wasn't much hope, I kept persevering with Peter Pan, and hunted him along. But he couldn't gain. He couldn't even hold his position. Then Silver Ring came along arid passed him. But I still kept persevering, gave him one cut with the whip, and then kept shaking it at him, and the old horse plugged on to get third. He didn't falter at all during the finish of the race. The only indication that he was troubled by his bad leg was that he couldn't stretch right out. It was the same as if a man had a sore foot, and couldn't do his best. The old determination was missing. In the past, when I got him into a position like he had on Saturday he would knuckle down to the job, and put up a fighting finish and win. But on Saturday there was no fight. When I pulled up and brought him back, I could see the reason. He was very sore. I've heard remarks about my taking Peter Pan round the field in recent races. But that had become necessary. Apart from his sometimes wanting to turn and play with horses, he is always in difficulties if he gets a check in a field. He always took a long time to get going again after a check, and, consequently, I always avoided bringing him through. I saw him lose the last

Peter Pan winning the Randwick Stakes

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Duke's Cup at Randwick when Darby Munro rode him, through trying to take the inside run. He missed a place. I think Mr Frank McGrath deserves a lot of credit for getting Peter Pan as fit as he did. By persevering and careful training he trained him to a marvellous state of fitness, which, on a doubtful leg, was a tribute to his skill, in my opinion. It was bad luck that it wasn't rewarded with one success since he came back to the autumn racing. Mr McGrath was very hopeful about him on Saturday, and so was I. He said, when I went to get on the horse, "I think he is sure to win today, Jim. The only thing that might beat him will be if his leg goes on him, and he doesn't stretch out." He gave me no instructions, and I rode my own race.

But his words were prophetic. His own leg, and not the better form of his rivals, beat poor old Peter Pan. I am glad they have decided to retire him. I felt when he failed to respond in Saturday's race that it was the beginning of the end. He has been a great horse, and nobody is sorrier than I am that he has come to the end of his tether.

But the one big thing I am glad for is that his owner, Mr Dangar, and his trainer, Mr McGrath, came to the wise decision to retire him. They wouldn't have had him break down in a race for worlds.

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eter Pan was retired after much discussion and ended his career with £34,840 in stakes that were subdued because of the Depression which had impacted prizemoney significantly. Jim Pike was always asked to compare the two great horses in Phar Lap and Peter Pan and when pushed would always say that Phar lap was superior. Much of the difference though was to come down to the fact that one was a gelding and the other an entire, with Peter Pan clearly a much later developer

Peter Pan winning the Melbourne Stakes beating Hall Mark and Nightly

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who was to become quite top heavy. The later careers of Jim Pike and Peter Pan were inexorably linked, and he was to retire the same day as the champion. His last ride was on Golden Gate in the Vaucluse Handicap. His last winner was rather ironically Babili who had dead-heated with Peter Pan at his first 3yo start.

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e have chosen to reprint some of Pike’s own words in a newspaper series following his retirement, but it did not touch on his rather tragic later life.

Pike had suffered for years with his weight and was often restricted to only one or two mounts a week. He was also prevented from riding fast work as trainers chose to use lighter jockeys. Long years of starvation and sweat boxes took their toll on his body, and Pike suffered from stomach ulcers and the early stages of tuberculosis that would later affect his health badly when still riding. Like many jockeys, Pike turned to a training career but had little success. Mooted comebacks to the saddle over time never came to fruition as he continued to be plagued by his weight.

Eventually, a lack of winners and poor health saw Pike relinquish his licence. By the mid 1950’s, Jack Green offered Pike a Saturday afternoon job helping him saddle his horses and provide instructions to his jockeys and apprentices. Among the young jockeys who benefitted from Pike’s experience was Mel Schumacher, while in the 1960’s Theo Green paid Pike to help school his young apprentices and the likes of Ron Quinton, Gordon Spinks and John Duggan all benefitted from his experience.

Jim Pike passed away in poverty on 7 October 1969 in a small rented flat at Bondi, part of a complex that Pike had once owned. The racing public was shocked by his impoverished circumstances when revealed upon his death. Respected racing journalist who interviewed Pike shortly before his death quoted him as saying, “My big mistake was to be a punter; to think that I could back winners when I got too old to ride them.”

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PETER PAN AT STUD

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eter Pan was to have a tragically short career at stud, dying as a result of a paddock accident in May of 1941. The stallion had been active in his exercise paddock some eight weeks prior when he slipped and broke a number of bones in his knee.

The injury was set in plaster, but sepsis was to prove fatal as the champion failed to recover. In his limited time at stud, Peter Pan was to sire three stakes winners.

His stud career was hampered by Mr Dangar standing the stallion at his own property where he attracted little outside interest. Dangar did however purchase some overseas mares to breed to his champion. Before getting to his progeny, it is worth looking at the pedigree of Peter Pan in a little more depth. He was a son of the imported Pantheon who we have mentioned, but his female line was notable in that it traced back to a wonderful old Fisherman mare called Mermaid who we talked about when looking at that great breeder, Hurtle Fisher. Peter Pan’s third dam, Waitemata, was a full sister to Eiridsdale who had won the Essendon and Memsie Stakes as well as the Launceston and Hobart Cups. She was sent to NZ where she produced three stakes winners in Kamo and Porirua who both won the Great Northern Champagne Stakes, and Sir Frisco who won the WRC Parliamentary Handicap twice.

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t stud, Peter Pan was to produce only three stakes winners. His most important of these was the oddly named Peter who was to win five stakes races. Peter was bred at Baroona Stud in the Hunter Valley in NSW by Malcolm P Reid who sent his mare, Sequoia to be mated with Peter Pan. Reid was a sportsman from Adelaide and Sequoia had been a half-sister to Silvado by Silvius who had won the Port Adelaide Cup for Reid. Sequoia was later sent to Lyndhurst Stud in Queensland to be mated with The Buzzard where she produced the outstanding Melbourne Cup winner, Rainbird who has continued such a remarkable heritage. Peter though was older than Rainbird and was a top line racehorse who did his early racing in Adelaide. He was runner up in the Sires Produce and was third in the SA Derby but suffered when heading to Melbourne by being balloted out of many key races as administrators were reducing field sizes due to safety concerns. Despite his early performances, Peter was to improve with age, and he did not win his first stakes race until 1944 when he won the VATC Eclipse Stakes over 11 furlongs and the Williamstown Cup over 13 furlongs. In 1946 he was to win the AJC Victory Cup over 10 furlongs, the Wagga Gold Cup over the same distance, and the 14 furlong VRC Bagot Handicap.

Peter was also to run second to Sirius in the 1944 Melbourne Cup. He was beaten only a half-length and suffered a bad check around the 6 furlong mark that cost him around two lengths. He was finishing strongly to narrowly fail although it seems that his run may have peaked as the legendary Darby Munro on board Sirius was able to hold the gelding over the closing stages

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nother son of Peter Pan was Precept who won the 1943 VRC Derby in a time of great travel restrictions due to the war. As a result, the great filly Flight who had run second in the AJC Derby, along with all of the other Sydney horses, did not travel to the Spring carnivals in Melbourne. Similarly, Precept and the other Victorian horses were deprived of their chances of heading north. Precept was owned

by JJ Liston who was the long-term mayor of Williamstown as well as President of the Victorian Football Association, Chairman of the Williamstown Racing Club, and member of the VRC, VATC and Moonee Valley Race Clubs. Precept had little success as a 2yo despite showing promise. He had four unplaced runs before winning a 2yo handicap over 5 furlongs. Precept was then third in the VATC Federal Stakes before winning the Epsom Bass Juvenile over 6 furlongs. He finished off his 2yo season with an unplaced run in the Sires Produce. Returning as a 3yo, Precept was unplaced over a mile before finishing third in the Warriston Handicap over the same trip at Caulfield. He then won the Moonee Valley Stakes and ran second in the Melbourne Stakes. A second in the Caulfield Guineas followed before he finished third in the Cox Plate. He then won the VRC Derby having settled comfortably in third in race that was marred by the favourite falling. Nonetheless, Precept won the race well and was a worthy winner. Precept then went on to finish a creditable fourth in the Melbourne Cup behind Dark Felt. With Liston’s health failing, he sold Precept as a stallion prospect later yet sadly he was not to perform at stud producing only one stakes winner in Fire Dust who won the 1955 Doncaster.

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he final stakes winner for Peter Pan was Grampian who won the 1945 Adelaide Birthday Handicap. Peter Pan is represented by the descendants of his daughters, and we will highlight some of these individual horses shortly. Pantrieste was born in 1938, a daughter of Peter Pan out of the Trillion mare, Lady Trieste. She produced a daughter by Dashing Cavalier, a good racehorse who had won an AJC Metropolitan, a Rawson Stakes, two Randwick Plates and a VRC Hotham Handicap. Although no star, this daughter called Triestina who was to win an early 2yo race at Randwick over 5 furlongs. She was mated with Persian Book to produce Rose of Persia who was to produce the WATC Easter Handicap winner, Red Cuff. His half-sister Rose Babe by King Of Babylon though was to produce one of the best from the family in Ksar Royal who won the 1982 Theo Marks Quality at Rosehill. He was to go to stud where he sired the wonderful galloper, Dark Ksar who won six stakes races and is one of our featured horses. Triestina also left a line that was to produce a galloper called Blahnik by Jeune who was to be a top quality Adelaide horse in the 2000’s. He won his first start as an early 3yo at Morphettville over 1050m. He was also to win his final start as a 3yo beating a good field in the Group 3 Adelaide Guineas with Gallant Guru and Marju Snip filling the placings. He was to race on until a 9yo and was to win the Wylie Handicap twice, the Manihi Classic and Christmas Handicap.

In all, Blahnik was to retire with eight wins from 46 starts and over $400,000 in prizemoney. Another South Australian stakes winner in Elysees by Statue Of Liberty won the 2008 SAJC Cinderella Stakes also traces to Pantrieste.

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t was another daughter of Peter Pan in Constant Hope out of the mare Constant Nymph by Constant Son who perhaps left the greatest legacy. Her granddaughter Illawong by Delville Wood was to become and outstanding broodmare producing three stakes winners. Her first was Big Scope by Bluescope who won the 1968 VRC Flemington Stakes. She then produced a full sister Tumberlua who won the 1970 Keith Mackay Handicap and 1971 Villiers Stakes. Her last stakes winner was another full sister in I’m Scarlet who won the Newcastle Northern Slipper, Theo Marks Quality, Canterbury Stakes and AJC Expressway Stakes. At stud she was to produce three stakes winners in Perth in Red Aroma, Scarlet Thread and Stolen Thunder. Tumberlea though was to be the sister that was to have the biggest impact by producing a daughter called Apollua by King Apollo who won the 1976 Reginal Allen Handicap and Flight Stakes. While she had no immediate success at stud, her daughters have continued lines that produce stakes winners like Rocket To Glory, Sam Sung A Song and Global Glamour who we also feature.

Precept TURF MONTHLY 21

JIM PIKE

A TRAGIC LEGEND

Pike, James Edward (Jim) (1892–1969)

by John N. Molony This article was published in the Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 11 , 1988 online in 2006

J

ames Edward (Jim) Pike (1892-1969), jockey, was born on 4 September 1892 at Newcastle, New South Wales, eldest child of Charles Pike, Newcastle-born butcher and later racecourse attendant, and his Victorian wife Jane Isabella, née Liddell. Jim often played truant from school to ride horses. At 12 he joined Ernie Connors' stables and, weighing under four stone (25 kg), had his first mount soon afterwards. Banned twice for being under age, in 1906 he was apprenticed to the Sydney trainer William Kelso and won his first race in July; by February 1908 he had ridden some forty winners. Kelso took Pike with him to England, but after a cold winter they returned home. Pike rode only two winners there, but impressed Lord Carnarvon, a leading owner.

P

ike had his first big wins in the Australian Cup on Pendil in 1909 and the Victoria Derby on Beverage next year. He dropped out of racing during World War I. On 19 July 1920 at St Jude's, Randwick, he married Barbara Daphne Hume. In the mid-1920s Pike had fourteen wins on The Hawke. In 1928-29 he rode Strephon to victory for Sol Green in the Victoria Derby and the Australian Jockey and Victoria Racing clubs St Legers; and on the miler Chatham he won two Epsom Handicaps in 1932-33 and the 1934 Doncaster carrying 10 st. 4 lb. (65 kg) on a sodden track after being left at the post.

H

owever Pike's name in racing will always be connected with the legendary Phar Lap. With Pike up for the first time Phar Lap won the 1929 Victoria Derby in record time and they began a remarkable connexion: they were together in 30 races for 27 wins including both St Legers. Pike and Phar Lap went into hiding after gunmen tried to kill the horse before the 1930 Melbourne Cup. Pike later said: 'We were never in doubt. We won as we liked'. However, weight prevented them winning the 1931 cup and Pike refused to ride the horse in the United States of America, where Phar Lap died. Horse and jockey were the darlings of the small punters in the Depression.

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I

n his last years as a jockey, Pike rode Peter Pan to many victories (a difficult task as the horse was apt to 'savage his rivals'), including the A.J.C. Derby and St Leger, but he missed the winning ride on him in the 1934 Melbourne Cup through suspension.

A

gentle rider who hated to use the whip, Pike was a wonderful judge of pace and could secure a 'tremendous effort from a horse through his masterly control and rare balance'. Defeated by increasing weight and the deleterious effects of constantly having to attempt to ride at 8 st. 10 lbs. (55 kg), he retired in April 1936.

His 129 wins in principal events included 9 Rosehill Spring Handicaps, 8 All Aged Stakes, 6 Victoria Derbys (4 consecutively in 1928-31), 3 A.J.C. Derbys, 3 A.J.C. St Legers, 3 V.R.C. St Legers, 2 Epsom and 2 Doncaster Handicaps; but 17 mounts in the Melbourne Cup brought him only one win and a third.

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nsuccessful as a trainer, Pike soon retired but continued to help apprentices.

Blue-eyed with a face lined from dieting, he was a man of inflexible integrity but always a compulsive gambler. As well as betting on horses, he was 'a fanatic on golf and cards, being willing to bet hundreds of pounds on a single game'. He died in poverty at his Bondi home on 7 October 1969 and was cremated with Anglican rites. His wife, son and daughter survived him.

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JIM PIKE

HIS OWN STORY

Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954), Tuesday 7 April 1936, page 12 JIM PIKE RELATES HIS LIFE STORY "My First Race Was A Race For Life"

By JIM PIKE. In this, the first of a series of articles, relating his life story, the famous jockey, Jim Pike, tells how he started his career, and recalls a humorous incident, in which he says his first race was a race for life.

I

was born at The Junction, just outside Newcastle and right on the site of the old racecourse. I didn't come of a horsey family, but there were hacks and ponies abroad to be ridden, and I learned to catch and ride these at will. My first race was a race for life. Some mates and I had learned from our elders how to use gelignite for killing fish in the nearby creek. One day we took our ponies and dogs to the water and set about making a catch. I prepared the charge in a bottle, with a long fuse, and threw it into the creek. But we didn't reckon with our dogs. One, a little foxie, was an infallible retriever of thrown sticks &c. In he dashed after the bottle, grabbed it, and came out towards us. I leapt into the saddle and rode hell-bent from the creek.

On came the dog in pursuit. I looked round, saw the dog still at file pony's heels, and spurred my mount to greater effort. I sat down and rode as I had never ridden before, and rarely have ridden since. I must have been gaining, for when there came a shattering explosion, it was now a long way behind. The dog had simply vanished – blown entirely to pieces. Shortly after that I tried to get a job at Arnott’s Biscuit Factory. My bluff that I was 14 years of age failed - I was so tiny a scrap of humanity.

Horse riding and racing even after that exhibition of skill in the saddle had never occurred to me as a means for fame or even to making a living. I decided to go and see Uncle George. Uncle George Pike kept the Exchange Hotel in Hunter Street, Newcastle. "What are you doing, wagging it again?" asked Uncle. “No,” I said, "The

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old man kicked me out to find a job.” “And what do you think you can do?” asked Uncle. I said that if he gave me the job of riding his horses, I might be able to earn my living, or at least my keep. “You're too young; and, anyhow you can't ride," said Uncle. "All right,’ I said, “you try me and see.” Just at that providential moment there entered Ernie Connors, a trainer who had horses at the hotel, and Uncle suggested that I should be put on one when they went for their afternoon exercise. Looking me over, Connors said "Just what we want—a good lightweight to ride the horses work."

That clinched it. A trial that very afternoon was agreed on, and my declaration that I could ride was put to the most stringent test. I could ride all right—when I was on those quiet old prads that wandered about the nearby paddocks, but I had never been on anything with a bit of blood, and when in the afternoon I was legged up on to one of Connors' thoroughbreds for afternoon exercise on the old Newcastle course, the animal must have known I was a novice. He pranced and bucked, and soon threw me. Up I got and remounted. This was repeated four or five times. But I remounted each time, and ultimately quietened his horse.

TURF MONTHLY 26

PIKE’S FIRST BIG WIN

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hat successful resolve to not let the big creature dominate my 3 st. 7 lb. was really my first big win. When we returned to the hotel, Uncle asked could I ride. "No," said Connors, "he can’t ride much, but he's game, and he keeps on trying. He’ll get on all right, so well keep him." I got the job, became established at the hotel, strapped horses, and rode them work. I became proficient and soon was the white-haired boy of the hotel. It was when I settled down to riding fast work on the track that I first developed real skill. Ernie Connors and other keen critics remarked that horses went well for the new youngster, and they prophesied my success as a jockey. But I had to go through a lot of tribulation before I fulfilled my ambition, and strangely enough, it was my very lightness and tiny stature which proved the drawback. I was given rides on Satin Vada, Dudley, and Miss Chance at northern race meetings. The last-named was dam later on, of My Chance, a famous pony which won races for over 45 years on the Sydney turf. Dan Lewis was in the district in those days, and actually gave me my first chance on a fancied horse. This was called Passion and ran at a Wallsend meeting. Lewis was keen on its chance. But that wasn't why I was put up. It was because I was the only youngster light enough available at the races that day. I still weighed only around 4 st. A rival named Archie Gilmour pipped me on the post on a horse named Gillow, and I went home crying bitter tears because I had failed to win the pretty little white saddle which was destined for the winning jockey in this race. Soon after this race-riding experience there was a row in the Connors camp and I cleared home to my father at the Junction, but I continued early morning rising to ride work at the training track, and that gave me my chance of getting to the city.

VISIT TO SYDNEY

V

eteran trainer W J Noud spotted me, considered I was a good horseman in the making and with a team took me to Sydney. But there the rule under which apprentices don't get permission to ride in races until they are 14 confined me to track exercise. But I took part in a notable track trial on one occasion during that visit. Fitzgrafton and Yabba Gabba, two famous gallopers of the time, were working at Randwick and one morning I rode Yabba Gabba and beat Fitzgrafton, who was Queensland's champion, and ultimately a weight-for-age champion performer in southern States. Such a defeat caused a stir, and there-were arguments about the weight of the jockeys, Fttzgrafton’s men declaring that Yabba Gabba must have had a big pull in the poundage. So off they went to the nearest scales. Cyril Bolton, rider of the Queenslander then weighed about 7 st. Of course, at less than 4 st, I actually

TURF MONTHLY 27

gave Yabba Gabba an enormous pull, but the trainer of the mare wouldn't admit it. They got to a stage where there was big betting on the weights. Bolton got on the scale and 7 st. showed. Then Yabba Gabba's man handed me the saddle, and just as I was about to take it and step on to the scales, I bowed under the weight.

Down tumbled two great wedges of lead which had been concealed beneath the saddle. I had been expected to keep them there, but they weighed 3 st., and were too heavy for me to hold, and thus crashed the hopes of the Yabba Gabba argument.

I went back to Newcastle and my riding ups-and-downs began afresh. Those upsand-downs were actual as well as figurative. I was on a horse named Encroacher at a Wallsend meeting. The race was a novice, the "mug race" they called it, and there were over 30 starters. I had No. 1 at the barrier, the old plug I rode was as slow as a funeral, and as the field dashed past me, I was knocked all over the track, and the wonder was Encroacher stood up at all. The starter, a Mr Renfrey, was all sympathy afterwards. But his sympathy didn't take the form that I appreciated. "My word, I did get a scare," declared the starter, "when I saw you there in No. 1. As a matter of fact, I couldn't see you, you were so small, but I knew you were there, and I called the others over and told them to be careful, not to put that new kid over the rails when they jumped off. Some of them couldn't help jamming over to the inside, and my heart was in my mouth. I don’t know how you kept going.”

TURF MONTHLY 28

Jim Pike with Mr WW Hill of Tattersall’s on his retirement

TOO SMALL TO RIDE

T

he upshot was that Mr. Renfrey suggested I shouldn't be allowed to ride. I was too small. The stewards agreed, and my permission was withdrawn. A little later, when I had grown and filled out—to 4 st. 7 lb.—l was allowed to ride in races again.

But I was still only about 12 years of age, and some nark found that out, so out I went again. This time I was stood down because I was too young. So for nearly two years all I could look forward to was riding exercise on the tracks, and no influence or anything else seemed capable of shifting officials from keeping me out of the game until I was 14. Perhaps it was just as well in the long run, though I know that at 12 and 13 I would have started my success as soon as I got the opening.

TURF MONTHLY 29

PETER PAN

IN JIM PIKE’S OWN WORDS

Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1931 - 1954), Monday 6 April 1936, page 27 Things I Never Told – Pike’s Life Story Playful Habit Marred Peter Pan's Record IN TODAY'S INSTALMENT OF HIS LIFE STORY JIM PIKE TELLS OF HIS ASSOCIATION WITH PETER PAN. HE REVEALS HOW PETER PAN'S PLAYFUL HABITS COST HIM A NUMBER OF RACES. Pike pays a special tribute to Mr. R. R. Dangar owner of the dual Melbourne Cup winner. He ranks Mr. Dangar as the finest sportsman he has ridden for.

Pike's story is exclusive to the Daily Telegraph.

By JIM PIKE, Australia's greatest jockey IF I guessed that Peter Pan was a good one in the making, I hadn't much to help me. I hadn't engaged early for the Derby that year, 1932, and when I saw Peter Pan merely dead-heat with a second-rater, Babili, in a novice at Warwick Farm, it wasn't sufficiently striking to indicate how good he was. He certainly came from a long way back to do that, but performances in novice company can be deceiving.

Next time out, however, he showed two things, that he was going to be a good horse, and that wet, heavy going would never be a disadvantage for him. For in those conditions, he won the Hill Stakes, the weight-for-age mile race at Rosehill Spring meeting. By the time I had been engaged for him in the Derby, but as I said, there had been no early indication of what the stable expected of Peter Pan. Mr. McGrath is very deep in racing matters and doesn't tell you much; and it wasn't until he was actually legging me up to ride Peter Pan on Derby day that he gave me his real idea of him. That, by the way, was the first time I had ever put a leg across Peter Pan, when I went into the saddle to ride him for that Derby. I had not ridden him previously in a race or even an exercise gallop. But apparently Mr. McGrath trusted my aptitude to soon learn all about him. Anyhow, he said: "Only an accident will beat you in this race, Jim. I think he is a good thing to win it. Jump him out of the barrier and be up close with them. Give him time to get balanced, and then get within striking distance of the leaders and sit in behind two or three until you get into the straight. Then come to the front as quickly as

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you can, and I will be very surprised if anything is able to bother him in the run home." His parting sally was "Barring accidents, he's a good thing, Jim." So off I went, with that ringing in my ears. But Peter Pan was a bit playful, I found on the way to the machine, and it began to make me wish that I had had a bit of experience of his ways. But worse was to come. Peter Pan began to kick round him at the barrier, and, of course, it made me frightened that it would get him into trouble in the race. As a matter of fact, it had a disadvantage, for he was making one of his kicks when the starter pulled the lever, and that meant that Peter jumped badly, and was off his balance. I had to grab hold of him and nurse him until he got well balanced instead of obeying Mr. McGrath's orders to have him well up. However, Peter had brilliance, and I let him work his way up gradually until at the seven furlongs he was running third. I stayed there, as I was bidden, until we got round the turn. Then I shoved him, and he went on and won the Derby well, but I had to keep shoving him right to the finish, for although he was already a good tiling a long way from home, I felt that such a green colt as he still was, might do anything if I let up.

Jim Pike with Bert Page, assistant starter, at Randwick TURF MONTHLY 31

CHAMPION'S EFFORT As long as I persevered, he kept going, and I knew then that he was a good colt, and a generous galloper when the pressure was applied. In fact, he showed me enough to mark him down as one who would be outstanding with experience.

Though I couldn't ride him again because all his immediate Spring engagements were at light weights, for he wasn't in the Victoria Derby, I was soon to see that this was right. His Melbourne Cup performance after almost falling near the five furlongs was an achievement that only a champion could rise to. Of course, I wasn't near enough to get a close-up of the actual details of that incident, because I didn't ride in the race, but from what Billy Duncan has told me I would say that his success, after being on his nose, and conceding such a huge start to Yarramba, stamped it as one of the best performances ever seen in a Melbourne Cup in all its history. In all his three-year-old season I had only two mounts on Peter Pan, in the Derby and the Leger. He won the latter fairly well from Oro and Kuvera, but in this he began to give signs of the playfulness that later was to cost him races — important races that his owner, Mr. Rodney Dangar, would have given much to win. As he went wrong early in the following Spring, my next association with Peter wasn't until the following Autumn, 1934. By then he had developed into a robust and powerful thoroughbred, an outsize in weight and size, and strong as a lion. He won the Autumn Plate and Cumberland Stakes and then, of course, was considered a certainty for the King's Cup on the last day of that autumn meeting at Randwick. But his playfulness cost him the race. I took him to the front early in the straight, knowing that Rogilla, whom I considered my most dangerous rival, would take longer to get through the ruck, and thus I would have the advantage of his powerful finish. But just as I got well on my way to victory Kuvera, with a brilliant burst of speed that fairly surprised me, came closely along on the outside.

JUST PLAYFUL Peter Pan immediately turned his head as if to savage the newcomer but actually that wasn't his purpose. He merely wanted to play with the newcomer instead of going on with his work, and, of course, with this distraction, he wasn't doing his best. Nor was he stretching out as he should with his head turned in Kuvera 's direction. The result was that Darby Munro saw the opening on my inside, from which the earlier leaders had dropped away, and he took Rogilla in there with that lightning-like finish of his, he won the Cup by half a head. If Peter Pan had had his head round — even straight — he would have been in front. But if he had been stretching out in real earnest without that distraction, he couldn't have lost

TURF MONTHLY 32

the Cup. And that of course would have given his owner, Mr. Dangar, the race and the Royal prize he coveted most of all those that Peter Pan ever contested. It was a curious habit of Peter Pan's. He was like a big playboy who, as soon as he got company, wanted to stop racing, and have a game with any horse near him. He did it many times in races, but except on two occasions it didn't result in defeat.

Strangely enough the other instance also gave Rogilla victory. This was in the Spring Stakes of 1934 at Randwick. He had the race won but turned his attentions to Rogilla. and the latter beat him a head. There was still another curious race in the Autumn Plate at Randwick last Easter; He was on the rails and didn't turn to have his usual fun when Rogilla ranged alongside. There was a great tussle and it looked as if he might be beaten. But with the rails to guide him he completely ignored Rogilla, with the result that he beat him a head this time. The pair had many great tussles, and at a mile and a half there wasn't much between them, both at their best. But Peter was the superior horse, and if he paid attention to his racing, he would have beaten Rogilla every time, except, of course, when he was not quite wound up. Peter Pan wasn't a vicious rogue. He never once savaged another horse. Nor did he attempt to. He just turned his head when they came close, and you can realise in the circumstances he didn't go his fastest. It wasn't that he resented their coming close to him in a desperate or crowding finish. As a matter of fact, he was the best horse I ever rode in a jostling race. Early in a contest when they were jumbled up and fighting for positions, he would go through his horses in a way that always reminded me of a fearless rover in the football field. He was like a big hero who feared no foe and would cut a path through wherever I pressed him to go. He made no advances to others in playfulness in these early stages of a race, but towards the end of a race it was always likely, especially when there was a horse on either side. Perhaps he thought, having his race won, he could discard his task and go on with the game with his fellow thoroughbred creatures. Several times it was very disconcerting for me, and, of course, nobody regretted more than I did the loss of the King's Cup through such a folly. I had been suspended when Peter Pan's second Melbourne Cup approached and thus missed the opportunity of being associated with another great performance of his. How he won that in the mud with 9.10 in a runaway fashion as if he had just joined in at the home turn the last time round showed what a phenomenal horse he was in the mud with his great courage and stamina. But then came the amazing transformation in Peter Pan. He became a sprinter and put up a new Australasian mile record. How this transformation could happen is something of a miracle in the history of thoroughbred racing. I have seen sprinters develop stamina, but when Peter Pan, after winning two Melbourne Cups and the slowing up process that such preparations necessitate developed speed, well, I was fairly bamboozled. In his younger days he

TURF MONTHLY 33

was definitely a slow beginner who always took time to get balanced and muster speed. That characteristic prevailed for just on three years of his career. After his final Cup win with 9st. 10lb. under such distressing circumstances, you would expect to find him slower than ever. But not so. Within five months of that great staying feat, we find him winner of the All Aged Stakes at Randwick over a mile in 1.35. That autumn, he presaged this brilliant triumph with success in City Tattersall's Randwick Stakes of a mile, the nine furlongs Rawson Stakes at Rosehill, the mile and a half A.J.C. Autumn Plate, all of course at weight-for-age. In all these he jumped straight into his stride, and soon showed that he could hold any position.

Always he had his races won before he came to the home turn. His method of running races had become revolutionised. I discussed this with Mr. McGrath, and it was then agreed that he should tackle the All Aged Stakes instead of the longer events at the A.J.C. autumn meeting of 1935. Hall Mark and Silver King, who had just run first and third in the mile Doncaster on the first day of the meeting, were engaged, and Silver Ring, a brilliant N.Z. galloper, who had won an Epsom. Peter Pan simply beat them pointless. He was never further back than third and going easily to hold such a forward position. I knew I had it won a long way from home, and when he mustered a real speed from the turn home, he went at a wonderful rate. He beat Hall Mark by three lengths, and made it look pretty obvious that If connections cared to enter him for that Doncaster, he could have won it.

FIGHTING FINISH I was rather surprised that he had run such a record as 1.35 for the mile, because he was going a long way below his top in the early stage. So, I worked it out that he must have flown home over the last three furlongs, and If anybody had an accurate gauge of the furlongs I should say that he ran the last three furlongs in 34Jsec.

Of course, when he downed Chatham in the Maitland Stakes at Victoria Park before his second Melbourne Cup, it showed that he could muster speed over the shorter journeys, and I'll guarantee that the way he Improved in this respect with age, he would have won a six furlongs race without any trouble. I remarked jokingly to Frank McGrath that he had better have a go at the next Newmarket, after that All Aged win. I have ridden for many fine owners, whose sporting instincts I appreciated, but Mr. R. R. Dangar, I think, was the daddy of them all. It didn't matter what was the result of the race, he always came round to the official quarters and sent somebody into the jockeys' room for me. Then he would say, if I had won the race, "Well done, Jim; you rode him splendidly." But the thing I appreciated most was his being there when I hadn't won. If Peter Pan had met defeat the message still would come in that Mr. Dangar wanted to see me, and out I would go.

"Bad luck," he would say. "It couldn't be helped, though. There'll be plenty more days for him to win, so I'm not worrying, and I hope you are not."

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GREAT SPORTSMAN When he made his mile record at Randwick Peter Pan gave Mr. Dangar as great a thrill as if he had won a betting coup. That was a race where no money could be won because Peter was at 6 to 4 on. But when he ran the mile in 1.35 it was as pleasing to Mr. Dangar as a Cup triumph. No doubt it showed him what a great horse he had bred to carry his colours. It gave him the true thrill of creation and possession. I don't know that he was better pleased over any race. The only time I saw Mr. Dangar despondent was when I was suspended for the spring of 1934, and he knew he would have to seek a new rider. I had to report progress of the appeal, and when I lost that he was very cast down, but as much on my account as for his lack of a rider for Peter. He seemed to have made up his mind definitely, long before that Centenarv Melbourne Cup, that Peter Pan was certain to win it.

He said, "Well, Jim, that's bad luck. I would have liked you to be on him and win this Cup. But never mind. There'll be other times you can win a Cup on him." And I verily believe that Mr. Dangar was confident Peter Pan would win that 1934 Cup, and next year be ready to win the next one with me on his back. However, that was not to be.

Dangar and Pike

TURF MONTHLY 35

DARK KSAR

THE FORGOTTEN SON OF YATTENDON

D

ark Ksar was a son of Ksar Royal out of the mare Gentle Pal. In all he was to start 81 times for 13 wins amassing prizemoney of over $1 million. Interestingly with those horses who trace back to Peter Pan, we see again a strong Queensland connection. In the case of Dark Ksar, he had his first race start as a 2yo at Doomben on 29 December 1990. He finished third of nine runners that day when ridden by Jason Babarovich who now has a joint jockey/trainers licence at Mount Isa in North West Queensland. After three runs as a 2yo, Dark Ksar was spelled and resumed as a 3yo in Adelaide. He was to record his first win in a race at Balaklava in September that was worth $2210 dollars to the winner which brings a little balance into the overall prizemoney of some of the wonderful horses we talk about here. Dark Ksar followed up his win with a third behind Turjuman in the Listed Adelaide Guineas and then ran second at Morphettville before heading off for another break. The Autumn of his 3yo season saw him again place at Morphettville prior to heading to Melbourne, winning his first start there at Moonee Valley over 1600m. A win in the Listed Schweppes Cup over 1600m beating Famous Nick followed before he finished third behind champion Naturalism in the Group 2 Alister Clark over 2040m. In Sydney, he was sixth behind Naturalism and Veandercross in a vintage Rosehill Guineas before putting in a sub-standard run to finish fifth in the Listed Five Star Stakes behind Red For Go. Connections then returned Dark Ksar to Melbourne where he won the St Leger at Flemington over 2800m beating Subzero.

The grey turned the tables on Dark Ksar in the SA Derby a few weeks later back in Adelaide as the duo again quinellaed the race. Subzero then went on to win the Group 1 Adelaide Cup while Dark Ksar finished a well beaten eleventh before again heading to the paddock.

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eturning as a 4yo, Dark Ksar was a promising second over 1200m in the Group 3 Spring Stakes on a heavy 10 at Morphettville. On another bog track, he finished fifth behind Ready To Explode in the Toorak at Caulfield before failing in the mud behind Mannerism and Veandercross in the Caulfield Cup of 1992 both times with Michael Clark on board. Damien Oliver rode Dark Ksar to finish midfield in the Werribee Cup behind Sky Flyer, and the horse returned to Adelaide where he was placed twice and finished fourth in the Port Adelaide Cup. The following Autumn he won first up at Flemington over 1400m, and again third up over 2000m at the same track. He then was sent to Brisbane for the Winter, running second in the Gold Coast Cup behind Royal Magic with Alf Matthews in the saddle. Jim Cassidy joined Dark Ksar to win the Group 2 PJ O’Shea Stakes at Eagle Farm beating Air Seattle before heading off for a spell. The Spring saw him have only two runs, the first a second in Adelaide before going to Hong Kong where he was unplaced in the Hong Kong Cup with Mick Dittman riding. Back in the Autumn, he finished fifth in the Blamey behind Durbridge before going to Sydney to win the Group 1 Ranvet beating Kingston Bay, with Jim Cassidy again having the mount. A good second behind Miltak in the Group 1 BMW was followed by a midfield run in the Sydney Cup won by Cross Swords.

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ow a 6yo, Dark Ksar’s Spring was not a memorable one, although he was to finish fourth in both the Craiglee Stakes behind Mahongany and in the Underwood Stakes behind Jeune. The Autumn also found the gelding struggle to find his best form, but in Sydney Wayne Harris steered him to fourth placing in the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes before finishing a close second to Daacha in the Group 1 Sydney Cup. The following Spring saw Dark Ksar run a good third to Pindi and Quick Ransom in the Queen Elizabeth at Flemington before heading over to Perth where he won the Cox Stakes beating Beau Heed before running fifth to Crying Game in the Perth Cup. The Autumn saw the gelding outclassed in his three runs behind some of the greats trailing behind Saintly in the Australian Cup, Octagonal in the Mercedes and Count Chivas in the Sydney Cup. Dark Ksar was to return to the winner’s list at his second start as a 7yo in an Open Handicap at Geelong over 1700m. He was again unplaced in stakes races in Victoria, but a return to Adelaide saw him finish fourth in the Queen’s Cup over 2000m at Morphettville and second in the Port Adelaide Cup. He had another win in an Open handicap at Victoria Park and was kept in work to eventually run second in the Group 3 Rain Lover behind Skybeau over 2400m, fourth in the 3200m Adelaide Cup behind Cronus, and another Group win in the Adelaide St Leger over 2800m beating Top Rating.

After a spell, the now 8yo returned for his final campaign that saw his best result a fourth in the Grooup 3 Coongy Handicap over 2100m at Sandown. Dark Ksar had his final race start on 27 December 1997 finishing ninth behind Voodoo Beat in the Port Adelaide Cup to round off a quality career for this descendant of Peter Pan.

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SAM SUNG A SONG A GRANDSON OF APOLLUA

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am Sung A Song traces back to the daughter of Peter Pan in Constant Hope.

This gelding sees Apollua as his second dam He was son of the imported stallion Timber Country, an impressively performed US galloper who had won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and Champagne Stakes as a 2yo, and the famed Preakness Stakes at three. The stallion was based in Japan and came to Australia for only four seasons.

He came from 1998 to 2000 and then returned some six years later in 2006 following the success of his best local runner in Eremein. He had only moderate success, producing only two other stakes winners apart from Eremein and Sam Sung A Song in Timbourina and Lord Of The Land. Interestingly, Sam Sung A Song was also to race as a 2yo, making his debut on 25 January 2003 running fifth behind Safety over 1100m at Rosehill. His only other start at that age was in a Wyong Maiden two weeks later when he was to finish sixth of thirteen runners. Returning as a 3yo, he was to win his first start also at Wyong over 1100m when ridden by a young Hugh Bowman for trainer Gerald Ryan. A placing at Canterbury and another at Wyong were the highlights of his Spring, and even when he returned in the Autumn, he appeared a better developed horse. Over the season, he was to have consecutive wins over 1400m and 1600m at Randwick before heading to Brisbane where he struck a heavy ten in the Group 2 Queensland Guineas at Eagle Farm. He was to finish thirteenth of the twenty runners behind Winning Belle and Toulouse Lautrec in a race where the field ran the last 600m in 38.20 and 1.40.3 overall for the 1600m.

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he Spring of his 4yo season saw Sam Sung A Song win the 1000m Listed City Tatts Lightning on the Kensington beating Fouradee. A fourth in the Safilo Cup at Hawkesbury over 1300m followed, with a win in an Open Handicap at Randwick next. Sam Sung A Song then finished second to Ike’s Dream in the Listed Festival Stakes over 1400m at Rosehill, before being well fancied over a mile in the Villier’s where he finished ninth behind the same horse., beaten 4.5 lengths in race record time when being sixteenth at the 400m and finishing strongly. He was to have only two starts in the Autumn for a win in the Liverpool Cup bearing Falkirk over 1200m at Warwick Farm, and a sixth of eight behind Dance Hero in the Canterbury Stakes. Sam Sung A Song was ridden by Stathi Katsidis when returning for third in the Listed Starlight Stakes over 1100m at Rosehill in September 2005. Despite a moderate run in the Shorts behind Black Ink and Mustard, the gelding was taken to Melbourne where his best result was a fifth behind Rockford Bay in the Group 3 Yallambee at Flemington. Back in Sydney, Sam Sung A Song ran fourth behind Wild Queen in the Hawkesbury Cup and fifth behind Aqua D’Amore in the Villiers before heading out for a spell. He was to race on until February 2007 but never recaptured his best form. His final start was to be in the Goulbourn Cup where he finished eighth behind Serkelt.

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ROCKET TO GLORY A QTIS STAR

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ocket To Glory is at this point in time the most recent stakes winner to trace to a daughter of Peter Pan. He also shares a strong Queensland connection having been owned in part by Central Queensland racing identity, Rob Luck and trained

by Mackay based John Manzelmann. The gelding was bred by Basil Nolan at his Raheen Stud near Warwick by Shovhog out of English Summer. The family also traces back to Constant Hope by Peter Pan. The gelding was to coincidentally have his first trial as a 2yo in Mackay where he beat two other Manzelmann horses, but more importantly was ridden by Jason Babarovich who rode Dark Ksar in his first race start. It was Trinity Bannon though that was legged on board Rocket To Glory when he was fifth at Rockhampton in a 1050m maiden on 21 October 2010. A trip to Doomben saw him finish last but a return to North Queensland saw him win a 2yo race at Townsville before a short break. Returning in February, the well-backed favourite did not beat a runner home on a heavy track in Mackay and then lost his rider in the 2yo QTIS 600 feature race there. Hoping for a change of luck, Rocket To Glory went to Darryl Hansen who had moved to the Sunshine Coast. The gelding ran second to Amber’s Crown in another of the QTIS 600 feature races at Ipswich before finishing fifth in the Listed Hampden Stakes at Doomben. Rocket To Glory then returned back north to win at Townsville and then claimed the prestigious Parry Nissan for 2yo’s at the same track. In Rockhampton, he won their feature QTIS 600 2yo race earning almost $100,000 for his victory. He returned to Brisbane for his last 2yo run, this time earning $160,000 by beating Noisy Ocean over 1400m at Eagle Farm in the final QTIS 600 2yo Plate for the season.

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he gelding had only five starts as a 3yo, finishing fifth in the Listed Gold Edition at Doomben on New Year’s Eve. He led and compounded badly in both the Vo Rogue and Magic Millions Guineas before being off the scene until September when he was back in Mackay, winning a class six. Rocket To Glory then moved to the stable of Tony Gollan for the rest of his career, finishing third in the Magic Millions Sprint over 1000m in January 2013. The following Spring he won three races at Doomben and was to finish behind Better Than Ready at Eagle Farm. He continued to race competitively around Brisbane, and by the Spring of 2014 had run third behind Time To Plunder in the Listed Keith Noud Stakes having earlier beaten two quality gallopers in Rudy and The Storeman over 1200m at Doomben.

The following Autumn was to see the gelding achieve his biggest success when he beat Cape Kidnappers and Whiskey Allround by over a length in the Listed Chief De Beers Handicap at Doomben over 1110m. In June he ran third in the Group 3 WJ Healy Stakes behind Dothraki and then was third in the Listed Ramornie Stakes at Grafton behind Rock Royalty. Rocket To Glory was off the scene for over nine months after that run, and after winning a trial, returned to the paddock with injury problems. He finally returned to the races at the end of 2016 but was retired after finishing tenth of eleven runners in the Listed Keith Noud behind Too Good To Refuse. In all, the gelding had won fourteen of 53 starts, and $823,075 in prizemoney.

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GLOBAL GLAMOUR THE LATEST LINE OF APOLLUA

Global Glamour winning the 1000 Guineas

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lobal Glamour is one of the most recent stakes winners that trace to the wonderful Apollua. Coincidentally, her foals have been sold through Magic Millions in past years. The mare is by Star Witness out of Spectacula by Testa Rossa and was trained by Gai Waterhouse. She made her racetrack debut on 30 January 2016, winning a 2yo Maiden over 1000m at Kembla Grange on a heavy track. She led all of the way at the prohibitive odds of $1.50. After a spell, Global Glamour returned as a 3yo in an ambitious attempt at the Furious Stakes at Randwick in September over 1200m. Again on a heavy track, the mare underlined her quality by running third behind Foxplay. A sixth in the Tea Rose followed before the mare won the Group 1 Flight Stakes beating Sezanne to take the race that Apollua had won many years before. The filly then went to Melbourne to put up a sterling performance to win the 1000 Guineas in a race that she was challenged repeatedly in the straight but managed to fight on to win.

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let-up after her Melbourne trip saw her head to the Gold Coast where she finished second to Flying Jess in the rich 3yo Magic Millions Guineas. Back in Sydney by the Autumn, Global Glamour won the Light Fingers Stakes narrowly holding off Foxplay, her old rival. A third in the Surround Stakes followed before she failed in the Coolmore. Global Glamour then finished off her 3yo season by running second to Derryn in the Group 2 Arrowfield Stakes with Impending in

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third. As a 4yo, the mare returned to win the Group 2 Tristarc in Melbourne before finishing ninth in the Group 1 Myer Classic. Again her campaign took her to the Gold Coast but she finished sixth behind Invincibella in the Magic Millions fillies and mares race. A fourth in the Expressway behind Trapeze Artist and Showtime followed, and she was then to run second in both the Apollo Stakes behind Endless Drama, and in the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes behind Happy Clapper. Her last run as a 4yo saw her finish a disappointing ninth in the Group 1 TJ Smith behind Trapeze Artist and Redzel. Global Glamour had only one start the following Spring, failing in the Group 3 How Now Stakes at Caulfield before retirement.

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he mare ended her career with over $1.5 million in prizemoney and five wins from 19 starts. At stud she has visited Zoustar and Justify in her first two seasons before failing to produce foals in her next two. She has an early cover to Snitzel in the 2022 season. Her first foal named Scientist by Zoustar has had three starts winning a 3yo Maiden at Warwick Farm, while her Justify called Just Glamorous is an unraced 2yo. It looks like the lines of Apollua though are going to continue well into the future.

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MAGIC MILLIONS

AND SOME OF THE NEW STALLIONS

Hellbent

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agic Millions is always an important time on Australian thoroughbred calendar.

While the prizemoney on offer is a highlight of this, the restricted nature of the event will always mean that it traditionally will not have the widespread appeal of the Golden Slipper as an example. We write this prior to the sale and to the race being run in 2023, and will have a wrap up next month of some of the results but there are some interesting factors that we would like to make mention of before then. The main feature of the sale is the appearance of the first yearlings of the new stallions and this year sees some remarkable stallions of offer. For our regular readers, we have highlighted these freshman stallions in previous editions. Another feature is the often forgotten second season stallions. Such is the fickleness of the thoroughbred industry that we see stallions whose first runners have only had three months of a season to make their mark, are often on a knife-edge in their careers.

Rumours of the progeny in the stallion and their performance to date, or lack of it, can impact their immediate sales prices in the January sale and ultimately their future. We are particularly interested in looking at some of these second season stallions because there have been such high profile stallions among them who have yet to make their mark. The 2023 field is dominated by stallions who have been atop the sires’ tables for years with Snitzel and I Am Invincible well represented.

The local Queenslanders in Better Than Ready and Spirit Of Boom also have good representation in the final field. The newcomers don’t seem to be making much of an impact at present. As another aside to breeding, a look at the pedigrees of many of the starters see that they are dominated by overseas families who have been in Australia for only one or two generations. For those students of breeding, we see TURF MONTHLY 46

that our local thoroughbred is at a crossroad as to their future. Historically, in my view, we have seen in Australia that stallions will impart speed to their progeny while the mares have largely introduced stamina. This is one of the reasons that NZ mares have played such a key role in the ANZ breed. While we have always relied on imported mares for improving our breed, it would seem that on face value, that this trend may be accelerating especially with the dominance of such powerful studs on our industry.

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f the second season stallions on offer, The Autumn Sun and Justify will have support, but it is the Darley stallion Harry Angel who looks to have made the most impressive start to his career to date. He has a good one in Melbourne called Arkansaw Kid who is not a Magic Million graduate but could easily show up in the big 2yo races in the Autumn. The son of Dark Angel has only seven yearlings in the sale but these could attract strong interest from buyers based in his early runners.

We have yet to mention those stallions with their third crops of yearlings who are really at the crossroads. The only one of these to have a runner is Hellbent, and this son of I Am Invincible has made a good start to his career. He is represented by the filly, Fire Lane. Hellbent featured in our Freshman series in February 2021. It is always nice when we get some things right, and we said about him at the time that breeders may be best served by staying away from additional lines of Danzig and to look for Star Kingdom lines. Fire Lane sees her damsire as Charge Forward who features Bletchingly in his pedigree, while we see that there are no lines of Danzig in the female line. Before branching out into writing for a variety of racing publications, the Editor spent most of his time with Progold Thoroughbreds, a breeding and bloodstock consultancy which allows a unique insight into the pedigrees that we look at in Turf Monthly.

Harry Angel

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