Turf Monthly July 2022 by turfmonthly

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TURF

July 2022

THIS MONTH

SPION KOP - THE LEGACY OF SPEARMINT RESEARCH - A GREAT FILLY KINGSTON TOWN - THE ONE AND ONLY PLUS A LOT MORE

Editor’s Letter Nature Strip again showed the quality of Australia’s sprinting stock by dominating a quality field in the King’s Stand at Ascot. It cannot help but take readers, who are old enough that is, back to Choisir’s wonderful efforts all those years ago. While it is truly a remarkable effort, it also highlights just how good a Northern Hemisphere stayer has to be to come to Australia and win the Melbourne Cup. While it doesn’t happen often, it truly is a Herculean task. Without wanting to start an argument, I think it is fair to say that it is more difficult to train a stayer under those conditions than a sprinter who can probably afford to miss some work with less impact than those running two miles. I realise this is a generalisation, but there is the added hurdle of adjusting to a much more extreme climate going from an English winter to an Australian summer than vice versa. I want to be very clear here that I love a lot of the Northern Hemisphere bloodlines. They certainly offer something different to what we see here which is critical to the long term health of the breed. For the life of me though I cannot see why Australian breeders in many cases would choose to breed to the imported speed lines rather than our local lines. Obviously there are a lot of benefits to these lines, but if you are looking for a horse to go on and win a Golden Slipper or Magic Millions, like much of the industry is focussed on, then it is certainly hard to go past the outstanding local speed lines. Of course, that is only part of the picture, and the pedigree is more than trying to breed a 2yo. But buyers and breeders who are looking at the overseas lines and expecting them to be something they are not, are doomed to disappointment.

CONTENTS 4

Spion Kop

Spion Kop - The Daughters

Battle Song

Research

Felstead

Felstead Sons

Abbots Fell

Jim Bendrodt

Felstead Daughters

Kingston Town

Having said that, we see that Nature Strip has a pedigree full of overseas influences. But it is mixed with successful lines that are proven under local conditions. As always, balance is the key and if there is one lesson that we should all learn about the thoroughbred, and indeed about life itself, is that it is always about balance.

COVER PHOTO 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

TURF MONTHLY 3

THIS MONTH

SPION KOP

SPION KOP THE FOUNDATION

ajor Giles Loder inherited Eyrefield Lodge Stud upon the death of his uncle, Major Eustace Loder in 1914. The Loder family incidentally had made its fortune through great grandfather, Giles Loder who found his empire in Russia. Reportedly he was worth £3,000,000, a huge sum in the 1800’s. Giles’ only son, Robert, left eight sons including Eustace who left his thoroughbred empire to Giles. Among Eustace’s greatest thoroughbreds as we have discussed were Spearmint, Pretty Polly and another wonderful mare in Hammerkop. Hammerkop from 1902 to 1909, starting 51 times. She won the July Stakes at Newmarket, two Alexandra Plates at Ascot, the Yorkshire Oaks, the Great Yorkshire Handicap, and the Cesarewitch. She also ran second in the Epsom Oaks and her winnings totalled £10,793. When mated with Spearmint, she produced her only winner, Spion Kop who was foaled in 1917. TURF MONTHLY 5

pion Kop was a strong, handsome bay colt with a white blaze and four white feet. He was trained by the Loder’s family trainer, Peter Purcell Gilpin at Newmarket who had trained all of Eustace’s champions. Racing as a 2yo, Spion Kop had six starts without winning, although he did run second five times and third in his other start. He was handicapped at the end of the season with 102 pounds, some 20 pounds short of the best of his year. Gilpin was always convinced that the colt would be a much better 3yo, and his judgment was vindicated when he won his first start at that age at Ripon easily and was set on a path to the Derby. Remembering that it was a very different time to today, Spion Kop did not appear in public again until the Derby. Gilpin though had galloped the colt against his best three-yearolds in Sarchedon, Comrade and Paragon and, finishing last, the colt’s odds in the Derby continued to drift. The stable jockey Arthur Smith rode Sarchedon in the Derby which underlined a string of bad luck for Smith. The year before, Smith had rejected the Derby ride on eventual winner Grand Parade. Instead, American jockey Frank O’Neill took the mount on Spion Kop. The King and Queen were among an estimated crowd of 250,000 on an unusually hot day. Favourite in the field of 19 was 2000 Guineas winner Tetratema by The Tetrarch who was suspect at the distance. Spion Kop started at 100/6. As expected, Tetratema went to an early lead, but was troubled by Abbot’s Trace and a furious pace ensued. Spion Kop settled at the rear

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Spion Kop winning the Derby

and watched the favourite drop out of contention around the half-way mark of the journey. Abbot’s Trace led into the straight, but O’Neill had made ground quickly, and by the three furlong mark (600m) had hit the front and went on to race away winning by two lengths from Archaic and Orpheus in a race record time of 2.34.8. A tiring Abbot’s Trace bumped with Sarchedon in the closing stages and fell while Sarchedon under Smith finished an unlucky fourth.

pion Kop narrowly escaped a fire which destroyed his horse box but suffered no ill effects and was sent to France for the Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp which was the richest race in the world at the time being worth £12,000 to the winner. It was a race that had been won by Spearmint. It was a rough house affair with Spion Kop “treated like a shuttlecock” according to newspaper reports of the day and finishing unplaced behind Comrade despite starting joint favourite. In the Autumn, he was narrowly beaten by Abbot’s Trace in a two-horse race at Derby, beaten only a short head. He started favourite in the St Leger but was unplaced behind Caligula. His final start as a 3yo in the Champion Stakes again saw him unplaced, this time behind Orpheus. As a 4yo, Spion Kop returned in the Coronation Cup but was well beaten behind Silvern. He stepped up to two and a half miles in the Ascot Gold Cup and finished fourth behind Periosteum but was promoted to third on protest. He continued to remain in work, but interruptions to his preparation saw him fail to line up for another race.

e was retired to Connell Stud by Loder and went on to become a good stallion noted primarily for his quality stayers. Among his best progeny were the Derby winning Felstead, Kopi, who won the Irish Derby, his good daughter Bongrace who won the Doncaster and Jockey Club Cups, The Bastard who won the Yorkshire Cup, and the full brothers Hill Song and Battle Song who both won the Irish St Leger.

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SPION KOP has inbreeding of 11.72%. We see that despite this level of inbreeding, none appears before the fourth and fifth generations when we see the presence of Thunderbolt. We also see multiple lines of Newminster, but perhaps more significantly it is the seven lines of Stockwell that are most influential. Stockwell is also the sire of Thunderbolt, and a son of Pocahontas who we see also appearing in the pedigree through another son in King Tom.

SPION KOP THE DAUGHTERS

Bongrace

ongrace was owned by Lord Rosebery. She won the Newmarket Jockey Club Cup in 1926 beating the older stallion, Glomming by a neck in a field of five. She was to win a total of eight races in her career. At stud, her best runner was Ribbon by Fairway who won the 1942 Middle Park Stakes. She was the champion juvenile filly and as a 3yo ran second in the 1,000 Guineas, Oaks, and St Leger Stakes. Her daughter Laurel by Hyperion produced Lark by Chanteur who won the Group 3 Cheshire Oaks at Chester and Cornwallis Stakes at Ascot. Lark’s full sister Laverock though was to be the one to continue the legacy of this line ultimately being responsible for Hurricane Run by Montjeu.

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he German bred Hurricane Run was purchased by Michael Tabor and trained by Andre Fabre. He was a champion 3yo winning the European Horse of the Year and being the top ranked horse in the world for that season. Among his wins that season were the Irish Derby and Prix de l’Arc De Triophe. As a 4yo he won the Tattersall’s Gold Cup at The Curragh and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. In all Hurricane Run won 8 of his 14 career starts and £2,447,602 in prizemoney. Sadly, his promising stud career was cut short when he died on the operating table at only 14yo. He sired Ectot who won the French Criterium International and USA Turf Classic Stakes both at Group 1 level. Interestingly, his sons that came to Australia had good success with Havana Cooler, Magic Hurricane and Murphy's Delight all winning black type races.

wo daughters by Sandwich were also to continue the influence of Bongrace. Bonnet continues an international influence but has had little impact in Australia apart from the stallion Raise A Stanza who stood at Eureka Stud in Queensland during the 1990’s. He had won five stakes races in the US including the Grade 2 Silver Screen, Cinema and San Carlos Handicaps. He won seven from 29 starts and almost half a million dollars in stakes. Raise A Stanza was a prolific sire although he produced only one stakes winner in Stanzaic who won three Listed races in the AJC Show County, the STC Moet and Chandon Stakes, and the Doomben Slipper. Interestingly, Raise A Stanza become a highly sought after sire of event horses, reflecting the oft forgotten legacy of the thoroughbred throughout all equestrian disciplines. The family’s legacy may all change though in the near future as Darley have now started to shuttle a stallion to Australia called Harry Angel who traces to Bonnet. Harry Angel won both the July Cup and Sprint Cup and we have written about him at some length in a previous edition. It will be interesting to see if he can finally prove the importance of this line under local conditions.

Harry Angel winning the Duke of Yorks Stakes TURF MONTHLY 10

he other was Sonsie Wench who produced Mermaid by Blue Peter who won the Falmouth Stakes. She produced Minstrel by Tudor Minstrel who won the Britannia and Cambridgeshire Handicaps. This family has been successful across the globe with horses like Lucky Roberto (US Hopeful Stakes), Harbor Blues (Arizona Oaks), Night Patrol (Pacifica Handicap, Inglewood Handicap, Oak Tree BC Mile, Sunland Park Handicap, Turf Paradise Breeders' Cup Handicap), Blushing John (Prix Saint Roman, Poule dEssai des Poulains, Prix de Fontainebleau, Hollywood Gold Cup, Razorback Handicap, Washington Park Handicap, Pimlico Special), Eishin Washington (Centaur Stakes, Sirius Stakes, Rakuyo Stakes, CBC Sho, Yoshun Stakes, Yodo Tankyori Stakes) and Aptostar (US Acorn Stakes, Vagrancy Handicap). Recently the family has had success in Australia with both Arctic Shock and Savatoxl bringing it to the fore. Savatoxl who is now trained by Tony and Calvin McEvoy won 12 races in the Northern Territory before transferring to Adelaide where he won the Group 1 Goodwood Handicap and later, the Group 2 Schillaci at Caulfield.

onsie Wench was also the dam of Jolly Roger who stood at stud in Australia where he produced Navigate who won the AJC Canonbury Stakes. Her most important son though was Highland Laddie who was imported to Australia by the Kruger Brothers from Ipswich in Queensland. The son of Hyperion was the first son of that wonderful stallion to stand in Queensland at their joint dairy and horse stud named City View. The Kruger brothers were of course to later develop the remarkable Lyndhurst Stud near Warwick which remains an important thoroughbred nursery to this day. Highland Laddie sired only one stakes winner in

Bonspiel

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Hoots Mon who won the QTC Hopeful Stakes and QTC 1st Hopeful Stakes in 1958. Nevertheless, he was a prolific winner getter and his descendants have continued to produce regular winners over the years although not at the highest level. Good horses like St Chrisoph, a son of Squill, who won fifteen races in Victoria epitomises the type of horse that the stallion produced. St Chrisoph earned over $500,000 in an 83 start career which included winning the Listed RM Ansett Stakes at Mornington and Christmas Stakes at Caulfield. He was also to run to Miss Pennymoney in the Group 3 Rubiton Stakes at Caulfield beating Paint, and third to Miss Pennymoney and Redoute’s Choice in the Group 1 Australia Stakes.

Highland Laddie

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nother daughter of Spion Kop was the well-related Dutch Girl, whose third dam was the wonderful Chelandry. Dutch Girl produced Royal Dutchy who won the Lowther Stakes and Irish Phoenix Plate. One of the most recent stakes winners from this line in Australia is Scallopini by Snitzel who won nine races including the Listed Hinkler Handicap and Sunshine Coast Cup. His second dam was the talented Lady Mulan by Bigstone who won the Group 2 Light Fingers and the Group 3 Adrian Knox Stakes.

orke’s Drift was a daughter of Spion Kop who was a half-sister to two stakes winners in Foxbridge by Foxlaw and Cresta Run by Hurry On. Rorke’s Drift produced Flowing Lava who gave us Mistigo by Miralgo who won the Irish 2000 Guineas. A daughter called Trade Winds by Owen Tudor was brought to Australia by George Ryder where she gave us the stakes winning Bannock by the Arrowfield stallion, Pipe Of Peace. She was a prolific breeder and produced New Clipper by another of the Ryder stallions in Newtown Wonder who in turn produced the stakes winning Intrepid Clipper who was by the stallion Smokey Eyes. That stallion was to cement the reputation of the Kruger brothers’ Lyndhurst Stud in Queensland. Intrepid Clipper was a filly who won the McDougall Stakes as a 2yo before going on to win the Queensland Derby as a 3yo beating the colts. Intrepid Clipper produced Granite King who won three stakes races in the Carlyon Cup, McKell Cup and Colin Stephen Handicap. Her daughter Intrepid Love produced Fire Thunder who won the VRC Maribyrnong Trial, Maribyrnong Plate and VATC Debutante Stakes. Like many of these older families, it seems that few descendants still remain which is often a sad reflection on the changing nature of the breeding industry.

Savatoxl winning at Darwin TURF MONTHLY 13

rguably it is Spicebox by Spion Kop who has the most enduring legacy. She was responsible for an interesting NZ bred horse in Kessem who won four stakes races including the Coongy Handicap and HK International Cup. He was to stand at stud, producing only one stakes winner in Kessem Power who was sent to the US where he won the San Luis Obispo Turf and San Luis Rey Stakes. This family though was far more influential through a mare called Detroit by Riverman who won the 1980 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. She was to go on to produce Carnegie by Sadler’s Wells who was to win the 1994 Arc as well as the Grand Prix de Saint Cloud, Prix Eugene Adam, Prix Niel and Prix Foy. Carnegie was to shuttle to Australia and NZ where he produced a dozen stakes winners including Group 1 winners, Amalfi (2001 VRC Derby), Carnegie Express (2002 Rosehill Guineas, Canterbury Guineas), Perlin (2005 Doomben Cup, MRC Underwood Stakes), Tuesday Joy (2008 STC Ranvet Stakes, The BMW, 2007 STC Coolmore Classic and 2009 AJC Chipping Norton Stakes) and Vision And Power (2009 AJC Doncaster Handicap and 2009 STC George Ryder Stakes). This is also the family of Zabeel, another stallion who we recently covered at length and a legendary name in Australasian racing and breeding.

picebox is also responsible for a line that produced Herbager, a French bred stallion who was to find success at stud in the US. Herbager by Vandale started only twice as a 2yo, finishing second at his first start before winning the Prix Seraphine. The next season, he was crowned champion 3yo after winning the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and Prix du Jockey Club. We were never to find out just how good Herbager was as he broke a pastern in the running of the Arc de Triomphe but still finished only two lengths from the winner. Herbager was sent to stud in France but in 1964 was purchased by prominent Kentucky breeder Bull Hancock for US$700,000. At the end of 1964, Herbager arrived at Claiborne Farm

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Smokey Eyes

where he became an important stallion. He sired some 64 stakes winners and his name appears in pedigrees of stallions like Rainbow Quest, Yamanin, Monashee Mountain, Smarty Jones, Triumphal March, Borego, Saint Ballado, Singspiel, Devil’s Bag, Appiani and Relay Race.

ne final daughter of Spion Kop that deserves mention is Spionetta. Her daughters lead us to horses like Dane Ripper, I Am A Ripper, Murphy’s Blu Boy, Acecay, Groucho, Sky Cuddle and Sky Love. We have had a good look at some of these horses as Spionetta was mated with Night Raid, a stallion that was previously featured.

Herbager TURF MONTHLY 15

BATTLE SONG AN UNDERRATED SON

attle Song was a son of Spion Kop who was among the last of his stakes winners. He was a quality galloper who won the Irish St Leger by eight lengths and the Irish Champion Stakes. His full brother Hill Song was also to win the St Leger. Battle Song was also to run second in the Irish Derby and 2000 Guineas. Bred by Major E Shirley, Battle Song was sold to Mr G Kain of South Canterbury for stud duties in NZ. Battle Song was out of a Hurry On mare called Cradle Song who in turn was out of Verve by Velocity. Verve was a half-sister to Vauclase by Dark Ronald who was the dam of Bongrace, one of Spion Kop’s most famous daughters as we have seen.

Bongrace TURF MONTHLY 16

he stallion arrived in NZ shortly before the outbreak of WWII and Mr Kain mated Battle Song with many of his Musket line mares. His intention had been to reinstall the Musket sire line to dominance in NZ, but Kain was to pass away before any of his progeny even raced. Instead, Kain’s estate including Gladstone Park Stud was dispersed via auction and Battle Song was sold to Ken Austin for 3600 guineas. Austin was a man who shared Kain’s vision for the stallion and the Musket line but within a few years, Battle Song had been sold again to Mr Jenning’s Alma Vale Stud at Greenmount in Qld who acquired the stallion to take advantage of the blossoming success of nearby Spion Kop son, The Buzzard. In hindsight, it was not a great move for the stallion as he was to produce only one Australian born stakes winner. That was to be Campaign who quite surprisingly won the 1953 Weetwood Handicap, the feature sprint race on the Toowoomba racing calendar. In all, Battle Song was to prove a moderate stallion with his NZ crops failing to live up to the dreams of his early owners. Interestingly the NZ stakes winners were much more stamina oriented and included winners like Count Cryano who won the 1949 AJC Metropolitan and Vantage who won the 1950 VRC Coongy Handicap. Count Cryano interestingly was out of Raphis, a full sister to Phar Lap.

Triple Dead Heat with Ark Royal in centre TURF MONTHLY 17

t was the daughters of Battle Song that ensured the legacy of this line of Spion Kop in Australasia. Our first of his daughters that we will touch on is Battle Cruiser who produced the top galloper Ark Royal by Marco Polo. He was an outstanding NZ racehorse winning seven stakes races there including the Wellington and Canterbury Cups. In Australia he was to win the 1956 Hotham Handicap, a race that is still spoken about to this day as it featured the first triple dead heat in a feature race in this country. Ark Regal dead heated with Pandie Sun and Fighting Force. We have featured that race in a previous edition if you want to look back and watch the video. An interesting aside to the race was related to champion NZ jockey Bobby Skelton. Skelton had been brought to Australia by owner GJ Barton to ride Ark Royal throughout his spring campaign but was roundly criticised for his early rides. Prior to the Hotham, Skelton dramatically stood down from the mount. To quote Mr Barton in the Melbourne Argus of the day, "I am not blaming Bobby Skelton for Ark Royal being beaten in his Melbourne races," Mr. Barton said. "But Bobby told me he feels he is out of luck here, and it may be better for everybody if somebody else rode the horse in the Hotham Handicap and the Melbourne Cup. Skelton is also keen to get back to New Zealand for the big meetings there and has been trying to get on a plane home this week. However, even if Bobby is still in Melbourne, there will be a new jockey on Ark Royal," Mr Barton said. Bad luck seemed to still dog the horse as he was not to take his place in the Melbourne Cup field. The horse went down in the float on the way to the track and was in a bad way. Owner Barton insisted that his horse had been hobbled as days later he was still very much out of sorts. He raced poorly the following Saturday in the Olympic Year Cup at Flemington which prompted Barton’s outburst.

rk Royal was to go on to become a good stallion in WA, continuing the Musket sire line albeit not in NZ. Among his stakes winners were the Perth Cup winners, Special Reward, Jenark and Royal Coral. A half-sister to Ark Regal in Fair Lynn by Fair’s Fair was to produce Summer Fiesta who was to give trainer TJ Smith his fourth win in the AJC Derby by winning the 1963 edition of that race. Smith purchased the Summertime yearling for 1600 guineas and took a shine to him largely due to his experience with the family. Smith had brought out from NZ a poorly performed mare called Lady Cortauld who was out of Stratocruiser, a half-sister to Fair Lynn. Lady Cortauld was to win eight races for Smith and ran second in the Newmarket Handicap at Flemington in 1959 behind Gold Stakes. As an aside, Stratocruiser was to continue a line that was to produce Regimental March, a NZ born gelding by Brigade Of Guards. He was to win two stakes races in 1986 in the New Zealand St Leger Stakes and the ARC Queen Elizabeth Handicap.

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ummer Fiesta was owned by Brazilian-born shipping magnate, RP De Lasala, and his colleague, R Reiertsen. He showed promise in the early 2yo trials and made his racetrack debut with George Moore on board in the AJC Breeders’ Plate, starting at 9/2. He was to run third but was beaten eight lengths by winner Romanda. After one more run, Smith had the colt gelded and sent out for a spell. Summer Fiesta was to win his first race at his fourth start, in a handicap at Randwick in February winning by three lengths. Smith took him to Melbourne, but he was soundly beaten by star colt, Pago Pago, in the Merson Cooper before winning the March Nursery at Flemington. He failed when favourite in the Gibson Carmichael and returned to Sydney. He was runner up in the Fairfield Handicap on a heavy track at Randwick but failed in the Sires’ Produce won by Time And Tide the following weekend. After a fast finishing second to Aureo at the Tattersall’s meeting in April, Summer Fiesta was sent to the paddock with Smith being encouraged that the gelding might make a Derby horse.

eturning as a 3yo, Smith and Moore chose to treat Summer Fiesta as a true stayer. He was ridden back in a field of five in the Canterbury Guineas, and won going away by three lengths from Star Host. A second in the Rosehill Guineas behind Castanea rounded off his preparation in what was certainly not a vintage Derby year. The top 2yo’s from the previous season had fallen away, and Pago Pago had gone to the US leaving a field of 14 line up. Castanea was the 9/4 favourite with

Abdul winning the 1970 Cox Plate

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Summer Fiesta at 4/1 and the pair dominated the betting. An interesting runner in the race was Sunset Hue who finished sixth but was later to go on to sire the legendary Gunsynd who achieved so much under Tommy Smith’s care. In the Derby, George Moore allowed Summer Fiesta to find his feet and he settled comfortably in eleventh in the run while Castanea was slow to begin and was second last in the run. In a strung out field, George Moore proved why he was such a champion jockey by making a move at the 1200m mark dashing around the field to hit the lead by the half-mile. Bill Camer on Castanea was held up and took some time to set out after Moore. He made up ground but Castanea peaked on his run and never really challenged Summer Fiesta who won by a length and a half.

nother daughter of Battle Song was Ever Ready whose line was to produce an outstanding NZ galloper of the 1970’s in Abdul. By Sovereign Edition, Abdul was to win the VATC Debutante Stakes over 800m in 1969. As a 3yo, Abdul, trained by Geoff Murphy and ridden by Paul Jarman, had won three straight races before finishing fourth to Dual Choice in the Caulfield Guineas. He was then entered for the Cox Plate of 1970 which was reported as the weakest and largest field the race had seen. Sixteen horses lined up but it was missing the stars of the day in Voleur, the ruling Melbourne Cup favourite, Caulfield Cup winner, Beer Street, and AJC Derby winner Silver Sharpe. Still, the field included other 3yo’s in Gunsynd and Gay Icarus who were later to prove their class, and proven gallopers like Tails, Fileur, Gay Poss and Rajah Sahib. Abdul was almost friendless in the betting, drifting from 20’s to 33/1. As is the story of many Cox Plates, a great tactical ride by Jarman sealed the race. He took Abdul to the front 500m from home and booted well clear while the other jockeys sweated on runs that never eventuated. It was left to Tails to chase the runaway leader, but he could only get within three lengths on the line. The image of the race though was not improved when Silver Sharpe went on to win the VRC Derby, and Voleur the Mackinnon Stakes. Abdul went on to win the Sandown Guineas that season, and the following year won the All-Aged Stakes and Liverpool Cup in Sydney. In 1972 he was to win the CF Orr Stakes and Victoria Handicap.

Amalfi winning the VRC Derby TURF MONTHLY 20

malfi was another NZ bred colt that traces back to a daughter of Battle Song, this time a mare called Gratuity. Trained by Peter Moody, Amalfi won his first two starts in Brisbane before heading to Melbourne. He ran second over a mile at Moonee Valley before running on well behind Viscount and Dash For Cash in the Group 3 Bill Stutt Stakes. Amalfi then won the Norman Robinson Stakes beating Grey Song before his finest moment in winning the 2001 Victoria Derby. He returned to racing with a good fifth behind Barkada and Northerly in the CF Orr Stakes but then went amiss, being off the scene for 18 months. After four substandard runs, he retired to stud where he produced little of note.

he last of our daughters of Battle Song we will look at is Swingalong. She won the ARC Great Northern Oaks in 1946 and was a full sibling to Count Cyrano who won the 1949 AJC Metropolitan. This family was responsible for excellent horses like Colour Page by Blue And Gold who won the STC Rosehill Cup and Hill Stakes, the VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes, VATC Sandown Cup and GCTC Prime Minister’s Cup. Another of the outstanding runners was Blazing Saddles by Todman who was a sensational 2yo. He won the VATC Debutant, Merson Cooper and Blue Diamond Stakes, the VRC Maribyrnong Plate and Canberra Black Opal Stakes. At stud he produced similar precocious types as himself including the wonderful filly Heat Of The Moment. The best from this family though is undoubtedly the star filly Research. Research holds a special place in racing history and deserves her own story which appears later in this edition.

Count Cyrano winning the Metropolitan TURF MONTHLY 21

RESEARCH

CHAMPION JUVENILE

esearch was a glamour filly of the 1980’s who was trained by Clarrie Connors. By Imperial Prince out of Outing by Boucher, the filly traces back to the stakes winning daughter of Battle Song in Swingalong. She became one of only a few fillies who was able to win a Derby against the colts, a feat she achieved in the AJC Derby of 1989. To make this even more impressive, she won both the VRC and AJC Oaks to dominate the 3yo season.

he filly stepped out for the first time on 5 December 1987, winning the Tramore Handicap at Rosehill over 1100m starting at 15/1 and ridden by Ron Quinton. Research started favourite at her next start, at the same track and distance a week later before a brief let-up. Resuming in the Sweet Embrace, she found Scollata and the top 2yo fillies too good finishing ninth. She improved with Jim Cassidy taking the mount in the Magic Night finishing second to Comely Girl. Her next run was in the Golden Slipper, with Quinton back in the saddle finishing 14th behind Star Watch. A fourth to Comely Girl in the Sires’ Produce, and fifth in the Champagne behind Full And By, both times with Shane Dye on board.

fter a break, Research returned as a 3yo by finishing fifth in the Silver Shadow behind Startling Lass with Rodney Quinn riding. She then showed she had taken a deal of improvement by winning the Furious Stakes over 1400m at Randwick with Mick Dittman getting the mount for the first time beating Glenview. Starting at 5/4 on, the filly was to run second to Glenview in the Tea Rose but bounced back to win the Flight Stakes over a mile with Atalanta’s Way second. Off to Melbourne, Research ran second to Riverina Charm in the One Thousand Guineas at Caulfield before starting the 2/1 favourite in winning the Wakeful at Flemington. She backed up with an impressive win at 6/4 in the VRC Oaks with Salisopra in second to end her Spring.

he Autumn started badly for Research, finishing eighth to Paris Miss over the 1200m of the Light Fingers. A good second in the Hobartville at Warwick Farm followed and then third placings in both the Chipping Norton behind Flotilla, and

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RESEARCH with inbreeding of 7.81% represents a relatively moderate amount of inbreeding. Despite the presence of Spearmint through Battle Song, the pedigree focusses away from any of these lines. We do however see a duplication of Nearco who is the grandsire of Northern Dancer. We also see the duplication of the mare Sun Princess. While the sire of Research was European bred, it is interesting to note that many of the duplications including a sex-balanced cross of the great Man O’War are very US based lines.

Research winning the AJC Oaks

the Segenhoe behind Beau Zam. Research then finished off her 3yo season with three straight victories commencing in the Storm Queen Stakes beating Courtalista. It was then to the AJC Derby a week later when Research started an odds on favourite where she beat Royal Pardon who incidentally was a son of another great 3yo filly in Emancipation. Four days later, over the same course and distance Research was again an odds-on winner this time of the AJC Oaks where she beat Courtalista to round off one of the most successful 3yo seasons on record and was later crowned Australian Horse of the Year.

esearch started ten times as a 4yo but was never to win another race. Her form was certainly not that of her best. Her best result was a second in the Turnbull Stakes behind another star in Super Impose. She went on to run unplaced in the Caulfield Cup behind Cole Diesel, the Mackinnon Stakes behind Horlicks, and the Melbourne Cup behind Tawriffice, each time with Harry White up. In the Autumn she had two starts with her last run being a seventh behind Dr Grace in the Chipping Norton Stakes with the late Ken Russell on board.

t stud, Research did not live up to her own standards, and after six foals in Australia, she was sent to the US where she produced a daughter called Hampton Rover by Miswaki who was to leave a stakes placed runner in Indaba My Children by Tale Of The Cat, and Atomic Number by Rahy who also produced the stakes placed Atomic Rule. The family continues to produce good runners in Australia with her granddaughter Tristabeel by Zabeel giving us Princess Of Queens and Prince Of Brooklyn both stakes winners by Magnus.

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FELSTEAD

WORLDWIDE INFLUENCE

Felstead winning the Derby

elstead was perhaps the best son of Spion Kop. Owned by Sir Hugo CunliffeOwen of Sunningdale Stud at Berkshire, Felstead was also to win the Epsom Derby like his sire. He was a bay horse standing 16.2 hands with a white blaze and white socks on his hind legs. Cunliffe-Owen purchased the mare Felkington by Lemberg at the Newmarket sales in July 1924 for 2,100 guineas in foal to Spion Kop, with Felstead the resultant foal. Felkington had been a good race mare and was to become an outstanding broodmare. Apart from Felstead, she was to also produce six other winners including Finis who won the 1941 Gold Cup at Ascot. She saw her damsire as William The Third, but more interestingly, had the great Carbine as her grand damsire. Felstead was trained by Australian Oswald "Ossie" Bell at his Delamere House Stables in Lambourn and showed little as a 2yo.

s a 3y, Felstead made a late start to the season. According to Cunliffe-Owen he had been off his feed and did not improve until he was fed with “Bemax,” a commercial feed supplement containing wheatgerm. Felstead won his first race in a maiden at Newbury before running second over seven furlongs at Epsom. Sent to Newmarket for the 2000 Guineas, Felstead finished a solid sixth of seventeen runners behind Flamingo before stepping up in distance to win the Davis Stakes at Hurst Park. The Derby was run in fine weather on an unusually hard track. An excellent crowd attended including the King and Queen. Felstead was largely unwanted in the betting, starting at 33/1 although Cunliffe- Owen backed his charge at 100/1.

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FELSTEAD has inbreeding of 9.77% and the feature is a 3mx4f cross of Carbine which led to his being highly sought after by breeders. A brief perusal of his pedigree is enough to excite those who were looking for a reincarnation of the Carbine blood in Australasia. I find it interesting that we see the presence of King Tom in the pedigree, the son of Pocahontas who was also the dam of the legendary Stockwell. Three lines of Isonomy, the sire of Gallinule, are sex balanced, and we also see two lines of Hermit, both through daughters.

The favourite was the champion colt, Fairway but he became highly agitated before the start, losing any chance he had before the race began. A strong pace In the race ensued with Flamingo and Sunny Trace battling for the lead. Felstead was ridden back in the field but like his sire, Spion Kop, was taken to the front by his jockey Harry Wragg and raced away for a relatively easy win by a length and a half. The connection of trainer Bell and close breeding to Carbine saw the Sydney Sun describe Felstead's Epsom victory as "Australia's Derby.” The quality of the win was never questioned as Felstead equalled the race record. Cunliffe-Owen received an offer for the horse of £100,000 when still in training, but this was refused. He never returned to racing after his Derby success as splints kept him off the scene, although he was entered for a number of races. Retired to stud at Berkshire and he was a popular stallion. While he was certainly not a sensation at stud, Felstead was to prove the most enduring influence of Spion Kop. Felstead died on April 9, 1946 and was buried at the Kingwood Stud at Lambourn.

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FELSTEAD SONS SEARCH FOR CARBINE

All Love by Double Remove

iven the horse’s popularity in Australia, it was not surprising that local studs were to import some of his sons with mixed success. Double Remove had few starts as a 2yo, running second to Raeburn in the Column Produce Stakes at Newmarket. Double Remove stood at Kia Ora Stud in NSW and had a very bright start to his stud career, producing the very good filly All Love in his first crop. All Love was to become the champion 2yo of her year winning six stakes races in the AJC Gimcrack Stakes, Champagne Stakes, and Hobartville Stakes in Sydney, and the Maribyrnong Plate, Byron Moore Stakes and VRC Sires’ Produce in Melbourne. Double Remove has continued to play a role in Australian racing, and we can see a number of modern horses that trace to his daughters. These include Regimental Gal by General Nedim who was to win the AJC Silver Shadow and San Domenico Stakes as well as the Australia Stakes and Lightning Stakes in Melbourne. Piavonic was another who traces to a daughter of Double Remove and she won the Manikato, Norman Carlyon and MVRC Dairy Farmers’ Milk Stakes. She was to produce Von Costa De Hero who won the 2008 VRC Sires’ Produce and has become a good stallion in his own right. Natural Destiny by Naturalism is another that owes its

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heritage to Double Remove and he won four stakes races in Brisbane including the BTC Summer Stakes and Bernborough Stakes. Cangronde was a good NSW sprinter who won seven stakes races including two AJC Challenge Stakes and the Expressway. Eurozone by Northern Meteor won both the Rosebud and Stan Fox Stakes in Sydney before going to stud where he produced the Group 1 Coolmore winning mare, Krone. Casual Pass by Snippets is yet another that traces to a daughter of Double Remove. This son of Snippets won the 2003 Mackinnon Stakes and MRC Yalumba Stakes both at Group 1 level, as well as the Norman Robinson and Bill Stutt Stakes at Group 2 and the MRC Easter Cup at Group 3 level.

ouble Remove was a full brother to Early School who was an unbeaten 2yo in England and at one stage an early favourite for the Derby. Early School was also to go to stud and produced the 1944 Irish St Leger winner, Water Street. Early School’s son English Edition came to Australia where he produced only one stakes

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Moorland Breeders Plate

Moorland

winner in Royal Eagle, another good 2yo who won the 1951 AJC Canonbury Stakes. Horses that can claim English Edition in their direct pedigree are Sydney Cove who won the 1974 Canterbury Guineas and Jam City, winner of the 1996 Hobart Cup. The emerging young stallion Rich Enuff by Written Tycoon won the Danehill Stakes and Caulfield Guineas Prelude and went to stud in 2016. He has produced two stakes winners in Dosh (Blue Diamond Preview and Ottawa Stakes) and Plutocrat (Tatt’s Winning Edge Stakes).

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wo other sons of Felstead in Felcrag and Silverburn were imported to Hobartville Stud in NSW. Felcrag proved a good stallion producing twelve stakes winners with his best being Moorland and Temeraire. oorland was purchased as a yearling by Randwick trainer, Dan Lewis on behalf of his client, Arthur Murrell, a wealthy Sydney fish merchant and big punter who raced his horses under the name of M Lundern. Lews had inspected the colt at Hobartville Stud before it went down to the 1942 Sydney Yearling Sales and suggested to Murrell that the colt would mature into a nice type, and was worth a bid, at least up to 1000 guineas. The colt was knocked down for the bargain price of 210 guineas and although Lewis was a noted trainer of stayers, he was impressed with the ability Moorland had shown in his early gallops. The colt was set for the

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Breeders Plate and to ensure a good price, Lewis engaged a young apprentice Mick Freedman who had recently moved from Brisbane to ride. Murrell backed the youngster in to 5/1, and even after getting back in the field, stormed home down the middle of the track to win by four lengths. After a let-up, Moorland was back in work when Lewis and Murrell split in strange circumstances. It appears that the fall out was a result of the win of a horse trained by Lewis for another client in Easter Time who won at the lucrative odds of 15/1. Murrell thought that he should have been advised of the horse’s chances, but having failed to back it, withdrew all of his horses from Lewis, also demanding the return of any of his gear.

nder new trainer, Stan Lamond at Victoria Park Moorland won two handicaps before starting a prohibitive favourite in the Sires Produce but finishing unplaced. He then finished third to Flight in the Champagne Stakes at the same meeting with his failures put down to the colt not recovering fully from the removal of two teeth.

oorland was to prove a quality 3yo winning the Canterbury and Rosehill Guineas although his performances were overshadowed by the wonderful filly Flight who had captured the public’s imagination. Moorland had run a disappointing fourth in the Craven Plate against the older horses on a wet track in his start before the Derby. Despite the adoration for the champion filly, Moorland started the 2/1 favourite in the Derby in front of Mayfowl and MacArthur at 3/1 and Flight at 5/1 in an outstanding eight horse field. Flight led in a dawdling run race that ended being the slowest run Derby since 1916. Flight had pulled badly in front for much of the race, and Moorland took over around the seven-furlong mark. The filly settled in behind but in the end could not gain any ground on the champion colt. Moorland did not get the opportunity to head to Melbourne for the VRC Derby and Melbourne Cup due to war time travel restrictions and stayed in Sydney where he was beaten a head in the Metropolitan. The Derby was to be the last win for Moorland who suffered an injury plagued run for the rest of his career including over 18 months off the track. It was also to be the last classic win for jockey Edwin Cecil “Ted” Bartle. That was his third AJC Derby win having previously steered Tregilla (1930) and Avenger (1937) to victory. Age and weight issues saw Bartle retire within a few years. His stellar career saw him win five Sydney jockeys’ premierships, the last coming in 1937-38 when he rode 93½ winners. Bartle was to later attend race meetings with Neville Sellwood, and was a familiar sight carrying the jockey’s large bag of saddles and riding gear. He had been instrumental in assisting the young jockey move to Sydney from Brisbane and formed a long and deep friendship with Sellwood and his wife.

oorland was eventually offered as a stallion prospect in April 1948 and was purchased by Fred Kelly to stand at Killarney Stud at Canowindra for 525 guineas. He failed to attract mares and was soon after sold to Kyle Stud at Young where he had little success. Moorland was perhaps more famous for siring triplets in the Spring of 1952 from an unnamed station mare at the stud.

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Moorland and Ted Bartle

he other outstanding son of Felcrag was Temeraire. He had been bred by Mrs HE Rudd of Richmond NSW and catalogued for sale at the Sydney Easter Sale. Mrs Rudd changed her mind at the last minute and withdrew the colt which she sent to be trained by Fred Cush. Temeraire was also to be ridden throughout his 2yo career by champion jockey Billy Cook who maintained that the colt was the

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fastest 2yo he had ever ridden. The colt started his career with an eight-length victory in the AJC Breeders’ Plate. Temeraire then proceeded to have one of the greatest 2yo seasons ever seen in Sydney, remaining unbeaten with successive wins in the Kirkham Stakes, December Stakes, MacArthur Quality, Sires’ Produce and Champagne Stakes. Returning as a 3yo, Temeraire won the Hobartville Stakes by eight lengths to be installed as an unbackable favourite for the 1947 AJC Derby at the nominal odds of 50/1 on. Racing is a great equalizer and it was not long until the folly of such predictions was exposed. In the Canterbury Guineas, the colt showed that he could not stay, being overhauled in the straight by The Groom to be beaten a length. He was badly beaten the following week by the older horses in the Chelmsford Stakes and his career slowly drifted to a disappointing end. He was later sold to Koobi Stud at Darlington Point for 1700 gns. Temeraire was to produce only one stakes winner in Lucky Stride, a non-stud book gelding who was to win the 1956 Oakleigh Plate.

Temeraire TURF MONTHLY 34

ABBOTS FELL AN AMBITIOUS PLAN

Abbots Fell

he most notable son of Felstead to be brought to Australia was Abbots Fell. Not only was Abbots Fell a well performed racehorse, but he was imported on lease by flamboyant Sydney identity Jim Bendrodt who established Princes Park Stud which was later to become the property of legendary Australian trainer, Bart Cummings. Abbots Fell was one of the most expensive horses brought to Australia at the time, having been purchased for 32,500 guineas in England for stud duties at the end of his racing career. In England he was fully booked for four seasons and Bendrodt even sent two mares to him before sealing the deal. Abbots Fell was a versatile runner, having won at distances from four furlongs to a mile and a half although never quite winning the biggest races. Abbots Fell just fell short in some of the greatest staying races in the UK, among them the Derby and the Ascot Gold Cup. He was third, to Ocean Swell and Tehran in the Ascot Gold Cup in a top quality field that included Oaks and Champion Stakes winner, Hycilla, Coronation Cup winner, Borealis, Cesarewitch winner, Cadet and the best long distance handicapper in England at the time in John Peel. He was also a close fourth in the Derby, beaten by a neck, short head and head in a field of 20. His jockey was blamed for waiting too long to make his run, as he was finishing the fastest in a blanket finish.

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espite the high profile of Abbots Fell, he was to produce little at stud, siring only one stakes winner in Prince Abbott who won the 1956 Geelong Cup. His influence though extended far greater than this modest result. Abbots Fell was assured of a place in history through his daughter Pompilia who produced one of the greats of the Australian turf in Pago Pago. He won six stakes races in Australia including the 1963 Golden Slipper before being sold to the US. We have featured Pago Pago, a son of Matrice in an earlier edition. Pompilia was to have further influence than that champion colt. Among her descendants is an aspiring new stallion that we have also featured previously in Hellbent by I Am Invincible. Others tracing to this daughter to Abbots Fell include Ginga Dude, a solid stayer around a decade ago. The NZ star by Istadaad won three stakes races in his home country including the Avondale Gold Cup before coming to Australia to win the Coongy Handicap, the Qld Tattersall’s Cup and BRC Members Handicap. Rohatyn who won the SAJC The Jansz, and VRC Australian Cup Carnival Stakes, Sakana who won the AJC Spring Champion Stakes and Dulcify Quality Handicap, and Minson, winner of the MRC Bletchingly and Zeditave Stakes and VRC The Debonair all trace to this daughter of Abbots Fell.

ildie is another daughter of Abbots Fell whose line is still represented by quality runners with It Is Written, a gelded son of Written Tycoon, who won the MRC Testa Rossa Stakes and MVRC Abell Stakes being among the most recent stakes winners. His third dam was Rebecca Gay by Lord Of The Dance who won the VRC Edward Manifold Stakes in 1985.

axelle is perhaps the most enduring direct influence of the daughters of Abbots Fell. It is also a family that we have mentioned previously. Like Pago Pago, the most successful runners in the family have traced to Matrice. Among the remarkable runners from this mare are Spot The Rock, Le Zagaletta, Undue, Solar Circle, Shaybisc, Debrief, Sashed and Freemason.

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It Is Written

ABBOTS FELL has quite a heavily inbred pedigree at 17.97%. Much was made about the three lines of Carbine in his pedigree, but it pales against the rest of the duplications. Significantly we see that there are three lines of Cyllene and two of the mare, Galicia. We see the half-siblings Lemberg and Bayardo and importantly Lemberg is a son of Galicia. Multiple lines of Isonomy, St Simon and Galopin.

JIM BENDRODT

Bendrodt, James Charles (1891–1973) by Iain McCalman This article was published: in the Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 13 , 1993 online in 2006

ames Charles Bendrodt (1891-1973), roller-skater and restaurateur, was born on 26 June 1891 at Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, son of James Peter Bendrodt, a Danish sea-captain, and his wife Emily Caroline Delphina, née Swanson. Having attended school at Vancouver, Jimmy worked his passage to Sydney as a stoker, arriving by 1910 with only £5. Dark, lithe and muscular, he claimed to have been a lumberjack and to hold Canadian roller-skating titles.

ith his partner George Irving, Bendrodt prospered as a trick-skater in Sydney and on country tours. Appointed manager of the new Imperial Roller Rink, Hyde Park, he soon secured the lease and fostered an exclusive and decorous image that was to characterize all his enterprises. Early in 1914 he reopened the building as the 'Imperial Salon De Luxe' to cater for American dance crazes. On 16 August Bendrodt enlisted in the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force and three days later sailed for Rabaul in the Berrima. He returned to Sydney in January 1915 in charge of prisoners of war. To his lasting regret, he did not see action during the operations in German New Guinea or while serving with the Canadian Expeditionary Force in 1918.

eantime, he had played bit parts with J. C. Williamson Ltd which convinced him that he was 'a lousy actor' but 'a terrific showman'. Back in Sydney in 1919, Bendrodt taught dancing (until 1939) at Macdonnell House, 321 Pitt Street, and in 1923 established J. C. Bendrodt & Co. In the face of government and union TURF MONTHLY 38

obstacles, he imported foreign entertainers, including 'colored' minstrels for the opening of the Palais Royal dance hall that year. Wealthy entrepreneurs backed his enterprises: Ezra Norton was to contribute to the Trocadero nightclub and cabaret which opened in 1936.

he purchase of a mare for £100 in 1923 had inspired Bendrodt to take up racing and breeding. Although labelled 'a mug trainer' who was to cosset imported bloodstock on a 140-acre (57 ha) stud farm by the Nepean River, Bendrodt earned the respect of the jockey Bill Cook for his methods. Confronted with the Depression, Bendrodt saved the beleaguered Palais Royal in July 1931 by encouraging his employees to gamble their last wages on his unknown horse, Firecracker, which won at Menangle. A big plunge in 1937 on his filly, Gay Romance, helped him to finance Prince's Restaurant in Martin Place in 1938; with 'soft lights, sweet music' and good food, it rivalled Romano's.

uick to anticipate fashion, in December 1937 Bendrodt formed a company to transform the Palais Royal into the opulent Ice Skating Palais which featured Canadian figure-skating and ice-hockey stars. Employees remembered him as a hard boss, willing to reward initiative or bend the law. He was tried in August 1939 for minor fraud over payments to employees, fined in 1951 for understating taxable income in the early 1940s, and forced to admit to a royal commission in 1952 that Prince's regularly ignored State liquor regulations. Lavish entertainments at the restaurant were criticized in wartime, though Bendrodt claimed that American troops had benefitted.

n 5 August 1939 Bendrodt had married his dancing partner Florence Nellie ('Peggy') Dawes at Hunters Hill with Congregational forms. In later life he was noted for his imported suits, red carnation buttonhole, jewelled cigarette-case and manicured hands, as well as for his collections of Meissen porcelain and Bohemian crystal. Yet, he also relished his reputation for toughness which was heightened by an enduring Canadian drawl and by a penchant for 'bouncing' drunks. His boldness and opportunism were again exhibited in 1956 when he opened the Caprice, a lavish, 'floating' restaurant at Rose Bay, which became a Mecca for celebrities.

hildless himself, Bendrodt was not afraid to parade a heartfelt love of animals. He made an emotional radio appeal in World War II to halt the killing of pet dogs when meat was rationed. Abandoning the turf in the early 1950s because it involved 'too much distress', he campaigned against cruelty to animals. His vivid, personal tales were broadcast and appeared in American magazines. At the urging of his 'literary godfather' Frank Clune, he published three popular collections, A Man, a Dog, Two Horses (1946), Nine O'Clock (1949) and Irish Lad (1966). Bendrodt retired in 1967, looking at 72 'like a younger and happier Somerset Maugham', and lived quietly at Darling Point. Survived by his wife, he died on 17 February 1973 in St Vincent's Hospital, Darlinghurst, and was cremated with Anglican rites. TURF MONTHLY 39

FELSTEAD DAUGHTERS THE INFLUENCE GROWS

he daughters of Felstead have ensured that the stallion continues his influence into the modern thoroughbred. Felstead’s best progeny was the filly Rockfel who won the One Thousand Guineas, Epsom Oaks Stakes and Champion Stakes. Rockfel produced a son by Hyperion called Rockefella who, although not a prolific source of stakes winners, had a remarkable influence on Australian racing. Rockefella’s daughter, Angela Rucellia produced a French bred son called Andrea Mantegna by Ribot. He won seven of his nine starts in Italy including the Premio d'Estate, Premio Roma Vecchia, Premio UNIRE, Premio Boschetti, and Premio Saltri. The stallion was retired to stud in Italy in 1966 but was later sent to the UK in 1974. His daughter Ada Hunter was to change the nature of Australian racing in the 1970’s through her son, Kingston Town who was to become one of the greats. What is perhaps more remarkable is that another daughter of Felstead in Faustina was to feature in the tail female line of a wonderful racehorse and stallion in Bletchingly. Bletchingly won the 1975 Galaxy and was a son of Biscay, in turn one of the best sons of Star Kingdom. At stud, Bletchingly was to become a superstar siring over 60 stakes winners. Among these were such wonderful horses as Canny Lad, Emancipation, Best Western, and of course, Kingston Town who we will look at in some more depth shortly.

t is not just a case of one outstanding line though as Rockefella has many descendants who are worthy of their own stories. Our Waverley Star, Bounty Hawk, Scenic Shot, Ethereal, Darci Brahma, Stony Bay, Magnus and Black Caviar are just a handful of the wonderful horses tracing back to daughters of Rockefella in Australia. Internationally we see stallions like Linacre, Distant View, and Sharpen Up among the most enduring influences.

he other outstanding daughter of Felstead on the track was Steady Aim who won the Oaks in 1946. It is mainly through Steady Aim that Felstead continues to appear in the pedigrees of modern thoroughbreds despite the success of Kingston Town. There is one outstanding ancestor of Steady Aim that has impacted the breed in one of the most significant sire lines in the modern breed. That descendant is none

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other than Danzig, the son of Northern Dancer who in turn sired the legendary Danehill who has shaped the local breed over the last thirty years. Northern Dancer we noted some time ago traces to a mare by Chicle, a son of Spearmint.

homasina is another daughter of Felstead with continuing success. She produced a son by Vilmorin called Vigo who won the July Cup, and while only a moderate success at stud, his daughter Fortune’s Orbit was to become the second dam of one of Australia’s greatest ever sprinters in Manikato. Vigo had a son called Don Juan who stood at stud in Australia where he produced Vivacious Lady who won the VRC Mimosa Stakes in 1970.

final daughter of Felstead worth mention is Lady Constance. She appears in the female line of a stallion called Cadeaux Genereux who won five races including the Criterion Stakes and the Diadem Stakes. He was disqualified after winning the Prix de l'Abbaye but proved himself as one of Europe’s best sprinters by winning the July Cup and the William Hill Sprint Championship. At stud, he was a good stallion siring horses like Bahamian Bounty who was at stud in Australia, Hugs Dancer who won the 2004 VRC Craiglee Stakes, and the crowd favourite Red Cadeaux who won the Curragh Cup, Hong Kong International Vase and raced in four Melbourne Cups including twice finishing second behind Fiorente and Protectionist. Perhaps more significantly Lady Constance appears in the female line of Desert Sun who stood at stud in NZ where he produced the Hall of Fame mare, Sunline. Desert Sun it should be noted is by Danzig, who we have mentioned in terms of Rockefella as well as tracing to Lady Constance. What may also be important is that Sunline herself is out of a mare called Songline who was by another son of Northern Dancer in Nijinsky. Her dam was McAngus who was by Alvaro, a son of Rockefella.

Sunline winning the Doncaster

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KINGSTON TOWN PEERLESS

Kingston Town and his Cox Plates

o many, Kingston Town is unrivalled. His three wins in the Cox Plate are underlined by legendary race caller Bill Collins’ infamous comment where he said that “Kingston Town can’t win” only to see the Champion prevail. The three victories were certainly the thing that legends are made of, and Kingston Town is a true legend of the sport. He is also one of the inaugural inductees into the Hall of Fame, and the first Australian racehorse to earn a million dollars in stakes.

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he story of Kingston Town starts on a golf course, leads us to the personal hearth of perhaps the world’s greatest thoroughbred breeder in Federico Tesio in Italy, and eventually to all the major racetracks of Australia.

orman von Nida was a legend on the golf course. He was the trailblazing Australian golfer who led the Thompsons, Nagles, Normans, Baker-Finches, and more recently the Scotts and Days to international glory. He was to become close friends with Australian businessman, David Hains and introduced him to racing, a passion that von Nida had long held. In fact, few may know that von Nida was President of the NSW Jockeys’ Association for some years. He also had the opportunity to sit down in the home of Tesio and discuss thoroughbred breeding, although he maintained that there was little to Tesio’s theories that did not appear in his books.

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evertheless, when the time came for von Nida to source some mares for the fledgling Hains’ breeding establishment, he visited Italy and Tesio and returned with a number of mares, including the German mare Ada Hunter with the intention of breeding her to Bletchingly when he retired from racing. Bletchingly’s first season at stud was in 1975, and the resultant mating produced Kingston Town. The gelding though was not overly popular when taken to sale and returned home having failed to meet the modest reserve of $8000. Hains also offered the filly that was to become Lowan Star at the same sale, and she too went unsold. Lowan Star was to win nine stakes races including both the QTC and AJC Oaks.

ingston Town was sent to Tommy Smith to train, and the horse appeared for his first race start on 12 March 1979, still in his 2yo season. He was in a bad mood, and tried to dislodge his jockey, Malcolm Johnston who was to ride him in all but a few races. As a result, Kingston Town finished a dismal thirteenth. He was sent to the spelling paddock and was gelded before he appeared in public again.

hen he returned on the last day of June, Kingston Town was a different horse. He won the Round Table Handicap by an ever widening two and half lengths, before narrowly beating Bemboka Yacht, who would go on to win a Hobartville Stakes and a Stradbroke in his career, in the last days of their 2yo season. As a 3yo, Kingston Town was to continue his winning streak in the big Spring 3yo races of the

Norman von Nida

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Peter Pan, Gloaming and Spring Champion Stakes. Smith then sent Kingston Town to Melbourne, where he was beaten into third in the Caulfield Guineas, fourth in the Caulfield Cup, and then second in the VRC Derby. He was beaten only a nose in that race and twisted a plate during running. TJ Smith was to claim that Kingston Town was three lengths better around the right-handed tracks in Sydney than in Melbourne. After another break, he returned to Sydney for the Expressway, and he dominated the Autumn that year, winning six straight races including the AJC Derby and Sydney Cup. Kingston Town finished his 4yo season with victories in the Grand Prix and QTC Derby in Brisbane.

eturning as a 4yo, he continued his run of victories in Sydney before again tasting defeat in Melbourne in the Caulfield Stakes. Kingston Town was a gallant third in the Caulfield Cup under a big weight, but by now the cries were out that the gelding was a Sydney Champion only. Under hands and heels riding, Kingston Town stopped the knockers in their tracks with a dominant five length win in the Cox Plate. Unfortunately, the gelding who had always suffered from leg issues was found to have suspensory tendon issues in his off foreleg, and his career was in jeopardy. Kingston Town was not to return until a 5yo, and he kicked off in the Premiere Stakes in Sydney, adding to his unbeaten run in that city. He won the Warwick and Chelmsford Stakes, and his next win in the STC Cup was to see him become the first horse in Australia ever to earn a million dollars in prizemoney. He was off to Melbourne again, and after wins in the Caulfield Stakes, and his second Cox Plate, it seemed that stories of his Melbourne hoodoo were behind him. At Flemington for the Mackinnon Stakes, Kingston Town was unbalanced in the run, and under pressure from the 200m just failing to hold on for second. Fears were held that his leg problems had returned, but after a thorough vetting, he stepped out a couple of days later for the Melbourne Cup. Again, Kingston Town did not appear himself, and weakened after making a move mid race to end an inglorious twentieth. While connections said that his legs weren’t the issue, it was clear that all was not well. He went to the paddock, and upon resuming work, his leg problems flared up and Kingston Town again missed the Autumn.

ingston Town resumed as a 6yo in the Warwick Stakes and he took his record in Sydney to twenty-one straight wins, blemished by only his first start fiasco. His run was to end in the Chelmsford Stakes at his next start, when bad luck saw him caught behind a tiring leader. After another defeat in the Hill Stakes, calls were made to retire the Champion, but connections pressed on and silenced the critics by winning the George Main. It was then back to Melbourne and victory in the Caulfield Stakes again. History beckoned, and a record third Cox Plate looked beyond him

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when Kingston Town was under pressure in a strongly run race. That moment was to forever be linked with the famous call by legendary race caller, Bill Collins who claimed he could not win. Ever the champion, Kingston Town responded and went on to record a hard-earned victory. Concerns were growing again for his legs, and Kingston Town went into the Melbourne Cup without another start. He was run down in the shadows of the post by Gurner’s Lane, and Malcolm Johnston was doomed to discuss whether he went too early on that fateful day for the rest of his life.

ingston Town was sent over to Perth, with the Perth Cup his aim. A narrow victory on a rock-hard track in his first start in the west again saw his leg issues aggravated, and he again was sent to the paddock. Unfortunately, his legs failed to respond to treatment, and the Champion was eventually sent to the US for further treatment. He impressed track watchers with a couple of outstanding gallops, but again suffered soreness and was retired from racing. Kingston Town returned to Australia but did not enjoy his retirement and was again put back into work. He was going so well that he was entered for the races, but wet weather stopped connections from accepting. Before another race could be found, the leg issues again caused problems, and he was finally retired for the last time.

f the family that remained in Europe, it is renowned for producing Ouija Board, winner of multiple group races throughout the world including the Vodaphone and Irish Oaks, Hong Kong Vase, Prince of Wales Stakes and twice winner of the Breeders’ Cup Turf for fillies and mares. Ouija Board was also placed in the Arc De Triomphe, Hong Kong Cup and Japan Cup and earned the equivalent of over US$6 million. She is also the dam of the appropriately named Australia who has won two Derbies in the UK.

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KINGSTON TOWN has a pedigree which features a duplication of Felstead through his daughters Faustina and Rockfel. To suggest this is the key to the pedigree which shows 5.86% inbreeding, is perhaps a little of a stretch although it no doubt plays a role. More importantly we see three lines of Hyperion through two sons in Stardust and Rockefella, and a daughter in Aurora, the dam of Alycidon. We also see the presence of the full siblings Fairway and Pharos and I would think it more likely that these, together with the importance of Hyperion are of greater influence. While we have looked at the importance of Rockefella, we have not pointed out that he is a son of Hyperion who was such a critical influence in the pedigree of Star Kingdom in Bletchingly’s sire line.