Innehållsförteckning för April 2023 från Turf Monthly

Surround is one the greatest of all of our 3yo fillies. Her performances at that age were stunning, making history in winning the three Eastern States Oaks races over the classic distances, and again winning the Cox Plate at that age. The filly was raced by trainer Geoff Murphy and some of his stable clients. Murphy was a regular visitor to Sir Patrick Hogan’s famed Cambridge Stud, and the annual pilgrimage to New Zealand to inspect young horses was part and parcel of many trainers’ regime. The practice may well have been instigated by legendary trainer, Bart Cummings who sourced many of his great horses from that country. NZ was widely held as the source of many of the great stayers. Surround though was the one that got away from…

We have touched on some of the influences of Bobadil but of course have not mentioned the champion Eurythmic who we have covered at length in the past. Shortly we look at his other great champion in Whittier who hails from a daughter of Bobadil. Another daughter of Bobadil left Wolawa by Wallace who won the VRC Derby, Ascot Vale, AJC Sires Produce, AJC and VRC St Legers. He sired two stakes winners in Karamu born in NZ who won the Qld Cup and Nonchalance who won the Qld Tatt’s Cup. His daughters produced NZ bred Big Pat who won the 2001 SA Derby, VRC St Leger and 2003 Saab Quality ran 19th to Ethereal in the 2001 Melbourne Cup after running third to Rain Gauge in the MV Cup.…

Little Brose was for some a bit of a surprise winner of the 2023 Blue Diamond, starting at $9.50. The colt certainly had the form for the race, and his win was a good one. We also cannot fault the trainers with the Hayes boys continuing a rich family tradition to land their first Group 1 victory as a training duo. The query that we will get to in a moment, relates to his pedigree rather than his performance. Little Brose went through the Magic Millions Yearling sale on the Gold Coast, being knocked down for $200,000 to Lindsay Park Racing. He made his first official racetrack appearance on 1 November 2022, Melbourne Cup Day, running second behind an impressive Krakarib by Ribchester in the Group 3 Maribyrnong Plate. Four…

Lonhro was perhaps almost as famous for being a son of Octagonal as he was for being a champion racehorse. Octagonal, also an inductee of the Hall Of Fame, was among Australia’s most popular horses of his time. He retired to serve a quality book of mares, yet rather than match his racetrack performances, was to sadly leave relatively few quality progeny. Apart from Lonhro, that is. We could actually make a strong case I believe that the failure of Octagonal at stud was a failure to consider where he was best suited. It is my belief that if the stallion had stood in NZ, he would have succeeded with a similar broodmare band that had made his own sire, Zabeel such an important influence. The thoroughbred stallion throughout history…

Whittier was a son of Woorak who was a top class racehorse who had won 11 stakes races including the VRC Sires Produce, VATC Oakleigh Plate and AJC Epsom and All-Aged Stakes. At stud he was to produce 17 stakes winners, although Whittier was by far the best of them. For our purposes, Whittier was out of Polacca, a daughter of Bobadil. The mare was also to produce Accarak, a full brother to Whittier who was to win the Australian Cup, Governor’s Plate and the SAJC Elder Stakes. While the dam of Polacca did little, she was out of the Debutante Stakes winner, Heloise by Wallace. She was a half-sister to top galloper Emir being out of the stakes winning Robinson Crusoe mare, Emmie. Whittier had his first start in…

Black Caviar is no doubt one the most identifiable thoroughbred in Australasia, if not the world, in recent times. Her victory in the Diamond Jubilee at Ascot was accompanied by international attention that was likely unrivalled by any Australian horse. Many claim her as the greatest ever, retiring as she did unbeaten from 25 starts. While this is truly a remarkable record, it speaks perhaps more about modern thoroughbred management, and dare we say, a lack in quality opposition, than it does about such claims. It is perhaps fair to suggest that her “year” was not the most outstanding crop of horses that Australia has produced. We can speculate whether the outbreak of Equine Influenza in the summer of 2007/08, when Black Caviar was a yearling had any influence on…

Bobadil at Stud Sport (Adelaide, SA: 1911 - 1948), Friday 22 January 1926, page 15 The Stud Record of Bobadil When great Australian sires are being discussed it is seldom that the name of Bobadil is mentioned. Yattendon, Chester, Grand Flaneur Trenton, Goldsbrough, Fisherman, Bill of Portland, Carbine, Maltster. Wallace, Lochiel, The Welkin, Comedy King, and many others are remembered, but Bobadil is forgotten. Yet he was a really great sire. He is overlooked, because he did not sire horses that appeal to the imagination as Gloaming, Abercorn, Grand Flaneur and a few other notables did at the zenith of their careers. He sired a few wonderful stayers, but the great majority of his progeny were just average performers, but unequalled for toughness and honesty. A few more horses of…

Sporting Globe (Melbourne, Vic.: 1922 - 1954), Wednesday 21 August 1935, page 6 How I Won Melbourne; Cup On The Parisian By RON CAMERON, Australia’s most versatile rider PETER PAN won two Melbourne Cups and Prince Foote won his Cup easier than any horse I have seen, but The Parisian will always be my idol among Cup winners. The Parisian was my Melbourne Cup winner. Winning a Melbourne Cup is every rider’s ambition. I do not claim any great credit for winning. I merely carried out my part on a great horse, and thanks to the skill and patience of Charles Wheeler, The Parisian went to the post so fit that anybody could have won that Cup on him The Parisian had rather a chequered career before I became associated…