Beat Santa Claus-Bred To Be Good

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30500, 23 July 1964, Page 4

Beat Santa ClausBred To Be Good

Nasram, which caused one of the greatest upsets of the English turf on Saturday by defeating Santa Claus, winner of the Epsom and Irish Derbies and the Irish 2000 Guineas, is a half-brother to the 1962 Irish Derby winner, Tambourine 11.

Like Tambourine, Nasram was bred by his owner, the American, Mrs Howell Jackson, now domiciled in France. Until his trip to Ascot on Saturday he had never raced outside France.

Nasram was unraced as a two-year-old. and last season had only two starts for a fourth to Exbury in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and a sixth placing in the Grand Prix de Deauville.

On these appearances he did not appear to be in the class of his half-brother, Tambourine. which the season before had won the Irish Derby in track record time and finished his racing without ever being unplaced. Tambourine started racing as a three-year-old, winning twice at a mile and a quarter and then running fourth in the French Derby, less than a length from the winner, after leading until the last 20 yards. His next start was in the Irish Derby and his last race was the Prix de Chantilly, in which he was beaten half a length after trying to lead all the way. After this event he developed tendon trouble and was retired to the stud

La Mirambule, dam of Nasram and Tambourine, was a top-class race mare. She was the best two-year-old of her year in France, and never finished further back than second in her 11 starts. Her seven wins included the Prix Thomas Bryon, Prix Ver-

meiile and Prix de Flore, and her second platings included the English 1000 Guineas, Prix de Diane, and Prix de I’Arc de Triomphe. The quality of the female line continues through the grand dam, La Futaie, winner of three races including the Prix Penelope and second iu the Prix Borny, the greatgrand dam, La Futelaye, winer of three including the Grand Prix de Deauville, to the great-great-grand dam, La Francaise. winner of the Prix du Cadran. Nasram’s sire, Nasrullah, was also a top class racehorse, and at the stud has had probably more influence on American breeding than any other horse. He was champion sire there in 1955, 56, 59. 60, and 62, and was second top sire in 1957 and 58. Mrs Howell Jackson has had a most successful season this year, with Baldric II winning the English 2000 Guineas and Nasram winning the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. These two wins alone were worth over £70,000. Other recent Classic victories of Mrs Jackson’s horses have been the Irisn Derby by Tambourine and the 1960 English 1000 Guineas by Never Too Late. Mrs Jackson’s horses are trained in France by the expatriate Australian, Ernie Fellows, and this season the Australian jockey, Billy Pyers, was engaged to ride for her stable.