Uncle Remus colt ‘of potential world class’

Press, 16 February 1978, Page 18

Uncle Remus colt ‘of potential world class’

By

J. J. BOYLE

“For the second time in three years New Zealand has produced a colt of potential world class.”

The subject under discussion is Uncle Remus and the statement comes from the authoritative English writer, Peter Willett, m an article written for “Horse and Hound” after the champion three-year-old won the Wellington Derby last month.

Mr Willett, who came to New Zealand in January at the invitation of Wrightson Bloodstock Ltd and the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, said that from the moment of his arrival everyone seemed eager to convince him that Uncle Remus was a better horse than Balmerino, or at least had achieved more than Balmerino had done at the corresponding stage of his career.

“The claim can be put to the test before many months have passed, because plans are in existence for Uncle Remus to follow Balmerino to Europe and challenge him in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes and the Prix de I’Arc de Triomphe,” Mr Willett writes in his article which appears under the heading, "Another World Beater from N.Z.”

“House-proud, garden-

proud and, above all, horseproud, New Zealanders would be over the moon if the two champions could ‘quinella’ the two great European international races for three-year-olds and up,” says Mr Willett

Mr Willett had his first look at Uncle Remus at the Takanini stable of Colin Jillings. “His appearance is commanding, with a beautifully set-on head and neck and great quality. There is ample power in his muscular quarters, and if he is to be faulted it is because he is a little on the leg. He will be an extremely handsome colt when he finally lets down.”

' After seeing Uncle Remus slam his rivals in the Wellington Stakes and the Wellington Derby Mr Willett found himself in full agreement with two experienced observers of the thoroughbred scene, Colin Hayes and Jim Shannon, who had no hesitation in pronouncing Uncle Remus in world class.

“He can be put anywhere in a race. He is perfectly content to make all the running and accelerate away from his rivals when they try to tackle him in the straight, and he is equally happy to come from behind. Distance does not bother him, and he is such a glo-riously-fluent mover that the knowledgeable Trentham crowd burst into spontaneous applause as they

watched him canter to the start of both his recent races.

Like many others, Mr Willett -was impressed by the temperament of Uncle Remus. “While we walked around him at Takanini, viewing him from all angles, he stood as quietly as old sheep, while his lad gently rubbed and pulleji his tongue. Mr Willett observes that Uncle Remus's sire Bendmaster is one of those horses of indifferent racing performance but good pedigree which have frequently proved capable of siring horses of high merit in the New Zealana environment.

He has discovered that Uncle Remus stems from a fully-fledged European classic family to which the Bandmaster colt has brought fresh laurels on the opposite side of the world. The founder of the family in New Zealand was Astrophelia, an unraced mare imported from France. Astrophelia was by the Asterus horse, Astrophel, out of Moune, by the great French sprinter, Epinard.

Moune was an own-sister to Mignon, the grandam of the three top class performers Midget 11, Noemi and Vimy. Mr Willett remembers Midget H as one of the unluckiest horses of the 1000 Guineas, while Vimy made amends for an unlucky short-head defeat in the French Derby by winning the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.