Catalogue Had Long And Notable Career

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 August 1948, Page 7

Catalogue Had Long And Notable Career

“Jerry” browses in lush grass behind the stables presided over by “Granny” and Alan McDonald at Awapuni; the August sun is surprisingly warm this year, and the 18-year-old seems to be appreciating it. His years weigh lightly upon him. Little he cares that another Grand National meeting has commenced; he’s forgotten the days when Riccarton racegoers cheered him on to yet win another Winter Cup victory, writes E.V.W.W., in the Auckland Star. Yes, Catalogue waxes yvell and, while the grand Lord Quex — Catalini gelding—llie greatest horse ever bred at the famous b lax mere Stud —looks remarkably well, few would recognise in the roughcoated hay gelding the hero of llirec Winter Cups and a Melbourne Cup. 1 - - » -ft - » WJ a -An *wa A e t* a »a>

Catalogue’s racing career was a chequered one, for. after winning at two and three years, he lost form and his next two seasons netted only three thirds. During that black period, however, he was a sick horse and believed to have a “heart.’’ However, the enforced spell did him no harm, for his three wins and five seconds as a six-year-old more than doubled his stakes winning aggregate. As a seven-year-old, he was an even better horse and, to show how badly affected (!) was his heart, Catalogue raced 27 times for five wins, five seconds, and four thirds. “Jerry” started off that season by winning his first Winter Cup with 8.13 by a couple of lengths from Dictate and Queen of Song, and he maintained that good form to run the Stewards’ Handicap winner to a length in the August Handicap. The following November Catalogue went well on his way to prove himself a Riccarton specialist, when, aftei’ being last into the straight, he won the Jockey Club Handicap by four lengths from his track-mate. Oratory, in track record time ol 1.37 2-5.

Over-confidence on the part of his pilot cost him the Wellington Cup when Padishah prevailed in the following January and Catalogue was also nosed out of the thick end of the stake in the W.R.C. Autumn by Davolo. However, the following week he won the King George Handicap at Awapuni in the course record of 2.3 2-5, only to be deprived of the record honour later in the afternoon when Stretto carved 2-ssec off that time in winning the Awapuni Gold Cup. Second Winter Cup

The following August saw Catalogue back at .Riccarton, where he won. his second Winter Cup by a head and a neck from Waitaka and Alma, this time in the nomination of Mrs A. Jamieson, sister-in-law of his former owner, the late Ted Barnes. It was a noteworthy victory, and Catalogue was the first dual winner of the big Riccarton winter mile. . Immediately plans were finalised for a trip to Australia, the rich Melbourne Cup being the attraction. “Granny” McDonald, however, had to relinquish the training licence in favour of Alan McDonald to confarm with Australian rules, and so it was that “Jerry" sailed for Melbourne with the former _ crack steeplechase horseman to guide his destinies.

Catalogue's Australian debut was made in the Coongy Handicap at Caulfield, and he was also unplaced in the W. S. Cox Plate, which Ajax won from Royal Chief and Young Idea. But the racing brought him along fast and ‘'Jerry quickened up the pulses of his admirers on Derby Day at Flemington when he ran Spear Chief and L’Aiglon *to two necks in the Hotham Handicap. That- effort caused the “hearty” Lord Quex gelding to harden in the 1938 Cup market. He had been quoted at. 100-to-one on Derby Day. but late followers had to accept a 25-to-one starting price on the Tuesday, and it is now history' how, with 8.4 up. Catalogue dashed to the front six furlongs from home to win by three lengths from Bourbon (7.121, who was as far in front of Ortelle’s Star (7.11), Alunga (9.0). and Royal Chief (9.3). Catalogue’s final race at the Cup meeting was in the 14 furlongs V.R.C. Handicap, in which he finished a close .fifth with 9.5 behind Bourbon and Young Crusader. Third Winter Cup

Treated to a good holiday on his return, Catalogue did not sport silk again until the following winter, when, with three races under his belt, he proceeded to Riccarton to win his third Winter Cup with 10.3, finishing two lengths ahead of Morgan O’Brien’s Dictate, who had been defeated under similar conditions two years earlier. Third money that year went to Lady Montana, another Flaxmere-sired galloper. Once ‘again Catalogue pulled out for Australia, and once again he showed his appreciation of the sea trip and change of environment. Eighth in the Moonga Handicap, won by the Siegfried horse Crojick, and unplaced in Mosaic’s Cox Plate. Catalogue carried his 9.2 to a two-lengths victory over the light-weights, Pantier and Bell Buoy, in the Hotham Handicap. It

«?!•»" •h $ 3' 3 & s 9s seemed that he was even better than ever, and his New Zealand supporters were convinced that another Melbourne Cup lay within his compass. In this assumption they were wrong, but it was Dame Fortune more than any runner in the 1939 Melbourne Cup field which beat Catalogue that year, when he was backed down to 8 to 1. With the Caulfield Cup winner Rivette setting the main, he was not able to make his brilliant run into the lead, but unbiased observers of the race asserted that “Jerry" was travelling particularly well when he pulled out to 'challenge Rivette half-way down the ■running. Dire Collision Unfortunately, he collided violently with another runner and was so badl} r affected that he was stopped to a walk, eventually finishing thirteenth, Rivette winning from Maikai and Pantier. Catalogue was still feeling the effects of that collision when he ran unplaced in the Fisher Plate, but he earned another £5OO a lew weeks later when he tan Maikai to two lengths and a half in the Williamstown Cup. Subsequently he ran fifth to Maikai in the V.A.T.C. Eclipse Stakes. Catalogue was returned to New Zealand to contest the Auckland Cup, but he was not particularly lucky in the running of that event, as he proved on the middle day, when he dead-heated for second with De Friend, a neck bc*hind Royal Appellant, in the A.R.C. Handicap. After a, couple of races the following winter. Catalogue essayed at a fourth Winter Cup al Riccarton, and it was a tribute to the popularity of the ten-year-old gelding that he was installed favourite. However, while he ran a gallant race, he was no match for Lady Tinkle. Haughty Winner and Nigger ' Boy. The following January he unsuccessfully contested Kindergarten’s Wellington Cup. and his retirement from the turf was announced. Altogether. Catalogue contested 89 races for 13 wins, 15 seconds, and nine thirds, amassing £13,064 in days when stakes were far below present-day standards; in fact, his three Winter Cups netted only £1565. Still, he proved himself one of the great horses of his day, and, for many years, his memory will be kept, fresh by each succeeding Grand National meeting.