THE THOROUGHBRED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20901, 17 June 1931, Page 7

THE THOROUGHBRED.

STUDY OF EVOLUTION. IMPORTANCE OF ST. SIMON. A NEW TYPE OF RACER. BY DR. W. J, STEWART MCKAY. No. VIII. During his three-year-old career St. Simon won all hi:* races with ease, beating Iristan over 32 furlongs, and then in tho Ascot Gold Cup by 20 lengths. After tho latter race his jockey touched him by accident with his spur, so ho bolted for nnothei mile. Ho won Ih* Goodwood Cup (two miles and a-half), and went to the stud to make a success that no horse has ever made before or since.

Why is il thai SI. Simon was so important in the history of tho evolution of tho racer? In tho first place, St. Simon got slock that were built on different lines to those that had preceded him. St. Simon ■l3 a sire created and introduced a new type of animal that was unknown before his day. Fii'sl of all, it must bo ruled that St. Simon was shorter in tho length of his body than in height; tho groom who looked after him said ho had tho shortest back ho had ever se "i. . Tho result of this formation was that many of his best racers woro horseß that wero much higher in tho leg and short in tho back. That is, short-coupled horses with plenty of daylight under them, and from St. Simon's day this typo of horso has been Quito common. Then there was St. Simon s extraordinary vitality; old Mathew Dawson used to say that lie must have been overcharged with electricity. Then there was his biilliant paco for a short distance. Nothing could get near him, and yot in his long races, such as tho Ascot Cup, ho would finish with a dash that was worthy of a real present-day stayer. These and many other considerations lead us to tho conclusion that St. Simon may bo chosen as tho horso who began that typo of hoiso which went on during tho subsequent -10 years, changing to become the present-day stayer; tho horse that can do his two miles at a good pace the wholo way, und finish in 3.25. Great Success at Stud. If tho Stockwells had size, power and bone, tho St. Simons had light. Wiry, birdlike frames, and fiery, cxatublo courage, and they possessed that nervous system that could givo out the requisite energy to cause the increase in pace that was necessaiy to make tho true stayer. At tho etud St. Simon s Duccess was extraordinary, and thero aro few races oi note that have not been won by his progeny. In ono year alone ho was siro of live classic winners, while in all ho had winners of 17 classic races. His stock in his lifetime (he died when 27) won in England 51)7 races of £552,181. , . To show how St. Simon transmitted his great staying powers, not only wr. lie the winner of tho Ascot Gold Cup miles), but also ho sired three winners of tins event—La Fleche (1891). Persimmon 1897) and William the Silent (1902); and the siinie raco was won five times by lour, or his grandsons, Prince Palatine winning it "'Tims in our opinion the years that St. Simon was at the stud. 181)0-1907, was a period when rapid changes were taking place in tho long-distanco horse, for endowed with the staying heart of St. Simon, he was not only able to execute long-ciis-tnnco races at ft much better paco. but a so was utile to transmit this, new power to his offspring. . , , But tho time came when tho reign of the St. Simons began to draw to a close. It seemed incredible. St. Simon, who had been third in tho winning list the third year ! after he had gone to the stud, and who i then took the lead, had for seven years without a break, ruled at tho head ot the list! Then ho was second in lank, ancl ' then again he regained tho supremacy for two years. Then his son, Persimmon, had a turn,, and was top dog in 1902, 1900,- 1908 arid- i 912 .: Thert -St. Frusquin had hie tu„rn in 1903 undi 1907, while Desmond was champion ono year and W.ill.iam the. Silent was second twice. And now all is changed: 15 years ago we saw the first signs of decay in England, while Comedy King in Australia kept the flag flying: but now if we look at the years list, tho St. Simon mule descendants have little to say in tho siro list. But in near y every great horso that still remains will be found St. Simon's name in his pedigree. " The Immortal Carbine."

We shall now deal with "the Immortal Carbine." Musket. the siro of Carbine, was imported to New Zealand and Carbine was bred by the New Zealand Stud Company, his da in, Mersey, being a grand-daughter of our old friend Stockwell. while'her sire was Knowsley. Musket's dam and lvnowslev's dam were half-sisters. > We propose to deal with Carbine s career in some detail, because the present gon Elation have not had an opportunity of readme the details' of his contests, and so they are unable to judge of the merits of one of the g]cutest horses of all times. Carbine was born in 1885 and was sold as a yearling to Dan O'Brien for 6'2ogns. New Zealand Raco Record, 1887.—Carbine's first rnco was as a two-year-old in the Hopeful Stakes, five furlongs, 8.10, £75. This was run on December 10, and Carbine won with ease by a length, lime, 1.5}. u.his and the following four races took place in New Zealand. Second Kace.—Middle X ark Stakes, Canterbury. New Zealand, six furlongß, 7.7. Won by half a length. Time. 1.155. Third Race.—Dunodin, Champagne Stakes, six furlongs, 9.3. Ho gavo Merlon 7lb and an easy beating. Time. J. 19. Fourth Race.— Canterbury. Another Champagne Stakes, six furlongs, 8.10. Won easily. Time, t.lni. ~ Fifth Race.—Next day. after the Champagno Stokes, he won his fifth a nd raco in New Zealand. This was the Challenge Stakes, where > he carried 7.9 against Kussley. a good sprinter, with 9.0. \\on in 1.15. These races present no particular features beyond tho fact that wo see him beating older horses in his last race. Transfer to Australia.

Australia. 1898.—Carbine was now brought over to Victoria by O'Brien, and he ran his first race at the V.R.C. meeting in tho spring. , , Sixth Race.—'V.R.C. Derby. November .3, 1888. As Carbipo had won all his races in New Zealand great tilings were expected of him, and so we find him some days before tho Derby displacing Melon, who receded to 3 to 1, Carbino being favourite at 2 to 1. The race was considered opon, yet only thrco horses were backed, and Carbine started 6 to 1, Melos 5 to 2. Ensign G to 1. There were ecven starters. Carbine was still owned by hi« (minor, Dan O'Brien, and ridden by Dorrett. "William Gnnnon started two horses, Molos and "Wycombe, while the Hon. .Tames While had Ensign running, ridden by Hales. Tho weather was fino but hot, the track in good order, though lough and uneven in some places. Wycombe led early, Carbino running about fifth. At tho inilo post Wycoinbo ■won making tho pace in tho interests of Molos, and was out four lengths in front. Wycombo was going so well in front that Dorrett began to get uneasy nnd suddenly ran Carbino up from fifth to second place and was followed by Melos. Over tho last six furlongs tho pace was on nnd Carbino and Melos got closer to Wycombo, Carbino at the abattoirs being only a length and a- • half behind tho leader, and Melos third. Ensign's Head Victory. Wycombo was first into the straight from Carbino and Molos, wliilo Ensign began to improve his position. Then Wycombo wiw done for and was passed, and before tho half-distance was roached Carbino shot out and was well clear of the field and evoryone thought that Carbine had tho raco at his mercy. Suddenly a change took place. Hales had nursed Ensign for a final dnsh and in tho final 100 yards he gradually crept up, and in the last strido landed Ensign a winner by a head. Of course, everyone said Carbine was unlucky to lose, but in discussing tho race with poor old O'Brien, who ended his days in tho Levvishnm Hospital, wo think that. O'Brien considered that Dorrett mado a mistake in going after Wycombo so early in tho race: secondly, that Carbino was in want of a race; thirdly, that Hales waß a master ridor, and, in spito of tho fact that ho was 42 at tho timo, ho was without an equal. Lastly, it was said that Dei-rott accidentally struck Carbino with his whip on a spot that pained him so much that, ho lost some lengths. , In the Derby tho placings wore:—Ensign, 8.5;" Carbino, 8.10; Melos, 8.10. lime, 2.451. Although no timo appeared to be lost, yet the timo was 5J seconds worse than that put up by Tho Australian Peer tho year before. ' Soventh Rnce—Third day of tho meeting. Carbino started' in tho Flying Stakes, w.f.a., 7.8. The two-year-old Necklet, who had won tho Maribyrnong Plato on tho first day, war favourite at G to 4, Carbino being 2to 1. Needless to sny Cnrbino won in a canter, and the time was 1.28}. T-'ighth Raco. —On tho Inst day (November 11), Carbino started in tho l"oal Stakes for three-year-olds, one mile and n-quarter. and had to carry 9.G (10lb penalty), and Molos and Wycombo carried a like penalty. Tho field was practically tho samo as the Derby field, only Ensign did not start. Carbino followed Melos into the straight, but Carbino came on and won easily, while Wycombe beat Molos. Tho time was 3,125, and the woathor was fino. (To bo continued.)