NOTES BY PHAETON

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22000, 5 January 1935, Page 7

NOTES BY PHAETON

GREAT NORTHERN DERBY

ELEVENTH WIN FOR FILLY

SENSATIONAL SURPRISES

The victory registered by Gay Blonde in the Great Northern Derby was the eleventh occasion on which a fillv has won this race. Tlie first Derby was run at Ellerslie oil January 3, 1875, and the filly Toi, carrying the colours of Mr. James Watt, was successful. Three years later Mr. W. Walters supplied the winner, Venus Transit, and in 1985 Sir William Russell won with Tistridia. whose victory was sensational because it involved the downfall of the hot favourite, Ugly JBuclc. In 1595 two fillies, Stepfelt and Blitefire. fought out, a sensational finish. Bluefire, who had the C.J.C. Derby and C.J.G. Oaks to her credit, was regarded as a certainty. Stepfelt challenged her at the half-distance, and, racing stride for stride to the post, gained the verdict by a head. Stepfelt was owned by Mr. L. D. Nathan and Bluefire by Mr. G. G. Stead. The Derby of 1900 holds a place among the most sensational -n tho history of the race, and it was a filly who played the leading part. Seahorse, a colt owned b;; Major F. N. George, hud captured five races right off the reel, including the New Zealand Cup, C.J.C. Derby and Canterbury Cup, and tho Great Northern Derby wns popularly regarded as being at his morcy. Tho unexpected happened' and in a stirring finish Miss Delaval won by a neck. She had disappointed her owner, Mr. D. A. McLeod. bo badly in the Summer Cup, run a few days previously, that action had been taken to throw her out of work. The order was countermanded, with the result that. Miss Delaval enacted tho role of a sensational winner of Derby honours. Four years after Miss Delaval's victory Sir George Clifford was popularly considered likely to furnish the winner with Treadmill, who had won tho Canterbury Cup, but the filly Gladsome, owned by Mr, J. B. Reid. beat him decisively. In 1912 tho list of victories by fillies was increased by Counterfeit, who carried Sir George Clifford's colours. The Derby of 1916 saw a great filly. Desert Gold, on the scene, and the brilliancy she displayed by winning in 3.32 3-5 stamped her as one of tho highest-clasß fillies who have gracod tho New Zealand turf. Desert Gold was bred and owned by Mr. T. H. Lowry. In 1923 Mr. T. A. Duncan scored with Enthusiasm, and 10 years later Silver Scorn won for Mr. F. T. Cush. A special distinction attaches to Stepfelt, for she produced two colts, Elevation and Reputation, who won Derby honours. Elevation won the New Zealand Derby in 1907 and Reputation tho Great Northern Derby in 1915 RACING IN AUSTRALIA LEADING TWO-YEAR-OLDS When the Rampion colt Strathardale won the Kirkham Stakes at Warwick Farm on December 8 ho was voted the best colt who had raced in New South Wales up to that date this season, but it was pointed out that tho New Zealand-bred colt Homer had not been sufficiently tested to settle the question decisively. Homer. 8.5, and Stratbardale, 8.10, measured strides in the December Stakes, five furlongs, at Bandwick on Boxing Day, when Homer scored a victory by half a neck. It would appear that the two colts are -well matched nnd their next meeting will -be invested with much interest. Homer was included among the first batch sired by Iliad, son of Swynford, who is located at the Elderslie Stud. As a yearling Homer was bought by Mr. J. S. Brunton. of Sydney, for 550 guineas. STUD ITEMS GAY BLONDE'S PEDIGREE There is a good array of illustrious names | in the pedigree of the Great Northern Derby winner Gay Blonde, the leading lines being as follows: Sire: Gay Shield, by Gay Crusader, son of Bayardo and grandson of Bay Ronald, from Cinna, by Polymelus, eon of Cyllene, from Baroness La Fleche, by Ladas, son of Hampton, from La Fleche, by St. Simon. Dam: Lady Marie, by Romeo. Bon of Flying Fox and grandson of Orme, from Marie O'Dile, by St. Amant. eon of St. Frusquin, from Hungry Bird, by Missel Thrush, son of Orme. from Hungry, by Kisber. As a yearling Lady Maria was bought at auction by Mr. L. S. Otway for 25 guineas. CHIEF RULER AND GAY SHIELD The sire record for the Auckland Racing Club's Summer Meeting furnishes pointed evidence that tho Dominion lost two highlysuccessful stallions when Chief Ruler and Gay Shield died. Chief Ruler especially had proved a marked success, and his progeny have won prize-money amounting to close upon £IOO,OOO. Gay Shield had not beetf so advantageously placed as Chief. Ruler, but his record was very satisfactory, and tho fact that a filly, Gay Blonde, has been found equal to winning Derby honours invests his comparatively short career as a sire with additional merit. PANTHEON'S RECORD The progeny of Pantheon are leaving their mark on the West Australian Derby in' a pronounced manner, threo successive vic- | tories being down to their credit—namely. ] Olympian, 1932, Panto, 1933, and Hyperion; 1934. Tho total sum involved in the purchase of these threo colts when bought as yearlings was 720 guineas. A SON OF LIMOND Tout le Monde, who won the two leading events at tho Manawatu Racing Club's meeting, was viewed as a most attractive colt when offered at auction as a yearling at Tretitham in 1931, and Dr. M. G. Louisson hud to carry tho bidding to 800 guineas to 1 secure him. In his early racing Tout Jo Monde failed to come up to the standard | expected, but age has found him an im- ' proved horse. Tout le Monde is by Liniond, ; son of Desmond, from the Polymelus mare Aspic, so that ho can boast a high-class pedigree. NEW ZEALAND-BRED CAPRIS The three-year-old f.lly Capris was regarded as likely to see a much better day when she won her first race in New South Wales, and this prediction was borno out at Randwick on New Year's Day, when she scored in the New Year's Gift, seven furlongs, carrying 8.13 and beating nine opponents in the fast time of 1.24. Capris, who is by the English-bred siro Captain Bunsby from tho Lucullus marc Charis, was bred by Mr. C. M. Emanuel, of Auckland, under who?e colours she won her two races in Australia. Tho filly has now been sold to an Australian sportsman. CHANGE OF QUARTERS MORRISON FOR PAPATOETOE The tifottins trainer 1. R. Morrison will next week transfer his horses from kpsom to Pnpatoetoe. where Mr. J. Stormont, owner of Proletarian, has secured a property, on which he intends to put down a training track. Until this is ready, J-'ro-letarian, Cimarron and ft two-year-old fullbrother to tho first-named will be worked on the Otahuhu track. Cimarron, who has done well on a lengthy spell, may rot race until the end of the season. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS "Inquirer," Epsom.—Aircraft, limit, won tho Mangere Handicap, 3.45 class, at the Auckland winter meeting, and from 48yds bhd was third in tho Manukau Handicap, 3.45 class. His mile and a-quarter mark prior to his win at the Auckland summer meeting was 3.3.