TURF HISTORY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22046, 28 February 1935, Page 9

TURF HISTORY

SUCCESSES IN AUSTRALIA EARLY NEW ZEALAND VISITS SUPERIORITY OF CARBINE i BY SPEARMINT ( Now Zealanders, with some justification, look upon this country as the thoroughbred nursery of the Southern Hemisphere, by soil, climate and natural conditions the Great Britain of the Antipodes. Ever since the historic occasion in 1905, when the New Zealand contingent completely swamped the opposition at the A.J.C. sprine meeting, a continuous procession of good horses has left these shores for Australia, and it is very seldom that one or more of the major prizes has failed to fall to their lot. In more recent years the reputation of New Zealand has been enhanced by the number of firstclass yearlings that, have been purchased by Australian buyers, and have carried off a fair share of the classic events. But the New Zealand invasion of Australia had its commencement very many years before the famous occasion above referred to. The first team of New Zealand horses was taken to Australia in one of the old-timo sailing brigs by Mr. Henry Red*<pod in 1858 to compete against the Australian '"cracks" of the time. It consisted, of Zoe. by Sir Hercules from Flora Mclvor, bred by Mr. T. Iccly in New South Wales, and a lialf-eister to lo and Waiinea; Chevalier, a half-brother to these famous eisters by Lawson's Tros; and Zingaru, a daughter of II Baibiere and Gipsy, a r«are by Rons' Emigrant, who had been bred by Mr. C. Smith in New South Wales and sent over to Nelson without a pedigree. Gipsy founded a famous New Zealand family, among her descendants being Gipsy King, Manton. Cour de Lion and St, Crispin, so it will be seen that the contingent lacked nothing on the ecore of breeding. Prior to leaving New Zealand, Zingara had won a race at Nelson, carrying 10st. 61b., and beating Zoe. Symphony and Strop. Creditable Performances The record put up by the visitors was a creditable one. Zingara winning two races outright and dead-heating in the Australian Plate, while . Chevalier won the Liverpool Derby (the second "blue ribbon" race run in the colony) and the Hoinebush (A.J.C.) Si Leger. Zoe won the Homebush Welter and the A.J.C. Handicap (three miles) and was second on two occasions. All three horses were sold before Mr. Redwood returned to New Zealand. In the following year Mr. Redwood was back again, with a team consisting of Strop. Potentate, Io and' Misu Rowe. With him went Mr. Duppa, with Camden and Wildrake. Camden was bred in New South Wales, by Calendar from Yattendon's dam. Cassandra. He was mated with Mermaid, and became the sire of Waterwitch. and. consequently, the ancestor of nearly all the present-diy horses tracing to that famous mare. Wildrake was by Sir Hercules from Woodstock, who. through her daughter Phoebe, founded a famous New Zealand family. Io was to become the grand dam of Frailty, and Miss Bowe. who was of pure Arab descent, founded the family from which came Ariel (thrice winner of the A\ickland Cup). Peeress, Muskaneer. Strowan and Vagabond.. Potentate was bv Sir Herculea from Princess, ancestress of many good performers in the early days. . The riders were George and Edward Cutts and Bob Ray. Tho team again performed well. Strop winning three races_ and putting un a track record for three miles, 5m 525. while Potentate won once and Mis# Rowe twice. They were then taken to Melbourne, where Camden scored four wins. R. J. Mason's First Visit

Meantime the A.J.C. ha'd moved its headquarters from Honiet>" ,, li to Randwick. and the opening meeting u.i the new course in ISliO saw Messrs. Redwood and Duppa back again with a team consisting of Strop. 10. Waimea. Phoebo and WildraKe. Phoebe was the best performer with five wine out# of .10 starts. Io weut omits and was sold, and Strop dropped dead after taking v&tl in the Second Champion Race ot Randwick ii nd was buried behind the judge's box. V. drake won the Australian Plate at Randwi.V; and the City Handicap at Flemington. Vhe year 1874 marks the first v*«t to Australia of the late R. J. Mason, who was to become almost as great an institution on the Auntraljan a& on the Isew. Zealand turf. The team he took over comprised Lurline, Calumny and Papapa, and he rode Lurline in the Melbourne Cup. The first two were sold and between them landed the big autumn double. Calumny winning the Newmarket Handicap and Lurlme the Australian Cup. Papapa went lame and was eent back to New Zealand. In 18SX Mata, who had been very successful in New Zealand, winning the Dunedin Cvp twice, was eent to Victoria, but ran badiV in the Melbourne Cup. He won the V.R.C. Handicap on the Inst day. but was disqualified for inconsistency. Uhe disqualification, however, did not apply in South Australia, and Mata was eent to Adelaide, where he won the Birthday Cup. New Zealand bloodstock received ft tremendous advertisement a year or two later by the purchase by the Hon J. White of the colt foal by Musket from Sylvia, which he inspected at Sylvia Paik when on a visit to Auckland. jSamed Martini Henry, he had his first start in the V.R.C. Derby of 1883, which he won, following this up a few days later with a victory in the Melbourne Cup with 7.5 He also won the V.R.C. St. Leger but had to lower his colours in the A.J.C. St. L e f.er, Champion Stakes and Cumberland Stakes to the splendid Queensland colt Le Grand, who had not been entered for the Victorian classics. Nordenleldt and Matchlock Mr. White followed up this success with two more New Zealand-bred horses, Nordenfeldt and Matchlock, in 1885. Ill© firstnamed won six of the nine races in which lie started, including the A.J.C. and V.H.O. Derbies, tiio Craven Plato and Randwick Plate, and wns beaten into fourth position in the Melbourne Cup by Sheet Anchor, Grace Darling and Trenton only half a length separating the first four horses It is stated that had lie not been badly interfered with three times he must assuredly havo won, and Mr. Fennelly, trainer to Mr. White, considered without hesitation thai- ho wns the greatest horse he ever tr i!ater in the same season Matchlock won the V.R.C. and A.J.C. St. Legers and Champion Plato, providing n magnificent advertisement for New Zealand. In the previous season Sir Modred had won the A.J.O. Metropolitan Stakes and the Craven Plate (beating Malua). Ho was sent to America, where he met with great success at trio stud. Trenton also had been winning weight-for-ago raceß, and finished third _ to Sheet Anchor and Grace Darling arid second to Arsenar in two consecutive Melbourne. Cups, conceding the latter two stone. The year 1887 saw tremendous duels between Trenton's great brother, the New Zea-land-bred Niagara, and two splendid horses. Abercorn and The Australian Peer. The meetings of thee© throe champions provided thrilling contests, and seldom, if ever, have three three-year-olds of such class been seen out in the same year. They first met in the A.J.C. Derby, and Abercorn won, with Niagara eecond and The Australian Peer third. At the same meeting ISiagara. in l'ficoipt of 71b. ran a dead-heat with Abercorn in the Second Foal Stakes. At the V.R.C. Spring Meeting The Australian Peer turned the tables, and won the Derby, with Aborcorn and Niagara a dead-heat lor second place. In the Melbourne Cup The Australian Peer was third to the older horses Dunlop and Silvermine. with Niagara half a head away fourth and Abercorn the same distance away fifth. In the V.R.C. St. Leter Abecorn asserted his superiority. The Greatest ol All Which t rings us to the performances of this greatest New Zealand representative on the Australian turf. Carbine, by Musket from Mersey, was bred at Sylvia Park, near Otahuhu, in 1885, and raced as a two-year-old in New Zealand, winning the five races in which lie started. His owner, Mr. D. O'Brien, then took him to Melbourne and he was sold to Mr. D. S. Wallace, m whose colours he raced during the remaindev of his career. > Ho . was beaten in the V.R.C, Derby by Ensign, but which .was the better horse will never be known, as the latter broke his leg two days afterwards and was destroyed. Carbino ran 13 times ap a three-year-old, won nine times (including the Champion Stakes, 3 miles I *, and was placed on the other four occasions. As a four-year-old he started 14 times for nine wins., being unplaced for the only time in his career in tho Canterbury Plate at Flemington, when he was eased up, having injured his foot. This season saw his marvellous sequence of five wins on the four days of the A.J.C. Autumn Meeting. These were the Autumn Stakes, 1J miles, Sydney Cup, 2 miles (with 9st. 9lb). All-Aged Stakes, 1 mile, Cumberland Plate, 2 miles, and A.J.C. Plate, 3 miles. As winning the All-Aged Stakes and Cumberland Plate meant starting twice on the same day, this record is not likely ever to be equalled. In this season he finished third in the Champion Stakes to Melos and Dreadnought, and second to Bravo in. the Melbourne Cup, carrying 10st, and giving the winner two years and 211b. ,In the Melbourne Stakes, 1J miles, Abercorn was first, Meloa second and Carbine third.

Carbine finished his racing career as a five-year-old with ten wins out of 11 starts, being second to Marvel in the All-Aged Stakes, 1 mile. His wins included the Melbourne Cup, with lOst slb, in beating 38 others, and the Champion Stakes, 3 miles, for the second time. Hi« stud career in Australia and England was a» brilliant as his successes on the turf.