FIRST FOALS AS WINNERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26379, 6 February 1947, Page 10

FIRST FOALS AS WINNERS

Prejudice Based on Known Facts RECORDS OF THE ENGLISH DERBY

By Sentinel

The prejudice against first foals is not based on superstition, but rather on facts compiled from the records of racing. The “ Special Commissioner ” of the London Sporting Life delved into the subject and recently published some very interesting figures as a result of his research. The English Derby was first run in 1780, and the classic has been run on 168 occasions either at Epsom or Newmarket, and the foaling incidence of the winners is as follows: —First foals, 7; second foals, 33; third foals, 24; fourth foals, 23; fifth foals, 17; sixth foals, 18; seventh foals, 17; eighth foals, 10; ninth foals, 4; tenth foals, 7. First foals should win more races for the same reason as they eat more hay—there are more of them. The most notable winners of the Derby have come from second, third, fourth, and fifth foals. These include: Second foals—West Australian, Blair Athol, Hermit, Shotover, Melton, Ayrshire, Spearmint, Manna, Papyrus, and Felstead; third foals—Doncaster, Donovan, Flying Fox, Blenheim, and Midday Sun; fourth foals—Flying Dutchman, Persimmon, Lemberg, Coronach, and Windsor Lad; and fifth foals —Ormonde, Galtee More, Cicero, Sunstar, and Dante.