Rich Blood of First Three In the Derby

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 688, 13 June 1929, Page 12

Rich Blood of First Three In the Derby

TRIGO’S SIRE ADVERTISED NEW ZEALAND INTEREST Trigo, winner or the 1929 Derby, is by Blandford out of the Farasi mare Athasi, therefore a full-brother to Athford, the best two-year-old in Ireland the season before last, who lias won some pood races this season, including the Newbury Cup. As a two-year-old, Trigo was a rather small colt, but took some time to come to hand, his first victory being recorded on August 11 last when, in receipt of 131 b from Meremon, he “walked away” with the Phoenix Plate. By so doing he created a record, inasmuch as his brother, Athford. had captured the event in 1927. Moreover, the event in question in 1926 fell to Archway, and all these three horses were trained bv J. T. Rogers—a great “hat trick.” At the Curragh, in September, Trigo won the Anglesey Stakes without cftort from two moderate opponents, but two days later found it quite bevond his powers to concede 181 b to Soloptic*. in the Railway Stakes, though at the time he was suffering from an incipient cough. Thus it will be seen that Trigo's racing as a two-year-old was done in Ireland, where he was bred. A search through the files available for the present racing season shows that he was a starter in the Two

Thousand Guineas, and had gone into K C. Dawson’s stable at Whatcombe in Berkshire to be prepared for his classic engagements. The racing contributor of the London “Daily Telegraph” wrote of him prior to that race as follows: —“My information is that Trigo is the best three - vear - old at Whatcombe, which means* that ho is better than Nijinski. That fact gives us a definite clue through Winton to Cragadour, and no one can very well afford to ignore Trigo. Through Ennis Bridge, any handicapper would scorn the idea of his beating one like Mr. Jinks. Taking tho form as it stands, Trigo is anvthing up to 101 b behind. Mr. Jinks; at anv rate, a handicapper would have no option to give him less. Yet lam much impressed by my information, which comes from the trainer himself, that so far as his gallops show Trigo is his best three-year-old at the present time. He makes the qualification that Buland Bala will not show his best form on the home gallops. Subsequent to his Newbury success, the Aga Khan asked Trigo’s owner to put a price on the colt, but he refused to sell. Failed In Guineas In the Two Thousand, Trigo started third favourite, hut failed. For threequarters of a mile nearly half the field were placed with a fighting chance, Trigo. Cragadour. Gay Day, Reedsmouth. Mr. Jinks, Hunter s Moon, Rattlin tho Reefer, Walter Gay, and Markover among them.

Trigo was beaten directly afterwards. and did not finish in the first six. Trigo’s success will be an advertisement for his sir© Blandford, whoso stock won 15 races last season for a total of £6,453.

Trigo was bred at the Cloghran Stud, Ireland, by his owner, Mr. W. Barnett and belongs to the Stella tribe. His sire Blandford, was responsible for another very useful two-year-old last year in De Courcy, who won three races. Trigo confounds the writer of a note in the British Bloodstock Breeders’ Review, who sums the colt up by saying “so it is not likely he will develop into a long-distance champion.” Distinguished Relatives

It is interesting to note, in connection with Trigo’s victory, that Blandford, his sire, standing at the Cloghran Stud Co.. Dublin. Ireland, had his list full for 1929 at the fee of 300gns. so that there should not be much trouble about getting him fully booked up for the next few seasons at any rate. There is sum© great blood on the sire’s side of the Derby winner’s breeding, for Swynford (sire of Blandford) won the St. Leger and over £25,000 in stakes. lie is the sire of a Derby winner (Sangavino), two St. Leger winners (Keysoe and Tranquil), two winners of* the 1.000 Guineas (Ferry and Saucy Sue), and an Oaks winner (Saucy Sue), while one of his sons (Lancegaye) finished second in a Derby and another (Silurian) was second in a St. Leger. Blanche (dam of Blandford) was a half-sister to Cherry Lass (winner of the 1,000 Guineas and Oaks), while her granddam, Black Duchess, was the dam of Bay Ronald, sire of Bayardo, who sired Gay Crusader and Gainsborough. That should interest many.

Dominion racegoers and keen students of the turf will be interested in the breeding o2 Brienz, who finished third. It is rather a singular coincidence that Brienz followei in the footsteps of Hurstwood, who filled third place in the Derby of 1924 behind Sansavino and St. Germans, both Hurstwood and Brienz being in the ownership of Mr. Somerville Tattersail.

As a two-year-old Brienz was more successful than was Hurstwood at that stage of his career. His stamina was revealed in a remarkable race for the Middle Pork Stakes, in which he ran third to Costaki Pasha; and again in the contest for the Dewhurst Stakes over seven furlongs, which he won. Brienz also won the Rous Plate at Doncaster, his stake-earnings at two years old standing at £3,310. An English writer refers to his beautiful action as his chief asset, and his love of racing as another. He seemed to regard racing as a playful t|.ercise, pulling up as if he had done nothing out of the ordinary routine. He was considered to have a strong constitution, while his appetite made him “anything but a poor man’s horse!” Related to Diacquenod

During the present season Brienz received more notice than either of the colts who beat him in the Derby. After winning at Newmarket in April the “Sporting Life” writer had the following about him: “Now for Brienz. Hero again there is a. lovely colt, but of rather a different type. He is more

compact, shorter on the legs, and had not so much range as Mr. Jinks, but he is a powerful colt, full of quality and gets over a lot of ground. Brienz’s race in the Column Produce Stakes was not as impressive as that of Mr. Jinks, and he struck me as taking a long time to win it, but it may be that he is a lazy colt that only does what he has to do.” On breeding there is no doubt whatever about his stamina.

A dark brow n, powerful, “classy” looking colt, with good limbs and a powerful range. Brienz is bv the Sunstar horse Blink out of Blue Lake, by Gainsborough out of Miss Cobalt, by Pride. Where Wanganui will be Interested is in the fact that Miss Cobalt was also the dam of Diacquenod, now at the West mere Stud in the ownership of Mr. John Donald, who also lias Chief Ruler and Grand Knierhtto keep the son of Diadumenos company. No doubt the mere fact that Brienz ". as ?-ble to gain even a minor situation in the great English classic would be a source of gratification for the Westmere studmaster.