DEATH OF A NOTABLE TURF MATRON.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 419, 19 October 1889, Page 6

DEATH OF A NOTABLE TURF MATRON.

From Adelaide comes news of the death of Sir Thos. Elder's brood matron Romula, the dam ot Montaito, Renm? and Menotti. She was toaled in 1567, and was consequently 22 years old. Mr J. Thompson owned Romula during her racing career, and Wilson trained her at St. Albans. In 1870-1, as a three-year old she was pretty high on the list at weight-for-age,as, besides putting Tim Whiffier down, and winning s he Champion Stakes, she ran third to Mermaid (her stable companion) and Little Dick in the Sjdney Cup in 1871. The gi eat sensation, however, in connection with the mare was the Melbourne Cup of the same year. Old spoi ting men will remember that r.he St. Albans trainer had three candidates engaged in the race for Cup honours, an>J to the surprise of not a few it transpired that Romula was the pick of the stable, and the maie went to the post a hot fa vou lite, the stable and her owner regard ng her victory as certain. The result of the race is history, and it is not necessary here to more than merely state how Pearl, a 100 to 1 eh -nee, won, with Romula -econd. Mr Thompson was chaffed unmeicifully over the defeat, the great ring man having q me to the course decked out entirely le^ardless of expense, feeling positive that he would have to lead back the victress. The mare never lost the marks received from young Jimmy Wilson's whip in the celebrated Cup, showing that he used it with a will.