UNBEATEN RACEHORSES

Taranaki Daily News, 2 August 1935, Page 10

UNBEATEN RACEHORSES

NOT MANY RECENT EXAMPLES GREAT PERFORMERS OF THE PAST ST.. SIMON AND ORMONDE THE BEST (By “Hurry On.”) OF the thousands of good horses that have graced the turf and have made history, there are only a few that have not tasted defeat at some time or other. In recent years in this portion of the globe even mighty performers in Phar Lap and Gloaming have had their colours lowered more than once. Silver Scorn set off in great style but she failed to catch L’Allegro in the Christmas Handicap at Ellerslie. With the great competition these days a horse has not only to be great but has also to have the luck with him to race or any length of time without having to submit to the inevitable. However, in the past there have been some mighty performers who have taken on all comers and retired without ever having any rival finish in front of them.

So far Bahrain who won the Derby at Epsom last June, claims an unbeaten record. He faced, the starter on five occasions as a two-year-old for five wins and this season has been successful in the Two Thousand Guineas and the Derby, his only .two starts. He is only likely to bo asked to race once again, in the St. Leger next month, when should he- suffer defeat, it would be one of the great, sensations in all the history of the famous classic. Bahram’s prospects of retiring with an unbeaten record certainly appear very bright. However, he has only had to tackle horses of his own age and for this reason it is hard to estimate the true value of his performance as it would seem likely that he has encountered particularly weak opposition. It is rather to be regretted that his owner did not think fit. to throw down the gauntlet to Windsor Lad in the recent Eclipse Stakes. If he could have beaten Mr. Benson s champion he would have gone down in history as one of the greatest colts of all time. . The mighty Ormonde is, perhaps, the finest example in all the turf’s history. This grandson of Bend Or and Lily Agnes, is the only triple , crown, Two Thousand Guineas, Derby and St. Leger, winner of recent times to retire with his record unsullied. What is more Ormonde was not kept in a glass cage. He started only three times as a two-year-old but the next year he faced the starter on no less than ten occasions. Not content with this he extended his record as a four-year-old when he won three more races. There was no doubt about the greatness of Ormonde, one of the finest thoroughbreds of all time There are few more celebrated names than that of St. Simon by Galopin from St. Angela. Galopin; his sire, had two full brothers pulling buses in London but Galopin will go down as the sire of St. Simon. Owing to his entries for the classics becoming void owing to. the death of his nominator, St. Simon was unable to take part in the Guineas, Derby and St. Leger and in all only raced eight times, five at two years and three at three. He won all his races with ridiculous ease, in fact in the Ascot Gold Cup it would be no exaggeration to say that he could have won by over a furlong had his rider so desired.

When once asked his opinions on the respective of St. Simon and Ormonde the great rider Fred Archer said: "They were both great horses. We how good Ormonde was but we

never had any idea how good St. Simon really was, he. was never extended.”

Two others to win all their races were The Tetrarch and Hurry On, but the former only raced as a two-year-old and the latter only as a three-year-old. The Tetrarch, or “the spotted wonder” as he was called, was one of the most sensational two-year-olds of all time. He spreadeagled his fields, being so far in front at the end that the photographers experienced difficulty in getting the others into the. picture. Whether he could have stayed out the Derby distance has always remained problematical as he failed to stand up to training as a three-year-old. One of his sons Cagula won a St. Leger.

Hurry On Won'six races as a three-year-old in good style but: his .only classic wjs the St. Leger. However; he was a good colt and proved a great sire, three of his. progeny in Captain Cuttie, Coronach . and Call. Boy triumphing in the Derby at Epsom. Still further back is that giant Barcaldine who won the ■ 13 race's which he contested, his greatest performance being a brilliant victory under 9.10 in the Northumberland Plate, when he romped away from his opponents. An incident for which the breeder and owner of Barcaldine was responsible went near to seriously affecting the career of the great Irish-bred horse.. An overture was made to Sir . John Astley that, if a certain sum were forthcoming. Barcaldine would be:withdrawn .from a race in which he was engaged. Sir John forwarded, the strange epistle to the stewards of the jockey Club, who insisted upon an explanation. As no satisfactory one was forthcoming, the owner was summoned to appear before the stewards. In the meantime it was stated that Barcaldine had been sold, buj, as doubts existed as to the bona tides of the reported transaction, the horse was not permitted to start for theCambridgeshire Stakes. He was then submitted at auction and was purchased by Robert Peck, a well-known trainer, for 1300 guineas. *

At the close of his racing career Barcaldine was bought by Colonel Barlow on account of Lady Stamford for 7000 guineas, and it is computed that his earnings as a sire for several years brought in something like £lO,OOO a year in fees-- ■ — '■■■ ■ Other noted gallopers of an earlier age were Eclipse, Highflyer and Flying Childers while Australia’s best example was Grand Flaneur.