DEATH OF A FAMOUS STEEPLECHASER.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VIII, Issue 412, 16 June 1898, Page 15

DEATH OF A FAMOUS STEEPLECHASER.

v' DAIMIO SHOT AT SEA.

Every lover of a good horse must have felt a pang of regret at reading the cable announcement of the death at sea, of the once famous Victorian steeplechaser, Daimio. It appears that after an unsuccessful trip to the Old Country, Messrs. Gibson Bros., of Victoria, who were the owners of the gallant old son of Swiveller and Butterfly 11., had shipped Daimio in the steamship Star of Victoria, with the intention of allowing the treble Grand National winner to end his days in bis native land. Such kindly and honorable intentions have been unfortunately nipped in the bud, through the steamer encountering a heavy gale, during which, Daimio received such serious injuries as to necessitate his destruction by the aid of the proverbial .friendly bullet. In his early days Daimio was used by his owners—who are wealthy young Victorians and I. straight-goers —as a hunter, and at the close of the season of 1894 Swiveller’s son scored for Messrs Gibson Bros, their first victory in an important event, the horse being trained by Mr R. H. Frew, now a leading trainer of jumpers at Flemington, but who at the period mentioned was but a novice at the game. Frew evidently “ knew something” about the big horse that was not known to the sporting world, and he induced - the Messrs Gibson to nominate their favorite in the V.R.C. Grand National Steeplechase of 1895, and in due course he was allotted 9st 31b. The public did not, however, fancy the horse very much, but they had evidently underrated Daimio’s powers, as, ridden by the late Martin Burke, one of the best and gamest horsemen ever seen in Australasia, be made hacks of his opponents, negotiating the distance in 7min O|sec. The -.moment. the race was over, Daimio’s was admitted on all sides to be a really good horse, and old Martin Burke, usually as silent as the grave, was heard to remark that the big fellow > .was an “illigant lepper.” Like sensible men, Messrs Gibson Bros, threw their champion aside until the following season, when in the big V.R.C. *event he was allotted list 101 b. This time, however, the public would not be denied, and accordingly Daimio started at a short price, and, ridden by James Barbour (Martin Burke, his former pilot, having been killed’some time previously), he came away from his field at the turn and won, pulling up, in 6min 45|sec. The V.A.T.C. Grand National over four miles, came next, and herein the subject of this sketch was apportioned the terrible impost of 13st 31b. Nevertheless, as short a price as 2 to 1 was accepted, and this, too', in a field of .fifteen runners. Barbour. again had the mount, and once more Swiveller’s great son made “ mincemeat ” of his opponents, and fairly electrified the racing world .by putting up Bmin l6sec, thus beating all preyious.records .by 17sec. Needless to say, the hero i;of the day met with a great reception upon returning to scale. Shortly after the Caulfield victory Messrs Gibson decided upon sending Daimio to England <in search of Liverpool Grand National honors, 'but their pluck was not rewarded, as at no period of his sojourn in England did the horse show anything like his Australian form, and latterly he had been in the habit of bleeding at the nose, and so his trainer notified the owners that he did not? think it wise to persevere with the old fellow. Mr Robert Gibson at once decided to ship his pet back to Victoria, with the unfortunate result recorded above. Vv Daimio, when in form, stood well amongst the Australian champions, such as Sussex, Bedleap, Himalaya, Blue Mountain, Game, Left Bower, Denmark, etc., and his death leaves a great gap ■ in the ranks of Australian jumpers, who, by the . way, are just now of very mediocre calibre. The Messrs Gibson have our sincere sympathy in “their loss. . 1 • •

I' •’ I- ■ ■ - - - — ?.. •• • ' The English Derby, 1898, is numbered with • the past (writes “ Galtee More” in the Sydney Mail), and for the first time in the annals of the Classic event it has been won by a colt bred and owned by ,a native of Sydney—Mr J. W. Larnach. Mercantile men of this city will readily remember the late Mr Donald Larnach, who was on the directorate of the Bank of New South Wales, and later on was a member of the London board of management of that institution. Mr J. W. Larnach is a comparatively recent addition to the ranks of English, sportsmen, and must be regarded as extremely fortunate in proving successful in his first essay to capture the coveted -prize. It is recorded of Lord Bosebery that his greatest ambitions were to win a Derby and bedome Prime Minister of England, but though he ‘ achieved both it was not till long after he had assumed the guidance of the British Empire that the victory of Ladas entitled him to a place on the scroll of Derby winners. That the honor is highly prized was instanced during Jubilee year, when after Galtee More secured the Two Thousand Guineas, Mr M. D. Bucker, a wealthy English sportsman, came down with the tempting offer of £25,000 and half shares in the stakes for the Derby and St. Leger, as the son of Kendal at the time was regarded as having a strong lien OU'the classic event, and the American turfman, Mr Marcus Daly, the Montana Copper King, was equally liberal in his desire to possess the prospective winner of the blue ribbon, but Mr Gubbins declined to part with the colt, and was rewarded for his sportsmanlike action by owning the “tripled crowned” hero of the season. A ’ Derby is not easily secured, and the Irish sportsman did not take any chances.” . • The New Zealand horse, Ditto, carried list ?lOlb to victory in the two and a half miles steeple's ohaho at Randwick on June 4, his two opponents 'both coming down during the race. • ■ . .. ■