Earlier this year’s four part series “Brothers In Arms” specifically reviewed those stallions that made a significant impact in New Zealand. This series will place emphasis on those whose impact mainly influenced the Australian scene. Several will be repeats of the earlier series but with greater attention to the Australian influence.
This is the first in a series of four articles reviewing full brothers with 20 or more offspring {worldwide} as shown on the Classic Families (CF) database. Many of these sires won classic races, produced classic winners/progeny and contributed to the genetic inheritance of numerous outstanding performers.
There are over 160 sires or 75 combinations of brothers (pairs, several threes and a foursome) that make up this group. The four brothers who each achieved 20 plus offspring were from the pairing of Volomite/Margaret Spangler – Attorney, Blackstone, Chief Counsel and Kings Counsel. All were foaled late 1930’s/early 1940’s. Margaret Spangler left Spangled Maiden, founder of an extensive and successful family in Australasia.
Mention will be made of Australian based sires whose brothers may have only stood in Australia and/or North America. The resumes of each horse will be brief. This review looks at several timeframes using a sire’s date of birth as a means of classification. There are other brothers who successfully produced 20 or more offspring, but do not figure in the CF database with the required number of elite progeny.
Early Days pre 1930’s
The first timeframe being reviewed covers the 50 year period from 1880 – 1930.
VIKING (1884)/ERA (1887) – Childe Harold/Violetta. These brothers were from the imported mare Violetta who was a prominent broodmare of her era. They were full brothers to Violetta Junior, a champion NSW trotting mare of the 1890’s. Violetta left Era, an Australian bred, won many trotting races on the track as well as in the show ring for his owner Horace Bartlett. A successful sire (Silver Boy held the Australian Pacers mile record) and broodmare sire before he was taken to England and ultimately purchased for America, Era was sire of the second dam of Australian bred winner of the 1923 Auckland Cup, Blue Mountain King. Viking, a 2:34.5 pacer in Australia, stood at stud in NZ leaving 34 winners and being dam sire of Delavan Chimes (Melbourne Thousand, Australian 2yo Pacers race mile record holder)..
OSTERLEY (1886)/ROTHSCHILD (1889) – Childe Harold/Belle Briggs
Their sire and dam were imported from the USA and these brothers both left an indelible mark on the breed in Australasia. Osterley proved superior to his brother on the racetrack reducing the Australian trotter’s mile record to T2:24.8TT in 1894. Bred by Andrew Town at Richmond (NSW), he stood at Truganina (VIC) from 1894 to 1908 producing 60 winners including 33 sons who became sires. These winners included Emulator and the mare Lightfoot, two leading trotters of their era. He was dam sire of Princess Wilkes who set an Australian Trotters Mares mile record in 1923 at Claremont Showgrounds in Perth (T2:15.0TT).
Rothschild was born in NSW in 1889, renamed from Lord Byron on arrival in NZ as a 3yo and to avoid confusion with a Clydesdale stallion of the same name. The great Rothschild had an undistinguished racetrack career but in the breeding barn he was the leading stallion of his era, his pedigree appearing deep in many of today’s champions. Among his 318 winners (76 siring sons) were Albert H/Belmont M/Ravenschild (NZ Cup), Master Raymond (Dominion Hcp), Nora Creina (AK Cup), Pyramid (Rowe Cup), Rockfeller (WA Cup). As a broodmare sire his list of distinguished progeny include Aerial Bingen/Bluewood (Rowe Cup), Childe Pointer/Ciro/Doraldhina (NZ Derby), Kohara (NZ Cup/Derby), Nantwich/President Wilson (GN Derby), Talaro (Ak Cup), Taurekareka (GN/NZ Derby, WA Cup), Kola Girl/Tommy Dillon (WA Cup). Rothschild was the sire of the second dam of Parisienne, one of New Zealand’s greatest ever broodmares.
HUON JUNIOR (1888)/GLOBE (1889) – Huon/Lucilla. These full brothers were from imports in Huon and Lucilla. Huon Junior was a dual gaited stallion (T2:24.5TT, 2:30.0) bred by JA Roberts who went onto to leave 174 winners (2 trotters) including Greta’s five siring sons (see next paragraph on Rock Huon, Lulu Boy and Marble Arch) and Pride (WA Pacing Cup). His broodmare credits included Wilverley (VIC Derby), Sydney Thousand winners Lee Ribbon, Loo Doolan, Maori Land and Melbourne Thousand winner Eulinta Bells. Globe was the sire of 21 offspring most notably as the dam sire of Globe Derby whose son Robert Derby left Radiant Robert (SA/VIC Derbies, sire of 355 winners). Globe was also dam sire of Otahuhu Cup winners Auto Machine (VIC Derby) and Star Pronto.
An Australian threesome of brothers of influence during this period were ROCK HUON (1902)/LULU BOY (1907)/MARBLE ARCH (1909) – Huon Junior/Greta. These sons of Huon Junior were from Greta who left nine winners from nine foals. Greta in fact produced five siring brothers by Huon Junior and she was by a wonderful broodmare sire in Vancleve. All three brothers were good performers on the track. Among Rock Huon’s 222 winners, his best son was Machine Brick (Sydney Thousand, Otahuhu Cup, sire of 97 winners). Marble Arch left 55 winners including Marble Ridge (Australian record number of 52 victories). Lulu Boy (Melbourne Thousand), considered the best sire of the brothers produced 158 winners with his siring son Royal Lulu leaving Royal Again (WA Cup); Royal Van, winner inaugural NSW Derby. Two other full brothers by Huon Junior were Dexter (27 winners) and Galtimore (9 winners).
DENVER HUON (1904)/HONEST HUON (1905) – Huon Junior/Young Leila. These brothers stood at stud on opposite sides of the Tasman. Honest Huon (2:28.5) was less talented than his more famous brother on the track but proved to be the better sire. The sire of 64 winners and dam sire of Derby winners Bobby Linden (VIC/SA), Jean Pronto (VIC) and Wantio (NSW). Denver Huon (2:12.0; also established Australian two year old Mile Record of 2:37½) started his siring career in Australia but did most of his duties in NZ including running second to Ravenschild in the 1913 NZ Cup. His overall siring successes totaled 41 including Imprint (National Hcp).
CHILDEWOOD (1909)/REALM (1914) – Ribbonwood/Levuka. These full brothers were sons of Ribbonwood out of Era mare Levuka. Childewood (2:17.2, in days when 2:20 was standard), raced originally as Blackwood, major claim to fame was as sire of daughter Roselawn, dam of Lawn Derby the first horse outside North America to break two minutes (1:59.4TT, Addington, 11 November 1938, NSW Derby) and Van Derby (set world records for 1 mile on grass 2:00.2TT, 1½m), Both Lawn Derby and Van Derby were prolific sires. Childewood produced 123 winners and had over a hundred dam sire credits. Realm (2:11.2), unlike his brother won races in both Australia and New Zealand before leaving 45 winners with NZ Derby winner Shadowland notable and NZ trotter Royal Worthy (High Class Trot) among his broodmare credits.
INDIANAPOLIS (1929)/MIRACULOUS (1938) – Wrack/Estella Amos. By imported parents, Indianapolis was the first three time winner of consecutive NZ Cup’s (False Step/Terror To Love being others), an Auckland Cup and GN Derby. His time trial of 2:00.4 set at Addington in November 1936 was a NZ record. A NZ Hall of Fame inductee, he was the sire of 74 winners including Indian Parrish (Rowe Cup) and dam sire of Jewel Derby (Rowe Cup), Le Chant (NZ Trotting FFA), Miracle Watch (VIC/NSW/SA Trotters Derby), Stylish Major (ID Trotting G/F). His brother Miraculous, born in Victoria was in utero when arriving in Australia. He won two heats and placed fourth in Bandbox’s 1947 Interdominion in Perth. He sired 55 winners including Acclaim (SA/VIC Derby), Miracle Watch (VIC/NSW/SA Trotters Derbies – inbred with Indianapolis sire of second dam) and dam sire of Miracle Note (Dullard Cup twice, SA Trotters Derby), Miracle Time (SA/VIC Trotters Derby).
Part II of the Australian Siring Full Brothers series will look at the mid-20th century period 1930 – 1960.
Peter Craig
9 August 2017
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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